Could Not Stop for Death-Book 4 in the Chronicles of Samantha Shepard
by Desert Sunrise
Summary: Despite their best efforts to defeat the enemy, the inevitable happens. Reapers appear and throw the galaxy into chaos. Shepard struggles to regain lost trust, resolve centuries-old wars, and overcome the machinations of a madman hell-bent on derailing their best efforts to unite a divided galaxy before all is lost. Is the love of one Asari strong enough to hold it all together?
1. Wake-up Calls

Welcome to Book 4 of the Chronicles of Samantha Shepard! I want to thank my new Beta reader, Old Gamer, for the great assistance provided. It brings these chapters to you sooner than it ever would have happened otherwise! And now, off to a story about love, pain, loss and hope... all parts of a thing called war.

Notes:

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

XO - Executive Officer

* * *

**Wake-up Calls**

**Citadel, Serpent Nebula**

Liara had stared at the report for a few moments before her brain was able to accept what she was reading. The Batarian home star cluster of Kite's Nest, including their homeworld of Khar'shan, had gone dark. The Reapers had emerged from dark space and were in Harsa; the Galaxy's preparation time had expired and the Reapers now had access to the relays. She immediately forwarded the data, but even with the new reports, Councilors Anderson's and Tevos' arguments still proved ineffective at swaying the other councilors. Until he saw irrefutable proof, Valern held fast to his refusal to believe Sovereign was anything more than a Geth construct or that the Reapers were anything more than things of myth and a tool Saren used to control the Geth. He assumed the total absence of communiqués from the Batarians was a simple expansion of their typical isolationist policies and absolutely nothing to be concerned about. He actually preferred it over their continual rants and demands for Shepard to be turned over to them for justice. For the new Turian councilor, Quentius, the passage of the last six months with no appearance of the Reapers as Shepard had warned made him cautious as well, wondering if Sparatus had been correct in his belief that Shepard's tales were no more than the delusions of a Human suffering from battle stress. With the council's inability to break the stalemate, the Asari's Destiny Ascension and their battle cruisers dedicated to the Citadel fleet remained restricted to the Serpent Nebula and none of the races were mobilizing for war. The only significant change came when David Anderson apologized profusely to Tevos just after he tendered his resignation and turned the Human council seat over to Donnel Udina.

"David! Why would you do such a thing? The timing could not possibly be worse!" Tevos stared at the man she had come to call friend and ally, surprised he had given her absolutely no warning before his rash act.

"I'm sorry, Tevos. Truly. But if Liara's report is correct, of which I have no doubt, I'm headed back to Earth. I'm a soldier, not a diplomat. When the Reapers get here, I need to be back with the Alliance." Anderson shook his head. "It's where I'm at my best. Udina will be fine here. This is his battleground and he knows how to get things done, and that's what we're going to need. We fought the good fight to a stalemate, so now it's time to face our demons and I can do that best on the front lines, not sitting in some office arguing uselessly against Valern and Quentius."

Tevos dropped her chin and closed her eyes for a moment before responding. "I will miss you, David. You have been a good friend through trying times and I'm sure there will be worse ones ahead. Please, do be careful."

"I will. You take care of yourself, as well. If Saren wanted this place, you know damn well the Reapers will want it too. If there's even a _hint_ they're getting close, promise me you'll be on the Destiny Ascension long before they're knocking on the doors?" Anderson gave her a look that said he wouldn't take no for an answer before his gaze also drifted to Huntress Tenir. When he got a smile and acknowledging nod, he returned his focus to Tevos.

His concern for them made Tevos smile, even with the topic of discussion. He was a good man and she really would miss him; she hadn't said it just to be kind. "Don't worry. I'm not the 'go out in a blaze of glory' type, so I swear to you that I will be safely tucked away in my quarters on the Ascension with time to spare." Tevos stepped forward and, much to his surprise, grasped him by the shoulders and gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. "Go with the Goddess, David."

* * *

**One month prior - Destiny Ascension**

Matriarch Lidanya stood with her hands on her hips, staring in bewilderment at the other matriarch before her. "I don't know what more you expect me to do! I've upgraded the ships in the Citadel Fleet as much as I can, but I cannot force the matriarchs of Thessia's independent republics to do anything they don't want to! Armali is moving forward, but only because of Lady T'Soni and Mozia... and you, I imagine." She paused for a moment when she saw a brief flash of grief pass over the face before her. "I'm sorry. It must still be hard for you to hear us refer to Liara as Lady T'Soni. Does she know yet?"

Aethyta growled. "Know what? That her mother is dead? Yeah, it's pretty fucking obvious, isn't it?"

"Thyta! There is no need for that! You know exactly what I mean, but from your answer I'll assume you still haven't told her."

"Of course I haven't told her! I've been here, helping you bang your head against the bulkhead with every matriarch's refusal to prepare for what's coming!" Aethyta's voice dropped back to a normal volume as she thought about her daughter. "There hasn't exactly been time for me to think about how I'm going to do it. I can't just walk up to her door after a hundred years and say, 'Hi kid, I'm your Dad', can I? She'd probably try to warp me into dark space."

Lidanya's posture relaxed a bit and she sighed. "No, I suppose not. There probably isn't any good way to do it. No matter how you approach it, it will be a shock. But hopefully a pleasant surprise... for her to know she's not alone."

A gravelly sound escaped Aethyta that approximated a laugh in her distraught state. "Oh, she's not alone. She has that damned Human... Shepard. She doesn't need me." She shook her head. "Assuming Shepard doesn't get herself or my girl killed during this war. Or both."

A hand grasped Aethyta's upper arm and shook her gently. "Don't say such things. It is war. People will die, but we cannot dwell on it. We lost many to Sovereign and this undoubtedly will be many times worse. There will be dark days ahead and I'm sure that for some of them, all we will have is our faith and hope. Do not lose sight of them."

"Thanks, Liddy." Aethyta's face held a pained smile. "You're right. It's just... Damn, but I still miss her. A hundred damn years and I still miss her. And Liara's so smart. She reminds me so much of her mother, it hurts."

Lidanya laughed lightly. "All the more reason to get to know her. She is the best of both of you and every day you delay, the more you miss out on." Her face turned serious. "Don't wait too long, Thyta. If something _does_ happen, to either of you, you will have never met your daughter and she will learn from someone else who her father was or go to her grave thinking you never loved her. It would be a gross injustice. To both of you."

"Yeah, you're right. The timing of it all is just incredibly horrible." Aethyta closed her eyes and sighed.

"It is because of this war that it has happened this way. Do not let the Reapers dictate your future with your daughter. You must not pass to the light with such guilt on your conscience, Thyta. Find time to tell her." Liddy released Aethyta's arm and stepped back. "Now, go back to the Citadel and talk to Tevos. Figure out what's next for you."

* * *

**One month prior - Palaven**

Kasumi sat casually on the couch in the home of Garrus Vakarian, awaiting his arrival. As he opened the door and stepped in, he knew something was _wrong_ somehow, but couldn't put his finger on it. He quietly pulled his pistol as he walked through the house as he normally would, but being exceptionally watchful and ready for whatever came at him. If someone had been casing his house, he didn't want them to know he realized something was out of place. He grabbed a tray, a sandwich and a drink and walked to the living room as he always did, to sit and eat dinner. The main difference was he carried the tray a little lower than normal to conceal it was held up by a pistol, not just his hand. When he entered the living room, he stopped his forward motion and started to chuckle. "Kasumi. What the hell are you doing, sitting on my couch?"

He couldn't see much of her face with that damn ever-present hood, but he saw her mouth turn up in a smile. "Had business here, and figured you'd be mad if I didn't stop in and say hello."

Garrus shook his head and sat down. "I'd offer you something to eat, but I wasn't expecting company so I don't have anything edible for you. My apologies." She let out a light hearted chuckle and he smiled. It was nice to have one of the old crew to chat with. He missed them all.

"No worries, Garrus. My job was for an extended period, so I brought plenty of my own supplies." Kasumi sat up from her relaxed position and got to business. "Have you heard from Liara lately?"

Garrus swallowed his bite of sandwich and looked at her, suddenly nervous. "I get the weekly updates... Have I missed something?"

"So you're up to date on Feron and the Cipher, and that she's working on Mars?"

Garrus relaxed a little bit, happy it wasn't something big. "Yeah. Spirits, Kas. I thought you were ready to drop a bomb on me. Don't do that."

She shrugged. "Actually I am. I need to tell you why I'm here. I may need some help and I'm not referring to your task force. I'm talking about Archangel."

Garrus' mandibles flexed. "Now there's a name I haven't heard in a while. What could you possibly need from him? I heard he was retired. Permanently. Didn't he get killed on Omega?"

"Thane was getting ready to retire, too. He changed his mind when he heard about the mission he was needed for." Kasumi wondered why Garrus was being so careful. _Is it possible his house is monitored?_ She quickly ran a scan and turned up nothing.

"Getting ready to retire and being dead are two different things." His voice flanged noticeably, so Kasumi knew he was stressing over something, but it wasn't that he was being spied on, so she spit it out.

"Garrus, Liara sent me to find out about Sparatus' status here, to insure he was actually being punished for what he did to Shepard."

Kasumi watched the big Turian stand as he growled. "And they're not doing crap. Oh yeah. He's under house arrest, but his 'guards' are his regular bodyguards, not cops. And if he wants to go out, he goes. He just has to stay in the city. Like he'd know what to do if he stepped anywhere outside the city limits anyway." Garrus walked to his window, looking out toward the city center. "I think he still receives his government stipend. Once a councilor, always a councilor. Problem is he still has powerful friends in high places, so Fedorian's hands are tied. The Council should have turned him over to the other Spectres and been done with him."

He suddenly spun and pinned Kasumi in place with his piercing eagle-like eyes, all prior hesitation gone. "Whatever it is, I'm in. What do you need from me?"

"Liara wants me to make his life less pleasant. She didn't come right out and say it, but I don't think she would object if it suddenly became... shorter. _Much_ shorter." Kasumi cocked her head slightly to the side as she awaited Garrus' reaction.

"You want me to assassinate him?" Garrus' voice expressed surprise. "On Palaven?" He shook his head as his mandibles twitched. "That would be a tall order. He's under constant observation."

Kasumi smiled. "I could sneak in and poison him if that's what I wanted, but you're right. He's too high profile and we don't need that much attention. Not right now. I was thinking something a bit more subtle. Like maybe a skycar crash or something, but that's not my specialty. I don't know how to kill someone and make it look like an accident."

"Huh... me neither. Too bad Thane's not healthier, but he'd be missed if he skipped treatments, so we can't ask him. Not to mention it would be really bad for his health." Garrus paced back and forth. "I know a certain Spectre who could probably do it, but she's otherwise indisposed at the moment. Not that I think she'd actually do it. Liara on the other hand..."

"No. Liara and Shepard would be the first two people they'd look at. It can't be connected to them at all. They'd be too high on the suspect list." Kasumi suddenly jumped up off the couch in her enthusiasm. "Oooohhhhh! I've got it! We need to find Mordin! I'm sure he's still got contacts in the STG and they _do_ political assassinations! Haven't done any I'm aware of in quite a few years, but they've got the history!"

"Now that's an idea. Mordin _would_ have the connections." Garrus was nodding his head in agreement. "But if you're going to keep Liara out of it, you have to find him on your own, which means going to Sur'Kesh. Good luck with that!"

Kasumi laughed as she headed toward the door. "Hey. At least I can eat the food there! Thanks a bunch, Garrus. I'll see you around!"

Garrus watched the thief shimmer and literally vanish as she went out his door. His face bore a puzzled expression as he wondered exactly why Kasumi had thanked him; he hadn't done anything but talk to her. He shook his head and returned to his dinner. He may like the human friends he'd made on the Normandy, but he didn't think he would ever truly understand them.

* * *

**Alliance Earth HQs, London, Sol**

It had been a week since Liara's warning and as soon as Anderson had returned to Earth, Admiral Hackett left London and returned to his mobile command post on the SSV Orizaba, the flagship of the Fifth Fleet at Arcturus station, captained by none other than Hannah Shepard. Anderson was promoted to Rear Admiral and settled quickly into the job as the Headquarters Commander, made his rounds of the staff and finally stopped in to see Samantha Shepard. She popped to attention in surprise as _Admiral_ Anderson walked into her quarters. "Don't get me wrong. It's good to see you, Sir, but what the hell are you doing here?"

"Oh, God. Are we starting all over with that crap? Don't 'Sir' me, Shepard! What's it look like I'm doing?" Anderson chuckled at the greeting he received from his once XO.

"It looks like you're an Alliance admiral instead of a Councilor?" Shepard was happy if that was the case, but concerned as to who he'd left in the seat at the Citadel.

"Well. It's good to know you can still see. At least you'll point your gun in the right direction." Anderson's joviality vanished. "What I'm doing is assuming that Liara's right. And since that's the case, I belong here, not in some damn political office on the Citadel. I'm no politician, Shepard, and that's not where I belong during a war."

He nodded abruptly. "So. I'm here and Hackett's back in command of the Fifth Fleet on your Mom's ship. Right where everyone should be... except for you. I've got to talk to the Defense Council, get you reinstated as a Commander, and get your ass back on the Normandy."

"And Donnel Udina? That man has no business sitting in a council seat." Shepard smiled as she took in his words. "Wait. Commander? That would be nice, Anderson... but that's not a reinstatement, that's a promotion. From jail, but a promotion none-the-less."

"From protective custody... and one that's overdue." Anderson shook his head. "You've been a Lieutenant Commander now for what, seven years? _And_ you command your own frigate. With everything you've done, you should be a damn Captain, but I know _that_ won't fly."

"I've only been in for fourteen years... twelve if you take out the two when I was... well, you know... gone." Shepard still had a hard time telling people she had been dead, even those who knew the story.

"Shouldn't matter. I liked the days when people were field promoted on the spot for their abilities, not just because they survived and stuck around long enough." Anderson stepped back toward the door. "Anyway. I've got to run. Just wanted to stop in and see you, let you know I'm around and working to get you back on your ship. I'll see you soon, Shepard."

When Anderson stepped out of Shepard's quarters, he didn't realize just how soon that would be. With the Council and the Alliance Defense Committee still in denial and unwilling to take action until they had hard evidence, each separate force stood independent and alone at the gates of Hell when the Reapers surged through the relays.

* * *

Anderson was standing in the control center when the first calls started coming through. He let his staff take most of them, but when Hackett came on the line, he took the call personally. "How bad is it?"

"Bad. We just lost contact with two of our deep space outposts." Hackett already sounded tired, and the war hadn't even begun. "There's something massive on the long range scanners."

"Liara told us they were here. Nobody would listen." Anderson practically growled out the words. "It's the Reapers, isn't it?"

Hackett's reply was short and to the point. "I'd stake my life on it."

"How long do we have?" Anderson was already calculating, trying to come up with a way to get Shepard on her ship and the Normandy in the air in the least amount of time.

"Not long." Hackett's answer wasn't very comforting. "I've already sent the order. The fleets are mobilizing. Hackett out."

God help us all." Anderson whispered to himself as he placed a call to Vega. "Get Shepard to the Defense Committee on the double. I'll meet you enroute."

When James fetched Shepard from her room, the halls had already started to fill up with marines scurrying about to get to their battle posts. He had no answers for her questions, just that they needed to hurry and Admiral Anderson would be meeting them on the way. Shepard immediately reached out. _{Liara.}_

Liara responded quickly, concerned about Shepard's tone. _{ You sound... tense, Shepard. What's the matter?}_

_{I don't know. I'm on the way to the Defense Committee for an unscheduled meeting and people are running the halls in a hurry to get somewhere.} _Her thoughts paused only momentarily before she continued. _{I think they're here, Love. Start downloading all your data just in case, I may be on my way. Soon.}_

_{Goddess! I love you, Samantha. Please be careful!}_ Liara had already started the download process as she was speaking. _{I'll try to be ready when you get here.}_

_{Do that. I gotta go, Blue. See you soon. I promise.} _Shepard caught sight of Anderson walking toward them at a fast clip. "Anderson."

"Shepard." He reached out and they shook hands quickly as they walked. "Admiral Hackett is mobilizing the fleets. Something big is headed our way. I'm pretty sure we're all in agreement on what it most likely is."

Shepard scoffed. "We're not ready. Not by a long shot."

Anderson kept moving, as quickly as the crowds allowed. "Tell that to the Defense Committee."

"Screw the Defense Committee. I've been telling them that for over six months!" The anger in Shepard's voice turned Anderson's head.

"They're just scared. That's why they need you. None of them have seen what you've seen." Anderson's voice almost came out as a laugh. "Hell. You spoke to one and then blew the damn thing up!" He stopped momentarily and grabbed her arm. "I know they're supposed to be in charge, but they need your confidence right now. They need your guidance and your leadership." He released her arm and started walking again. "As much as you may want to, don't piss on them. Help them help us."

"I'm just a soldier, Anderson." Shepard shook her head in disgust. "I'm no politician."

"Good, because that's what we need. I need someone who can do whatever the hell it takes to help us stop the Reapers."

When they got to the committee chambers, Shepard was surprised to run into Ashley outside the doors; _Lieutenant Commander_ Ashley Williams. She just spoke her name, but Ashley's voice sounded almost anxious as she greeted the commander. "Shepard."

Before Shepard could respond, Anderson cut in, allowing no time for small talk. "Ashley. How'd it go in there?"

Ash shrugged her shoulders. "I can never tell with them, but they're on board with Shepard. They're cutting her orders now." Her eyes shifted to Shepard. "Congratulations, Commander. Welcome back to the Normandy."

"Thanks. Congrats to you too, Lieutenant Commander?" Shepard raised her eyebrows and Anderson saw the look pass between them.

"You hadn't heard?" His voice sounded surprised.

"No. I'm a bit out of the loop these days." Shepard's voice turned bitter. "The novelty wore off and nobody talks to me anymore."

Ashley immediately took it as a personal chastisement and her cheeks turned a little red. "Sorry, Ma'am. Didn't mean to leave you in the dark."

Shepard let out a small huff, doubting her sincerity. "Don't worry about it. Not like you learned the Reapers were coming and didn't tell me."

Anderson realized a storm front when he saw one and cut the discussion off. "No time for chit-chat. They're waiting on us." He glanced meaningfully between the two. "Come on, Shepard."

"Yes, Sir." Her words were clipped, but Shepard recognized what he had done and followed close behind as he started to walk away. She knew she and Ashley were going to have to work through this, but now wasn't the time. They had more important things to worry about.

They walked in on a Defense Committee that was in chaos, asking her what they should be doing with this new unknown enemy. Shepard was almost beyond words as her frustration rose to the surface and she echoed their words back to them. "You have got to be fucking kidding me! Unlike anything you've ever seen? Incomprehensively powerful?" Shepard practically shook with the effort of controlling her rage. "What about Sovereign? What about all the reports you read and all the debriefings with me. You all have no excuses for being caught so unprepared. Now it's too late. There's only one thing we can do." She pointed at the committee before waving her hand at all the monitors showing Reapers touching down at various parts of the globe. "The Reapers are more advanced than we are. More powerful. More intelligent. They don't _fear_ us and they'll certainly never take _pity_ on us. They are here to wipe us out of existence so we only have one option. We fight, or we die!"

"That's it? That's our plan?" The committee was completely at a loss as to what to do.

Anderson looked almost as disgusted as she did as he ignored them and looked at Shepard. "We should get to the Normandy."

Just then, the sound of loud thunder erupted outside and Shepard's head snapped around to look out the window. "We're out of time! Get away from the windows! Move!"

The members of the Defense Committee had been sitting behind a comfortable desk for far too long and completely failed to respond to her warnings with the reflexes that should have been befitting those of life-long soldiers. Catching them completely flat-footed, an energy beam ripped through the building and threw furniture and personnel like tumbleweeds in the wind. Shepard had run to the back of the room but still got slammed to the wall with the force of the explosion, her ears ringing so loudly she couldn't hear anything else for a few moments. As she sat up, she saw Anderson speaking before she could actually hear what he was saying and he was already helping her to her feet as her auditory canals started working again.

"Come on, get up!" He quickly handed her a pistol and they got on the move, working their way to the Normandy. Anderson managed to get in touch with Williams and told her to get to the Normandy and meet them at the landing zone. As they stepped outside, Shepard reached out to touch base with Liara, only to get a rude awakening. Even through the link, Liara sounded terribly out of breath and Shepard immediately feared the Reapers were also on Mars and her heart clenched in fear. _{Goddess! Shepard!... I down... loaded most of the data and we were watching... the news feeds.}_ Shepard felt Liara grunt, like she was climbing over something. _{Gunfire... erupted and I just knew they were here as well... Ahhh! Goddess be damned!}_

Shepard was suddenly met with a sickening silence. _{Liara!}_

_{Here, Shepard. Sorry. I had to kill a Centurion.}_

Shepard immediately felt confusion. Not from Liara, but in her own mind. _{Centurion? What the hell are you talking about, Li?}_

_{Oh. Right. No Reapers yet...} _Liara grunted again with effort. _{Cerberus. Goddess. Please hurry, Love.}_ Another grunt. _{Not sure how... long I can avoid them... but I really need to go. I have to...} _ Another long pause. _{... concentrate on staying alive until you get here. I... am a tad... bit... outnumbered.}_

Shepard put on a burst of speed and flew past Anderson, a new drive thrusting her forward. _{I'm coming! Just stay alive for me, Liara! I'm coming.} _ She wasn't sure if the link was still active but she pushed anyway. _{I love you, Li!}_

The fight to get to the Normandy took an amazingly long time, the entire time Shepard finding it hard to concentrate as Anderson spoke about getting to the Citadel and asking the Council for help with her Spectre status. When the Normandy arrived to pick them up, more than twelve minutes had passed and Anderson was dragging his feet.

Shepard looked back after she had jumped onto the loading ramp. "Come on!"

Anderson watched a shuttle arrive over his shoulder. "I'm not going." He pointed back toward the shuttle. "You saw those men back there. There's a million more like 'em and they need a leader."

Shepard was impatient. "We're in this fight together, Anderson. Get your ass up here!"

With everything going on, Anderson couldn't laugh, but a small smile graced his face. "My fight is here, but it's a fight we won't win, not without help. Your fight is out there. Go to the council. Get us the help we need, Shepard. I'll be waiting on you."

"And if they won't listen?" Shepard was itching to leave, but duty drove her to find out exactly what Anderson expected of her.

"Then _make_ them listen, Commander!" Anderson reached into his pocket. "By the way. You'll need these." His arm flicked out, launching a chain with a pair of dog tags at her. As she caught them, he finished and waved the Normandy away. "You know what you have to do, so go do it."

Shepard nodded, hoping it wasn't the last she'd see of David Anderson. "I'll be back, and I'll bring every fleet I can, Anderson. Stay alive!"

As the ramp came up, Shepard started striding towards the elevator to go to the loft and get her custom armor, but was intercepted by Riana who had already gathered it together for her. "Shepard. It is good to see you. Thought you might be needing this." Her expression reflected concern and the commander knew why.

Shepard pulled up short. "Shit! It's good to see you, Riana. I forgot you were on board! Don't worry, we're headed straight to Mars." She slipped her dog tags over her head and Riana started to help her get all her gear on.

In the meantime, James rolled up, his eyes going wide. "You are not Dr T'Soni. Where'd you come from?"

Shepard scowled at the reminder Liara wasn't safely aboard with them. "Deep breath, James. This is Riana Iregos, Liara's personal guard and Broker assistant. She's been on the Normandy crew for longer than you have. Riana? Lieutenant James Vega."

Riana just stared at him. "Yes. I know. He is bigger than I imagined. Welcome to the Normandy, Lieutenant."

Shepard snapped her last armor fastener and started walking. "Wait! Commander?" Vega was hot on her heals. "Where's Anderson and why the hell are we going to Mars?"

Shepard stayed on the move and talked over her shoulder. "Anderson is staying to organize the resistance and we're picking up Dr T'Soni on our way to the Citadel."

"Leaving? Fuck that! Drop me back off!" Ashley heard the tone in Vega's voice and walked over to join the conversation.

"What's going on?" She glanced back and forth between Vega and the commander, not really sure what was about to happen.

Shepard ignored them all for a second. "Edi, you with us?" She breathed a sigh of relief as Edi's calm voice responded to the affirmative. "Great. All available speed to the Mars Archives."

Shepard spoke to them all quickly, explaining her conversation with Anderson and about Liara having found something of interest. "We need to retrieve her and her research before we leave the Sol system. I'm afraid if we don't do it now, we won't get another chance." Saying the words out loud put a knot of fear in her gut.

Joker came on the line. "Commander. Got an emergency transmission from Admiral Hackett for you."

"Shit. Patch it through, Joker!" The signal was heavily distorted and Shepard only managed to catch every other word, but she got the gist. The Alliance got their asses handed to them in the initial confrontations and their worst fears had been realized. The Reapers had shown up with overwhelming force and their only hope lay with Liara and whatever she had discovered in the Archives. "Understood, Sir. We're on our way there now, and then to meet with the Council to gather whatever help we can." She didn't say anything about her conversation with Liara or the Cerberus forces there. They'd handle whatever was thrown at them when they got there.

Hackett nodded in agreement. "God speed, Commander. Hackett out."

* * *

**Prothean Archives, Mars**

By the time they got to the Archives, thirty minutes had passed and while maintaining her outward calm, inside, Shepard was frantic. Joker had attempted contact and no one was answering. Shepard knew why, but she still didn't say anything. She did have one question she needed to ask. "Any sign of Reaper activity?" She breathed a small sigh of relief when Joker replied to the negative. It was a little easier knowing they only had to worry about Cerberus, _if_ they were even still here. She didn't want to think about the implications if they were not.

As James set the Shuttle down, he commented, "Still no contact from the base, but we've got a massive storm headed our way."

Shepard glanced at him as she readied her weapons. "How much time do we have?"

James shook his head, "Not a lot. Thirty minutes, tops. After that, talking to the Normandy will be tough."

"If we're here for thirty minutes, I think we may be in for bigger trouble than a Martian sandstorm." Shepard looked at her crew. She knew James and Riana were current in their battle training, but didn't know if Ashley had seen any _real_ action since Horizon, and she had missed most of that frozen in stasis. "Alright. You guys haven't worked with Riana before. She's a Vanguard, so just treat her like me and you should be fine. Let's hit it."

They had barely gotten out of the shuttle before they realized something was most definitely wrong. They found an Alliance trooper lying dead by a transport. Ashley pulled his tags. "Sergeant Reeves. Doesn't look like he put up much of a fight."

Shepard's heart was beating so loudly in her ears, she barely heard what Ashley was saying. "Come on, we've got to keep moving. Something's not right, and maybe we can stop it before it goes any farther."

She turned and moved quickly toward the facility entrance. As they approached, they heard gunfire. As Shepard peeked around a large rock, her worst fears were realized. Cerberus was pulling people out of the facility and executing them; she prayed they weren't too late. When James made a comment about it, Shepard growled. "It's fucking Cerberus! We've got some clean-up to do people." She stared directly at Ashley. "Show no mercy. Kill them all." She took a deep breath. "Ash. I need you and James to lob grenades down there. As soon as they explode, Riana and I will charge and take the fight to their doorstep. You guys get down there to back us up as fast as you can."

Shepard was pleased when Ashley didn't even hesitate as she pulled a frag grenade off her belt. "Roger that, Ma'am." She looked at James, who stood ready and nodded. "On my count."

* * *

They cleaned up the last of the Cerberus troopers outside the facility and finally breached the doors. Shepard immediately threw her mind forward. _{Liara!}_ The silence was deafening and Shepard felt her heart squeeze in her chest. _{By the Gods, Liara, if you don't answer me I'm going to tear this facility to the ground to find you!}_

A very tired voice came back and Shepard exhaled a breath she didn't realize she was holding. _{Shepard. Thank the Goddess.}_

_{I'm here, Li. Coming up on the vehicle elevator now. Where are you?}_ Ashley started to talk to her but Shepard shook her head and held her hand up for her to be quiet. Riana pulled her to the side and explained she was probably 'speaking' with Liara over the meld.

_{I ended up hiding in the ducts. Crawling through them is loud and I was getting shot at. It was a bit distracting and I obviously didn't feel you the first time you called. I'm sorry if I worried you.}_ Shepard felt Liara sigh in relief, but she was too concerned yet to feel any joy in the pending reunion.

Shepard understood completely. _{It's ok, Li. Can you work your way to us or do I need to come to you?}_

_{I can... get to you... I think. I know there's still two more up here with me somewhere and I'm running low on ammo. They'll...}_ Liara stopped for a moment and Shepard realized just how tired her lover was.

_{Liara. You can't 'think.' You have to 'know.' You did this for me once and I was amazed at how much it helped. You need to get to me safely and you're almost completely drained. Take what you need.}_ Shepard pushed energy, support and love toward Liara and felt the Asari draw on her strength.

_{By the Goddess. That's amazing. Thank you, Shepard. I'm coming.} _Even her voice sounded stronger through the link and Liara was once more on the move.

Shepard smiled and turned to Ashley. "Sorry Ash. What did you need?"

The elevator was coming to a stop on the upper floor and Ash hesitated. "It's not important, Shepard. I was just wondering if you knew why the hell Cerberus was here."

"I imagine they're after the same thing we are. A way to stop the Reapers. Liara's had a few run-ins with them at various Prothean research sites." They stepped off the elevator and Shepard glanced around and gestured upward. "Liara's headed to us through the ducts. Keep your eyes open and watch for hostiles, but positive ID before you shoot. I'd appreciate it if you don't shoot my future wife."

Ashley shook her head, not to be dissuaded from her inquiry. "Shepard. Cerberus rebuilt you from scratch. You really don't feel like you owe them anything?"

Shepard laughed. "All I owe TIM is a bullet between the eyes next time I see him. He's a narcissistic ass with dreams of galactic domination. No, I don't owe him shit. I stole the man's ship. I wouldn't be surprised if he has a bounty on my head."

Vega stepped up and looked at Ashley. "Hey, Amiga. Ease off. I've been tagged to Shepard since she turned herself in at the Citadel and she's been under constant surveillance. No way she's communicated with those pendejos."

Ashley backed off. "Sorry, Shepard. I just... I don't know. Just, your version of events is kind of hard to swallow."

"Trust me, I know, Ash. Half the time I don't believe it myself. But I'm done explaining myself to you. You'll either trust me or you ..." Shepard stopped when they all heard the banging in the duct.

They could now tell which vent hatch her bondmate was aiming for, but could also tell from all the noise and the gunfire that she wasn't alone. Once again, fear clutched at Shepard's heart. She didn't use the link and just shouted out, "Liara! Come on!" She spun and looked at her crew. "When Liara comes out of that vent, I'm going to pull her to me with my biotics." Her eyes turned molten hot and she spoke through clenched teeth as she finished. "You kill whoever tries to follow her out."

They heard Liara utter a pained yell and the commander was literally glowing with caged power. Suddenly the vent cover was kicked off and two white armored feet emerged, quickly followed by the rest of the Asari's body. Shepard whispered "Gotcha!" as she reached out with her biotics and pulled Liara to her so quickly she bowled them both over in the process.

Riana ripped the first trooper out of the vent and crushed him angrily with biotics as James and Ashley quickly finished off the second Cerberus trooper before he could even gain his footing outside the vent. They all turned to see Liara collapsed in the commander's arms. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing heavily as Shepard carefully put medigel on a bullet graze across her temple and side crests. Riana was instantly at her side and James took a step toward them and queried, "She gonna be ok, Commander?"

Shepard spoke quietly. "Yeah, she'll be fine. Just tired and a bit dizzy. Give the medigel a couple minutes and she'll be up. I think it was my unexpected pull that has her so disoriented." Shepard caressed a blue cheek and Liara blinked her eyes open and smiled gently.

Her voice was tender. "_Siame_. I was so worried when I saw the images from Earth... and here you are, rescuing _me_. Again. Thank you." She chuckled and took a deep breath as she sat up on her own, running her hand gingerly over her temple. "That was a bit closer than I like. Riana. I was hoping you were here with the Normandy." Her eyes went to Shepard's companions as she stood. "Thanks to all of you. James, Ashley... it's... good to see you again."


	2. Limited Options

Notes:

_I__onúin Álainn__ \- _beautiful beloved (Gaelic)

QEC - Quantum Entanglement Communicator. Instantaneous point-to-point secure communications device; cannot be intercepted

_sim're - _"sister of my sister'", not intended for relations, meaning a dear friend's loved one

* * *

**Limited Options**

**Mars Archive, Sol**

Greatly relieved that Liara was safe, Shepard stepped close to the Asari and laid a hand against her back. Liara couldn't feel it through her armor, but she could sense it through the link and she relaxed into the touch. Shepard spoke with a bit of urgency. "Let's get you out of here before that storm rolls in or the Reapers decide to show."

Liara flinched. "Shepard. I'm sorry. I ran out of time. I downloaded the data we already extracted, but the main plans are still in the Archive." Liara's voice turned venomous as she finished. "Cerberus arrived and cut me off before I could get to the tram. We can't leave without them."

James looked on. "Plans? Plans for what?"

Liara shifted gears into business mode. "A Prothean device. One that could wipe out the Reapers."

James whistled. "Hallelujah."

"Yes. But it's just the plans. The Protheans failed to complete it. We need to survive long enough to build it. I hope we're not too late." Liara shook her head. "We're definitely in a race with Cerberus. One we can't afford to lose. We have to get to the Archives and get that data."

Ashley whipped her assault rifle into the ready position. "So it's a race to the Archives. Lead the way, Liara."

An explosion rocked the room and a door on the upper level buckled. "We've got company." Shepard turned to James. "Sorry big guy, but you can hate me later. I need you back at the shuttle to cover our backs. Make sure nobody leaves the surface with that data. If they download it and vamoose before we catch them we're screwed. You're the backstop; you _have_ to keep them from leaving."

Vega growled. "You're right, Shepard. I hate it, but I understand it. See you topside. That storm's still coming, so try to make it quick."

"Roger that, LT" As Vega disappeared into the elevator, Shepard grinned at her all-girl squad. "Alright, ladies. Let's show Cerberus how it's done."

They quickly worked their way through the first group and climbed to the upper level as Liara described what happened, with Cerberus catching them completely by surprise. "One minute we were getting reports of the Reaper invasion, the next there was chaos. Didn't even realize it was Cerberus at first."

They knew it wasn't going to be easy, with every doorway guarded by Cerberus troopers, but the four of them made steady progress. When they reached the pedway that crossed over to the tram, they discovered the controls had been locked out. As Shepard and Liara attempted to hack in, Ashley reviewed some security footage. "Hey, Liara. Who's this woman?"

Liara glanced at the screen. "That's Dr Eva Coré. She arrived about a week ago."

Shepard growled. "I can't get into this thing. Where's Tali when you need her?"

Liara let out a brief laugh. "That's ok. There's construction nearby, we'll have to go out and around, but it's doable."

As soon as they stepped outside they realized they had already taken too long and the storm was moving in. "James? Can you hear us?"

"Just ...ly, Com..." James comms were cutting in and out badly. "Can't ...ch ... Nor...dy."

"Shit. Looks like we're on our own." Shepard looked across the roof. "We need to get back inside. Head for that open door over there."

Liara sounded surprised. "That airlock shouldn't be open; someone must have hacked the security protocols."

When they entered, Liara was seething. "Someone vented the air from this room while all these people were still here. This is brutal, even by Cerberus standards. Goddess. I worked with these people. If I had been just a bit faster downloading data..."

Shepard interrupted. "Liara. Stop. There's nothing you could have done."

Liara shook her head. "You don't understand what I'm saying, Shepard. Had I been faster and not stopped to watch the vid feeds from Earth, I very well could have been here. I would..."

Shepard stepped up to her and pulled her chin around so they were eye-to-eye. "Definitely stop _that_. You weren't here, and that's that. Now stay focused. We have data to retrieve." Shepard stayed where she was until she saw Liara's eyes clear.

"Yes. Sorry. You're right." Liara took a calming breath. "Let's move."

They soon ran into their next road block, just as Cerberus' 'Delta team' was finishing up a report. The leader revealed they knew about the Normandy team being on Mars and Delta team's job was to keep them from the core. There were only four of them and the Normandy squad quickly eliminated them and moved into the pedway access. Liara immediately went to a terminal. "We need to pressurize the room first." A few clicks later and they heard the vents close and the atmospheric indicator turned green. "There we go. We have access to the labs now, and they'll take us right to the tram station."

Ashley was once again reviewing security footage and grabbed their attention. "Hey! This one's a recording of what happened here."

As they watched, Liara gasped in shock as Dr Eva Coré shot the security team and vented the room without pause. Shepard growled. "I guess we know how Cerberus got in."

Liara leaned on a terminal for support, her head hung low. "I should have realized it when I met her. I was just so focused on finding a way to stop the Reapers..."

Shepard immediately turned to her. "Stopping the Reapers is the only thing we should be focused on right now. This is not your fault, Liara."

Liara was still exhausted from the chase through the ducts and it showed in her attitude. "But what if we're wrong? What if there's no way to stop them? What if these are our last days and we spend them scurrying around trying to solve a problem we can't fix?"

Shepard closed on her from behind and gently laid a hand on her back, speaking softly. "Hey! Liara..."

"I know." She stood and turned to face the commander. "I shouldn't think that way. Sometimes, I don't know how you do it. You've always been so focused, even in the worst situations."

Shepard smiled at her, reached over and gently caressed her cheek. "When there's so much on the line, all I need to do is focus on you and think about what I'd lose if I fail. It quickly limits my options. I have to win."

Liara stood up and squared her shoulders. "You're right. Thank you, Samantha. That's certainly something worth fighting for."

Shepard stepped forward and took her lover's hands. "We'll stop them, Liara. Together."

"Ha. They haven't stopped us yet, have they?" Liara's face brightened. "Alright then. Let's go get our data, Shepard."

Shepard grinned. "There's my girl. Let's do this!"

They quickly got the doors open and moved out through the pedway. The pedway was an obvious choke point, with a lot of Cerberus troops blocking the way. Shepard looked at Ashley. "Ash. You know what I'm going to do, right?"

Ashley swapped out her assault rifle for her sniper. "Yes, Ma'am. I'll try to keep your back clear, but there are a lot of obstructions."

"Liara?" As Shepard looked to her partner, Liara nodded.

"I'm good for a few, Shepard, but I'm not sure how long I'll last." Liara grimaced. "But I know it's necessary. We have to get through. Be quick, but please be careful."

Shepard grinned. "Yo, Riana. I call this the 'crash and blast.' You're a Vanguard. See if you can keep up, but don't endanger yourself if you don't get the hang of it quick. You don't have the armor I do."

Riana frowned. "What is this, 'crash and blast' you speak of?"

The commander laughed. "Watch and learn. You'll catch on quick, I promise."

"Liara. I need you to focus your singularities on the guys with shields. Then Ash can pick 'em off, and Riana and I will take the rest."

Riana's eyes got wide. "The rest?"

Shepard shrugged, "Yeah. There's only what... maybe twelve or so?" She eyed Riana. "Like I said, stay safe. I have better protection than you do."

With that, Shepard was off. As the first pair of shielded Guardians lifted in a singularity, Shepard launched a biotic charge and detonated the singularity, blowing them and two assault troopers into oblivion. She quickly rolled to the side and blasted away with her shotgun. She watched Riana charge in, blasting a Centurion, so Shepard tossed in a warp to help finish him off before rolling to her right and charging again. The pedway was a pretty long stretch and Shepard lost track of how many Cerberus troops they killed, but silence finally reigned and she dropped to a knee to rest. Liara was immediately at her side. "Shepard! Are you alright?"

"Yeah. Just a bit winded." She glanced around. "Everyone else come through ok?"

Riana pointed at her. "_You_ are crazy. Judea told me stories I did not believe. I will have to apologize to her for doubting her truthfulness."

Shepard sucked down an energy drink and stood, her brow furrowed as she eyed Liara. "I haven't seen you eat or drink anything to replenish yourself. You don't have anything with you, do you?"

Liara looked at her sheepishly. "No. I must admit I was not prepared for this."

Shepard smiled gently. "Come here, you. You should have said something. You know I always carry extra." She pulled out an energy bar and tossed it gently. "Eat, while I figure this out."

Cerberus had activated a sterilization process in the labs and Shepard had to watch the beams moving back and forth to time them. She quickly recognized the pattern and hit the pause button so they could get out through the far door. With a quick glance at Liara to make sure she had finished eating, she pushed them onward. "Alright, let's move."

The next section of hallway was even more fun, with an automated turret mounted on the ceiling at the far end. The team had to work their way up the entire hall by diving from cover to cover. It was slow progress, but easily accomplished. They ran into another small group of troopers in the next room, but they were easily overcome and the team found themselves in a small control room with video feeds. They caught a quick glimpse of Dr Coré, just before she pulled her pistol and blasted the cameras. However, it did tell them she had just managed to reach the other side and wasn't that far ahead of them.

Liara looked at the console and started keying in commands, but got no response. She stood with a huff. "Looks like they've locked down the Archives."

Ashley added on. "And I doubt they'll be sending a tram over anytime soon."

Shepard looked to Liara. "You've got clearance for this place. Can you override it?"

Liara shook her head. "No, they've disabled the interface. I'm completely locked out."

"Damn it! We didn't come this far to get blocked now! There's got to be some way across." Shepard glanced around the group for ideas.

Ash shrugged. "All these guys have helmet-to-helmet transmitters. Why don't we just borrow one and see if they'll send a tram to pick us up?"

"Great idea, Ash! See what you can find." Shepard looked at Riana and gave her a nod to go with Ashley. Riana knew what Shepard really wanted and smiled softly and stepped out of the room.

Shepard turned around and walked toward Liara, who had a curious look on her face. "What's up, Liara?"

Liara turned back to her keyboard. "The Lieutenant Commander has become very capable."

"She's always been capable. She's a good soldier." Shepard rested her hands on Liara's shoulders and kissed her softly on top of her head. "What are you really thinking?"

"Nothing. Just that she's capable. That's all." Liara wouldn't look at her, so Shepard leaned onto the desk and got very close.

"You have always been a horrible liar, T'Soni. At least to me." Shepard ran her fingers carefully over the bullet score on Liara's crest. "How's your head?"

Liara blinked at the change of topic. "It's throbbing. I'll have Dr Chakwas check... Oh. Is Karin even on board?" She spun to see the sad expression on Shepard's face. "Never mind. I can see the answer as plain as if you had spoken it to me."

"So. Now. What's up with Ashley?" Shepard raised her eyebrows as Liara looked away, silent. "Li. This is me. Come on. Talk to me."

"Fine." Liara's response was clipped, but she stood and faced the commander. "I do not like the way she treated you on Horizon and I get the impression she still doesn't trust you. That is unacceptable to me. I will be civil, but do not expect more from me, Shepard. Not toward her. Not yet."

Further discussion was waylaid when Ash called out, her voice sounding distraught. "Commander! I've found something."

Shepard and Liara both walked in and realized why Ashley was upset. She had flipped the helmet open to get to the transmitter, and the soldier inside was no longer completely human. Liara stopped short. "Goddess!"

Shepard approached slowly. "What the hell have they done?"

Ashley was disgusted. "God. He almost looks like a husk."

Shepard took a closer look. "Not quite, but they've certainly done something to him."

Ashley stepped back. "Engineered. By Cerberus... and you wonder why I feel the way I do? For all I knew, that's what they were doing to you!"

"Ashley Williams! How can you compare Shepard to that monstrosity?" Liara was not pleased in the slightest with the Lieutenant Commander's comment.

Shepard immediately stepped in. "Whoa, now. Everybody settle down." Shepard put her hand on Liara's arm. "Easy, Liara." When Liara showed no sign of backing down, Shepard pled through the link. _{Please, Love. I know you're angry, but we have to work through this together. Please.}_

Liara's eyes snapped to Shepard's and she saw green pools of calm, pleading for cooperation, so she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. _{Fine. Civil. For you. Not for her. I'll be waiting in the next room.}_

_{Thank you.}_ Shepard turned to Ashley. "That's not fair, Ash. I have no way to prove otherwise to you, other than I don't look anything like that... thing. And I don't have the time nor the energy to convince you right now. We have a mission to complete, so I'm going to make a call and get a tram over here. We're going to get the data and we're going to get back on the Normandy and get the fuck out of here before the Reapers show up. Is that acceptable to you?"

Ashley nodded. "Yes, Ma'am. I'm with you, Commander. I just wanted you..." Ashley didn't finish before Shepard cut her off.

"Good." Shepard gritted her teeth and made the call.

The tram arrived full of Cerberus troops and another battle ensued. The team took the tram to the other side, hopping trams halfway over when a bomb disabled the first one. Yet another round of Cerberus troops met them on the far side and the team had to beat them back before finally getting into the Archive. Shepard quickly dispatched Ashley to check down one side and Riana to check the other, while she and Liara approached the center console to download the rest of the data.

As they began, the Illusive Man appeared in a holographic communications circle in the Archive. "Shepard."

Liara and Shepard both spun at the sound of the voice, weapons drawn. Liara spoke first, saying only his name as she holstered her weapon. "Illusive Man."

"Fascinating race, the Protheans. They left all of this for us to discover, but we've squandered it. The Alliance has known about the Archives for more than thirty years, and what have they done with it?"

Shepard wasn't in the mood for his philosophizing, so cut him off rudely. "What do you want?"

TIM looked past Shepard at the storage device behind her. "What I've always wanted. The data in these artifacts holds the key to solving the Reaper threat."

Shepard scoffed. "I've seen your solution... your people are turned into monsters."

"Hardly. They're being improved. That's what separates us, Shepard. What you see as monstrous and a means to destroy, I see a way to control. To dominate and harness the Reapers' power." He took a drag on the ever present cigarette between his fingers. "Imagine how strong humanity would be if we controlled them."

Shepard shook her head in disgust. "You can't control those things. We kill them, we live. If we don't, we die. It's pretty simple."

TIM frowned. "You always were shortsighted. This isn't your fight anymore, Shepard. You can't defeat the Reapers, even with the Prothean data."

"Oh, I'll defeat them." Shepard leaned toward his projections. "You brought me back because you knew what I could do. Just stay out of my way."

"But I don't want the Reapers destroyed. We can dominate them and use their power to bring humanity to the apex of evolution."

"You're delusional." Shepard stepped back and jerked her head toward the Archives. "With that data, I'll rid the galaxy of those machines once and for all."

"You were a tool to eliminate the Collectors, and you succeeded in your purpose. But like the rest of the relics in this place, your time is over." He raised a hand and pointed a finger at her menacingly. "Don't interfere with my plans, Shepard. I won't warn you again."

"Duly noted. Now go to hell." Shepard's attention was drawn by a call from Liara.

"Shepard! The data is being copied and removed!"

The Illusive Man turned away as his image faded. "Goodbye, Shepard."

"Damn it!" Shepard didn't even hear TIM's last words, her attention completely focused on Liara. "How's he doing it?"

"It's local. It's being moved, not erased!" Liara's head came up and she started looking around just as they heard a shout from Ashley.

Eva Coré bolted from the room as Ashley shouted out. "She's got the data!"

Shepard didn't think twice about her Cerberus enhanced speed and took off in chase, quickly out-pacing the rest of the team. Through the Archives, out a door and to a ladder that led to the roof. Shepard jumped and grabbed Coré's feet, yanking her down from the ladder and the rest of the team gained some ground, but Shepard couldn't hold her. As she spun away and started climbing the ladder again, Shepard realized Dr Coré was another person 'enhanced' by Cerberus and once again picked up the chase. She yelled in frustration as a Cerberus shuttle hovered just off the edge of the roof and Coré jumped aboard. "Damn it! James? Normandy? Anybody? Stop that damn shuttle! She's got the data!"

Suddenly, the Normandy shuttle came screaming in and Shepard heard James on the comm. "Settle down there, Shepard. I got this one!"

James crashed the Normandy shuttle into the side of the Cerberus one, sending it crashing back to the roof. Shepard turned to run and realized both Ashley and Liara had caught up and were right behind her, Riana was last up the ladder and still a few steps behind. Shepard's brain kicked back to the Citadel and she saw pieces of Sovereign plummeting down toward them as she turned and shouted, "Run!"

The shuttle crashed hard to the roof, scattering debris everywhere. Shepard's heart stopped as she watched a large piece of flying debris take Liara off her feet. "Liara!"

As Shepard ran to her bondmate, James guided the Normandy shuttle in a slow arc and brought it down to settle on the roof top. Ashley climbed to her feet as Shepard slid to her knees. "No... Please. Not Liara..."

Ashley guided James down as Shepard cradled Liara in her arms, continuing to call to her quietly. "Please, Liara. Come on, Love..."

Liara's eyes fluttered open and Shepard cried in relief, tears streaming down her cheeks inside her helmet. "Thank the Gods! Liara! Talk to me! Are you hurt?"

Liara gripped Shepard's arm. "I'm here, Shepard. I'm ok. Just had the wind knocked out of me. She went to sit up and cried out in pain. "Aahhhh. And maybe broke a rib or two. Goddess. That hurts."

"Come on. Let's get you to the shuttle." Shepard and Riana helped her stand.

"Shepard. We need that data. Get the disk from Coré." Liara shifted completely to Riana for support.

James nodded at the commander. "Normandy's en route. They'll be here soon. I'll help you find that disc."

As they turned, they realized Ashley had already started walking to the shuttle when a loud banging started coming from inside and the door flew open with such force it broke off and slid across the roof. Dr Eva Coré walked out through the flames and grabbed Ashley by her helmet before she even had a chance to draw her weapon.

Shepard quickly drew her pistol and shouted out, "Shit! She's a synthetic!"

They watched in horror as the synthetic lifted Ashley single-handedly by her head, without showing the slightest bit of strain.

Shepard pointed her pistol at the construct. "Let her go!"

Coré ignored the commander and placed a hand on the comm unit on the side of her head. She spoke one word. "Orders?"

They didn't know who was on the other end, but Shepard assumed it must be TIM and he was very angry. He must have told Coré to kill Ashley, because the construct suddenly spun and smashed Ashley repeatedly against the side of the shuttle. Shepard opened fire and sparks jumped off Coré's shields. Ashley's body hung limply in her hand as Coré turned and dropped her like a ragdoll to the deck. Shepard screamed "No!" and stood her ground, continuing to fire as the construct started to charge across the rooftop toward the new threat.

Liara pushed Riana and yelled, "Goddess! Help her!" as Shepard continuously fired at the construct bearing down on her. No one on the team had a clear angle of fire, as they couldn't risk hitting Shepard. Liara's legs failed her as she witnessed what the synthetic had done so easily to Ashley. Shepard stood rock solid, planting shot after shot into the synthetic. Without Riana's support, Liara went to her knees and drew on her biotics to place a barrier around Shepard. Liara stared at her hand, shocked at the lack of blue power sheathing her fist. Her injuries and exhaustion were preventing her from helping and she watched powerlessly, fearing she was about to watch the thing kill Samantha right in front of her very eyes. Suddenly, the construct sparked a few times and collapsed, its forward momentum carrying it the rest of the way to Shepard's feet.

Shepard very calmly holstered her pistol and yelled at James. "Grab that thing. Bring it with us." She quickly looked at Riana, who had run over to join her. "Help Liara on board. I've... I've got to get Ashley."

As the Normandy swung into view and hovered off the edge of the roof, Joker called out. "Shepard! We've got Reaper signatures in orbit. We have to go!"

With no time to be gentle, Shepard grabbed Ashley in a fireman's carry and slung her over her shoulders, running onto the Normandy and going straight to the med bay. The commander spoke quickly into her comm. "Joker. Get us to the Citadel and tell them we have a medical emergency."

"Roger that, Commander. On our way."

* * *

**SSV Normandy**

James was hot on her heels, and as Shepard settled Ashley onto one of the beds, he dropped the synthetic shell into a pile on the floor. Liara walked gingerly over to the bed Ashley was on, feeling horrible about the anger she had felt toward the woman less than thirty minutes before. She looked at Shepard, but was too ashamed to speak. Shepard glanced up and jerked her head toward the shell that remained of Dr Eva Coré. Her speech was abrupt and angry. "Get that thing secured and see what you and Edi can learn from it."

Liara winced at the tone and withdrew quickly. Shepard whispered quietly to herself. "Damn it." She looked around to find Riana and flagged her over. "That was pretty shitty of me. Liara's hurt. I told her to work with Edi to get the rest of the data download, but I think she's got a broken rib and needs to be treated. Can you check her, please?"

"Certainly, _Sim're_." Riana gripped Shepard's arm firmly. "She is strong, Shepard. She will be fine."

Shepard made eye contact with the commando. "Ash or Liara?"

Riana smiled lightly. "Perhaps both? But you know I was speaking of Liara. She has missed you and this was... too much. She thought that thing was going to kill you. She is not ready for that possibility. I'm sure it frightened her very badly."

Shepard nodded. "Thanks, Riana. I'll talk to her. I promise."

Edi chimed in, "Commander. I'm receiving a signal over the secondary QEC. I believe it's Admiral Hackett."

"Got it Edi. I'm on my way." Shepard hustled to the comm room and spoke with Hackett, filling him in on everything that happened and that they were headed to the Citadel, both for Ashley and to talk to the Council. Liara walked in toward the end of the conversation, her professional mask firmly back in place.

Hackett looked at her and asked if it was worth the effort. Liara quickly brought up the schematic. "Absolutely. Preliminary data indicates it is a weapon, massive in size and scope, and capable of unquantifiable levels of destruction. If only we have the time to build it."

Hackett watched the schematic slowly spinning before him. "Send me the data. We'll do our own analysis. If Liara's instincts are right, this might be just what we need to stop the Reapers."

"I hope so, Sir. We could use a bit of good news right now." Shepard spared a quick glance for the Asari at her side.

Hackett nodded. "Talk to the Council. Show them what you've found. Hopefully, they'll give you all the support we need to build it."

"And if they don't, Sir?" Shepard expected the same resistance as always; she planned on it being a hard sell.

Hackett shrugged. "Do whatever it takes to get them on board. It's our only chance. I'll be in touch soon, Shepard. Hackett out."

When Hackett signed out, Liara turned and started to walk out, but Shepard leaned forward onto the comm panel for support, head hanging. Liara stopped and turned back, her voice hesitant. "Shepard?" She took a couple steps back toward the commander, and then stopped. Unsure what to say or do, she fell back on work as a safe zone. "Edi is extracting the data from the Cerberus machine. We'll have details to present to the Council by the time we reach the Citadel."

Shepard's head came up as she listened, but she didn't turn. "Thanks, Liara"

Shepard turned and faced her, but Liara was completely unable to read her expression. It was as if Shepard had no emotions left, her face was a blank slate and it was frightening. "The Admiral's right. It's going to get worse, isn't it?"

Shepard walked up to her and stopped, staring out at the wall. "Until we stop the Reapers, yeah."

"Shepard. I _believe_ what I told Hackett. This weapon could be the answer." Shepard walked out past her without comment and leaned against the table in the center of the War Room as Liara followed her and continued. "I get the sense you don't quite believe it though."

Shepard turned around and finally looked at Liara. When their eyes met, Liara realized how wrong she was about the soldier in Shepard having blanked out her emotions. She could hide a lot, but her eyes always told the truth, and right now they were pained and filled with guilt. Liara immediately dropped her business front. "Shepard. What's wrong?"

Shepard squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head. It wasn't that she didn't want to tell Liara, she simply didn't trust her voice to get through it. Liara got mixed signals as Samantha closed her eyes and shook her head, yet her arms were open and inviting. Liara opted for the invitation interpretation and was rewarded with a warm hug and a sigh of relief from Shepard. When she reached out with her mind, she was overrun by the torrent of emotions she had seen in those deep green eyes. After the flood washed by, the words started to gently flow. "I don't know how many days like today I can take, Liara. The Reapers had just crossed the outer boundaries when I was called before the Defense Committee. _They_ were asking _me_ what to do."

Shepard opened her eyes and looked into comforting crystal clear blue eyes. "Next thing we knew, a Reaper sat itself down right outside the damn window and blew the Committee to hell. Anderson and I were the only two to walk away, but I wasn't even thinking of them. All I could think about was that the Reapers might be on Mars. And the chance of losing you. Getting myself to Mars was the longest thirty minutes I've ever lived through."

Shepard put her lips to Liara's and kissed her gently before continuing. "Thank the Gods we got to you in time. Then James and that stupid stunt with the shuttle. My heart stopped when you went down. Then Ashley... and I know it scared you when that thing charged me. I'm sorry I was so abrupt earlier; it was my frustration speaking, and it never should have been directed at you. Especially since I knew you were hurt." Shepard's eyes closed. "It's inexcusable. I am so sorry."

Liara gently pushed love, trust and faith through the link. "It's over and I'm fine, _Siame_. You take so much onto yourself. Yet, you always seem to be in the right place at the right time, Samantha. It is your destiny and we are going to win this war because of it. Even still, it is a lot for one person to handle, which is why I will be beside you all the way to help you shoulder the burden. I promise."

Liara was rewarded with a warm smile that was reflected in Shepard's eyes and her tone as she replied. "My _I__onúin Álainn._ I love you. For your love and your unbreakable faith in me. You are my rock. I fear this war may just be a series of rapid-fire actions. I can only hope to live up to your expectations." Shepard took a deep, cleansing breath and refocused. "So, this device. What do you need from me?"

"Shepard. If this is going to work, we need you." Liara stepped back. "Hackett's right. You're going to have to step up and take charge of the Council; lead them where we need them to go. And if Valern and Quentius continue to say no, then we have to find a work-around. 'No' simply won't work. Not this time. Too much depends on it."

Flight Lieutenant Moreau's voice announced, "Commander. Ten minutes out from the Citadel. An emergency medical team is standing by." Joker was remarkably professional, and while Shepard was pleased with the change in attitude, she had to wonder why.

"Thanks, Joker. We'll be ready and waiting at the door." Shepard turned to Liara, her smile replaced by the guise of the military professional. "We need to talk more. I want your help setting up the crew. Getting the right talent where and when we need it."

Liara cocked her head slightly in surprise, but quickly recognized Shepard's shift from lover and confidant looking for a sounding board to her persona of the ship's captain. Even though there was no one else in the room to see it, she squared her shoulders and stood in a stance that closely resembled a military parade rest, her feet shoulder-width apart and her hands clasped behind her back. "Certainly, Commander. I'll have Edi pass me the extracted data and prep the presentation for the Council. I'll meet you at the airlock."

Shepard couldn't help but smirk at Liara's reaction and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thanks, Li. I've said this before, but you are _sexy_ when you put on that confident and in-charge face." Shepard laughed as Liara blushed. "So much for confident. I'll see you soon, love."

After Liara walked off, Shepard did a quick check of her messages. Hackett had said something about authorizations and the emergency war powers act, but she couldn't catch it all because of the crappy connection. The message was waiting for her at the terminal and she couldn't believe the broad responsibilities and authorizations contained within.

* * *

_FROM: Steven Hackett_

_Commander Shepard:_

_This letter formally acknowledges your reinstatement and promotion to the grade of Commander in the Alliance Navy per Admiral David Anderson's recent verbal communication._

_Under EMERGENCY WAR POWERS REG. 903.5, you are hereby authorized to assume command of the Normandy SR-2. You are directed to begin interdiction operations against any and all enemies posing a threat to Earth, its colonies, and its allies._

_Furthermore, you are granted diplomatic authority to establish treaties with non-human races as required to support your mission._

_Sincerely,_

_Admiral Steven Hackett_

* * *

During the last few minutes of their approach to the Citadel, Shepard reread the message a couple of times and was surprised at the scope of power she had been granted. Still, given what they would be facing, she could only hope it would be enough.


	3. Setting up Shop

Notes:

AI - Artificial Intelligence

CIC - Combat Information Center

LZ - Landing Zone

R&amp;D - Research and Development

VI - Virtual Intelligence

* * *

**Setting Up Shop**

**Citadel, Widow System, Serpent Nebula**

The arrival at the Citadel was nothing if not efficient. The stand-by medical team quickly whisked Ashley off to Huerta Memorial with Lieutenant Vega in tow, Riana stayed back to work the network and consolidate updates from all the agents and Joker had the Bridge. Shepard and Liara were met by the newly promoted Commander Bailey and sent directly to the Council to plead their case, unfortunately to little effect. Shepard wasn't in the least bit surprised, given her history with the Council, and Liara actually took it fairly well, encouraged by Udina's apparent willingness to support the commander. Even though he didn't get any farther with them than Shepard, Udina had at least agreed with Shepard and tried to push the Council to assist. Getting no offers of aid, he then asked the Commander to meet him at his office after the session was complete. While Liara returned to the ship to continue research on the device, Shepard attended the meeting Udina requested and both she and Udina were stunned when Turian Councilor Quentius joined them.

"Our people are scared, and we are all looking out for them the best we know how." Quentius had a much friendlier attitude toward Shepard than Sparatus ever did, but still got straight to the point. "Commander. I'm sorry I can't give you what you need, but I _can_ tell you how to get it."

Udina and Shepard were surprised, Shepard even more so when Udina nodded at her to take the lead. "I'm listening, Councilor. What do I need to do?" She knew this was exactly the kind of thing Anderson and Hackett talked about when they mentioned doing whatever it took to get people on board.

"We mentioned the war summit we were going to hold. Primarch Fedorian is the one who called it, but... " Quentius dropped his head as he finished, "... we lost contact with him when the Reapers hit Palaven. That summit won't proceed without him."

His eyes came back up and he looked directly at Shepard. "The Normandy is one of the few ships that can extract Primarch Fedorian undetected. The leaders of the summit will be the ones deciding our future actions, including decisions on how to fight the war. A grateful Primarch would make an extremely useful ally in your bid to unite us."

Shepard nodded. "I'm not a politician, but that makes sense, even to me. What can you give me? Where is he and what's Palaven's status?"

Quentius pointed to the status boards in Udina's office and they walked closer to them as he spoke. "Like I said, we lost contact. But our latest intelligence says he moved his operations to Palaven's moon, Menae. Unfortunately, communications are down and I can't give you his exact location. I'm afraid the rest is up to you." He started to walk away and then turned back. "Oh, I almost forgot. If Councilor Udina hasn't informed you yet, we did formally vote to uphold your Spectre status. You have access to all the assets we can provide during this troubled time." He hesitated just briefly. "Good luck, Shepard."

After he left, Shepard turned to Udina. "That was a pleasant surprise. Never expected to say that a meeting with the Turian Councilor actually went... well."

Udina slipped behind his desk and sat down. "Agreed. Strange days when the Turians are the least hostile to Humans; and there's a need there we must exploit."

"Don't worry, Udina. I'll extract the Primarch and I'll get Palaven's military might on our side. Maybe once we have their support, the rest will fall in line." Shepard wasn't sure she believed her own statement, but their odds had improved over what they had been ten minutes prior, so she was optimistic.

"I don't know that I'd go that far, but it's a start. Good luck, Shepard. Keep me posted." Udina turned to his work and Shepard headed off to Huerta Memorial to check on Ashley and round up James. She also ran into Karin Chakwas, so by the time they all returned to the Normandy, Shepard had a doctor for her med bay and the first solid lead since the Reapers hit Earth.

* * *

Upon returning to the ship, she went directly to the Bridge and spoke with Joker for a bit, telling him she wanted to arrive at Menae seven hours hence; six hours of rack time with a one-hour-out call. She dodged questions and new personnel on her way to the elevator. She had a mission to get ready for and desperately needed sleep. When she got to the loft, she told Edi to secure the room and there were to be no interruptions for the six-hour rest period. "Tell Joker the Normandy is his." Joker was dumbfounded that Shepard had basically just promoted him to the XO position and wasn't really sure he wanted that responsibility. He made a vow to speak to her about it given the first opportunity.

Shepard found herself in a forest of blackened trees and floating ash, and she could swear she heard voices whispering to her out of the gray void. She flailed aimlessly through the forest but could find no exit until a soft voice and a gentle hand on her shoulder roused her from her nightmare. "Shepard. It's alright, you were dreaming." Liara sat on the edge of the bed with a concerned look on her face. "Are the Reaper nightmares back?"

Shepard blinked and sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "No, something new to torment me." She saw Liara's worried expression and told her about the forest and the whispers.

"Well. That certainly _is_ new. Any idea what caused it or what it means?" Liara hoped to figure it out so they could stop the dreams before they became a problem like the Reaper dreams had. With all that was coming, she knew they would need to be able to get whatever rest they could.

"No clue. Though in Human culture, fire generally means one of two things, death or renewal. I have a feeling, with the whispers, it's going to be the first. Death and all the people who have already died for this cause coming back to haunt me."

Liara's eyes widened. "Goddess. That certainly doesn't sound very pleasant. You've done more than anyone could have expected, Shepard, and saved more lives than I can contemplate. Those spirits should have no claim on you; for as much as I hate to say it, I know you would have gladly sacrificed yourself to save any one of them." Liara frowned heavily as those words crossed her lips.

Shepard appreciated the attempt Liara was making, but didn't want Liara preoccupied by worrying about her, so reached over and took her hand. "No. I wouldn't. Not anymore. I have to keep the larger picture in mind. There's an end game I need to reach, and sacrificing myself early just to assuage fears of inadequacy or feelings of guilt won't win the war for us. You don't need to worry about me in that regard. I won't save one at the expense of the many. Is that understood?"

The corners of Liara's mouth turned up, but the smile never reached her eyes, so while Shepard knew Liara wasn't really convinced, she also knew she didn't have any way to prove it to her bondmate other than by surviving. So, instead, she stood and pulled Liara up with her. "Well, I'm awake now, so might as well make use of the time." She walked into the bathroom, bringing Liara along with her. "So tell me what you've been doing while I was slacking and taking a nap." Shepard washed her face and brushed her teeth as Liara talked.

"I've been forwarding Quentius the information on the Prothean device, but he's not budging until the Primarch is safe."

Shepard shrugged and mumbled around her toothbrush. "No surprise there. They won't support us until the Primarch says to do so. That's why we're headed to Menae."

"Also, I didn't have a chance to tell you before you came up here to sleep... After I left you in the Council chambers, I crossed paths with a reporter down in the docking bay lobby asking questions about you and the Normandy. Before you ask, fortunately it was _not_ Khalisah al-Jilani, nor was it Emily Wong, much to my regret. It was a woman named Diana Allers, with Alliance News Network. I passed her name to Riana while I spoke with her about her intent. She's a military reporter, with Alliance clearance, and has her own show called 'Battlespace.' I was actually quite impressed with her credentials. I told her she could come aboard for a trial period, but final approval rested with you. She and her gear are housed in the starboard cargo bay on the Engineering deck, so when you get a moment you should introduce yourself."

Shepard scrunched up her face at the idea of having a reporter on the Normandy but covered it up as she toweled off her face. "I don't exactly have a great track record with reporters. Though I actually did run into Khalisah in the Embassy Commons and avoided the urge to punch her. Even still, maybe I should just leave Allers to you?"

"Ha! Surely you're joking." Liara finally smiled. "That's _all_ I need. Oh yes, Ms Allers, _this_ is just a side job. I'm _actually_ the Shadow Broker. Yes, _that's_ the one, the greatest galactic criminal of all time. Public enemy number one. Well. Other than the Reapers." Liara shook her head emphatically. "I don't plan on going anywhere near that woman ever again, but the war effort needs her."

"Sarcasm, T'Soni? You've expanded your repertoire. I think I like it." Shepard laughed. "You weren't the only one busy recruiting. Guess who I ran into at Huerta when I went to visit Ash."

"Dr Michel? I know she now runs the Human treatment program there, so is probably in charge of Ashley's case." Liara knew they would need a doctor, but it seemed so natural that it would be Karin Chakwas, she hadn't honestly even contemplated anyone else.

"Yes, I did talk to her about Ash, but Karin was there as well. She came up from her R&amp;D job as soon as she heard about someone on the Normandy being critically injured. You will now find her once more firmly entrenched in the Normandy's med bay." Shepard grinned at the obvious joy on Liara's face.

"That's wonderful, Shepard! I can't believe I walked right by and didn't notice!" Liara was so excited she actually leaned forward and kissed the commander without thinking.

Shepard wasn't letting her get off so easy and took advantage, wrapping her arms around Liara's waist and not letting her retreat. Rather than fight it, Liara rested her elbows on Shepard's shoulders and let her fingers play in the commander's hair. Liara's face turned serious. "I've missed you, Samantha. We need to find some time to meld. We've been too long apart. I felt the weakness of our link on Mars; rather than just _happen_, it took effort to hold it steady. We need to make time to maintain it if we want that link to stay instinctual."

"Well, you are staying in the loft, right?" Shepard cocked her head in question.

"Of course. And I would hope we'll get into a battle rhythm where our schedules will naturally align, but based on how difficult Mars was, I don't think we should wait until that happens. The start of any war is chaotic... I don't want to even try to guess how long it will be before we have some type of routine in this one. If ever." Liara made direct eye contact and Samantha could see the earnestness in her desire.

"I think it's important, too, so we'll figure it out. Just like today; I told Joker to give me six hours, undisturbed. We'll do the same tonight, or at least at our earliest opportunity. I'm not sure how long the mission on Menae will take, so I can't guarantee a time right now."

Shepard looked at Liara, their faces so close they were sharing breath and she couldn't resist. She leaned that extra inch and locked lips, Liara offering her own willingly in return, humming in satisfaction. Their minds linked at a base level and thoughts played around the edges, but they knew they didn't have time at the moment to engage in the deep meld _Inanna_ demanded, so just reveled in their temporary singleness. When Shepard felt a spike of heat run through her core, she groaned in disappointment and pushed back, regretfully breaking the kiss. Liara stood before her, eyes closed, face flushed and breathing heavily, her tongue still tasting Shepard on her lips. "Goddess, I don't want to stop." Her eyes fluttered open. "But I know we have to. At least for now."

Shepard grinned and ran her fingers through her hair, straightening it after Liara's playtime. "I know what you mean. I had to push back or we would have been too deep in a meld to hear Joker's hour-out call. I'm thinking that would end badly when James came to find us come drop time."

Liara gasped, "Shepard!" and Samantha let out a laugh.

"Come on, Doctor. Let's go have a quick chat with Karin and get ready for Palaven." Shepard held out her hand, which Liara happily took, and they walked out the door.

As soon as they hit the foyer, the elevator opened and a young woman stepped out and started speaking before even really looking at them. "Commander Shepard? I'm Specialist... Oh!" Her eyes flew open wide and she started stuttering. "Ah ah I... I beg your pardon. I thought you were alone."

Liara had instantly dropped Samantha's hand when the woman stepped out of the elevator and she turned to start walking away, "I was just leaving..."

She didn't even get a full step before Shepard reached out quickly and caught her hand, pulling her back. "Shepard! What...?"

Shepard silenced her with a quick kiss and then pulled Liara to her side. "Specialist. I have two things for you. First. This is my fiancée and our Chief of Information Operations, Dr Liara T'Soni." She gave Liara another quick kiss and released her. "I'll see you in a bit, Love. Why don't you go say hi to Karin? Tell her I'll stop by later."

Liara had just a light blush on her cheeks, but held her composure. Mostly. "Of course, Sam... Commander."

Liara glared at her as she retreated to the elevator and Shepard chuckled to herself, "Yeah. I'll pay for that later."

After the doors closed, Shepard looked back at the Specialist who had intruded on her and Liara's _very_ limited private time. "Second, these are Dr T'Soni's and my private quarters and for future reference you don't come up here except in case of emergency or by invitation."

The woman before her paled, which given her complexion was a significant feat, having an olive skin tone and looking perhaps to be of Indian decent. "Like I said, for future reference. I can't expect you to play by the rules if you don't know what they are. Relax, Specialist. No harm, no foul. So, on that note, why don't we start over?"

The specialist popped to attention and saluted smartly. "Yes, Ma'am. I'm Communications Specialist Samantha Traynor, with Alliance R&amp;D." She dropped her salute after the commander returned it and continued quickly. "I was part of the team retrofitting the Normandy after you turned it over to the Alliance. There weren't many of us aboard when the Reapers hit."

Traynor paused to take a breath and Shepard interrupted, holding her hands up to get the specialist to stop talking. "Slow down, Specialist Traynor. You're doing fine, but how about we jump in the elevator and continue this down in the CIC?"

Traynor blushed. "Oh! Yes, Ma'am. Of course." She practically ran to the elevator and stabbed the button. The door opened almost immediately and once in with the door closed, Traynor continued. "I work in a lab. I never thought I'd be serving on a ship."

"You'll get used to it quick enough. If not, I can probably make arrangements with Admiral Hackett to get you swapped out." The doors opened into the CIC and as they stepped out, Shepard continued. "Why don't you tell me about the retrofits?"

"Yes, Ma'am." Since they were standing in the CIC, Traynor started there. "You have a full-up strategic command center onboard now; Admiral Anderson had intended to use the Normandy as his mobile command center, though I understand he stayed to organize the resistance on Earth. In any event, I'm honored to serve under you, Commander."

At this point, Traynor's professionalism left her. She was very much out of her element and spoke rapidly, with an occasional stutter as she tried to finish her explanation. "For as long as you need me, that is. They only sent me here to oversee the retrofits..."

For reasons that later became evident, Edi chose to cut in and defend Traynor's assignment to the Normandy. "Shepard, some of the systems require further testing and Specialist Traynor has been extremely effective during installation. I would prefer that she remain."

Shepard nodded. "Got it, Edi."

Traynor actually relaxed in her surprise. "Wait... since when does a virtual intelligence make requests?"

Shepard smiled as she answered. "When the VI is actually an AI. Fully self-aware."

Traynor scoffed in disgust. "Agh! I knew it! I knew Joker was lying!"

"Jeff requested that I pretend to be a simple VI to protect myself. I apologize for the deception."

Traynor found herself staring at the speaker where Edi's voice was coming from. "Thanks, Edi... And I apologize for all those times I talked about how... _attractive_... your voice was."

Eager to change the subject, Traynor turned back to the commander. "Anyway, shall I give you a tour? I think you'll be impressed by the new upgrades."

Traynor brought up a virtual tour on the datapad she had been carrying around and Shepard raised her eyebrows. "Yes, but not on that thing. We're actually going to walk the ship and you're going to show me the actual hardware, not just pictures of it. We're also going to visit just about everyone onboard and figure out if everyone is staying or not."

Just like the first time Shepard ever set foot on the Normandy SR-2, they walked the whole ship. They started at the bottom, in the shuttle bay, where Shepard introduced Traynor to Vega and they both met Lieutenant Steve Cortez, fighter pilot, shuttle pilot, Armory Master and Supply Technician. Shepard discovered Vega set up shop down there for two reasons. He knew Cortez from a previous assignment and they were friends, so between missions, Vega had promised Cortez to help with the supply and armory maintenance jobs. Shepard had no issues with that, so let their arrangement stand. She actually appreciated that Vega was stepping up to help out.

They took the elevator up to the Engineering deck and Shepard made the introductions to Dianna Allers and set the base line rules she expected the reporter to follow. They were pretty simple; Allers could write or record anything she wanted, but to publish or broadcast it, she had to run it through Shepard for approval first. Dianna was amenable, especially when Shepard offered to include her on the distribution list for all unclassified updates. Dianna was ecstatic, telling Shepard she probably just doubled the network ratings for her show, 'Battlespace.'

They walked into Engineering and Shepard expected to find just Ken Donnelly and Gabby Daniels, so was pleasantly surprised when she discovered that Lieutenant Greg Adams, the engineer from the Normandy SR-1, was onboard as well. Traynor had already met them all during the retrofits, so they moved quickly up to the crew deck. Shepard introduced Traynor to Dr Karin Chakwas and then was very surprised to find out Traynor had already met Riana and been in the Broker office. "They actually let you in here? And let you live after you took pictures?"

Traynor looked extremely nervous and Riana laughed softly. "Do not let her intimidate you, Specialist. She actually cares very deeply for her crew and would never willingly let harm come to any of us."

The commando shook her head at Shepard. "Why would we not show her? How are we supposed to work if a certain Specialist keeps shutting down our data feeds because she thinks we are utilizing too much bandwidth? We had to at least give her the basic requirements for all of our data feeds. She also needs access to the sanitized data to keep the battle map current. Besides that, she's also proven quite adept at signals analysis. I use her skills fairly regularly."

Shepard looked at Traynor with new eyes and asked Riana one last question. "And... Dr T'Soni is okay with all that?"

Riana laughed. "Do you think I have a death wish? Dr T'Soni got a personnel capabilities report from Edi, and is the one who suggested it."

Liara had walked in behind her and had to comment. "You know I'm a good Broker, Shepard. Given the circumstances, I want to be sure we're not squandering assets, and Specialist Traynor is most definitely a Normandy asset. You _are_ planning on keeping her, right?" Liara gave her a look that told Shepard she'd better be agreeable.

Shepard chuckled as she raised her hands in surrender. "Yes! I promise. Edi told me the exact same thing." Her gaze shifted to Traynor. "Assuming, of course, she _wants_ to stay in this nuthouse..."

Traynor looked at the commander nervously. "Of course, Commander. I doubt there's anywhere safer in the galaxy! I would be crazy to leave the Normandy right now."

Shepard nodded in approval. "Good. Though I believe I need to talk to Admiral Hackett about changing your specialty code."

Traynor raised her eyebrows. "Ma'am?"

"Well, you're working the battle boards in the CIC so you're not just doing communications work. At a minimum, you'll be doing signals analysis and tactical data dissemination, and once you get the hang of that, I imagine you'll be tossing some collection requirements at our Info Broker. None of that's in the job description of a communications specialist. That's ops. I'm going to ask Hackett to upgrade you to an entry level operations specialist, if that's ok by you."

Traynor's eyes lit up. "By all means, Commander! That would be... just... fantastic!"

"Alright then. How about you get back to the CIC and get Hackett on the line for me? I'll take it in the War Room." Shepard smiled and winked at Liara as they watched Traynor bolt out of the room.

Liara rolled her eyes, but then her expression turned more serious. "If you're going to speak to Hackett, do it quickly. We only have about twenty minutes before we need to prep for Menae."

Shepard glanced at her chrono. "Wow! Ok then. I'm on it." She looked at Liara. "I know you want to check in on Garrus, so you're going with. I'll see you at the shuttle."

* * *

Hackett came on the line fairly quickly, which was good, given Shepard's time constraints. "Commander. I'm glad you called. Udina updated me on the meeting with the Council. Sounds like their running scared."

"Yes, Sir. They are." Shepard shook her head. "No amount of warning can get you ready for something like this, even if they _had_ believed me."

"So I assume with the Turian situation, you have a plan to move forward?" Hackett sounded pretty confident.

"Yes, Sir. There's no communications with Palaven right now, so we're going in more blind than I like, but at least we're going to Menae, not Palaven proper. Hopefully the Reapers don't have a big presence there yet. I just need to get in and get out with the Primarch. The Normandy's stealth systems are a big advantage." Shepard shrugged. "Not sure how much Udina told you, but I'll be bypassing the Council, surprisingly on Quentius' suggestion. He told me to go straight to the folks who will actually be making the decisions on the application of force... the folks at the war summit."

Hackett nodded in approval. "That's good. I like it. This is where we start laying the groundwork for our counterattack. Adding the Turian Fleet will be a tremendous boost to our capabilities."

"Understood, Sir. I'm hoping if we can get the Turians to agree, the Salarians will follow. I know Tevos is already in my corner, she just can't say anything until the Matriarchy comes to a consensus, but she's pushing them as hard as she dares."

"That's the idea, Shepard. Keep building alliances. Gather everything and everybody you can for the cause. We need more specialists and supplies for the device, but you probably have a better handle on that than I do, with Dr T'Soni sitting on the Normandy." Hackett was emphatic on his next point. "Time is our biggest enemy. Get me what we need to build it, so we don't end up like the Protheans... a grand plan but not enough time for it to come together. While you're out hunting, we'll be hitting the Reapers best we can across every theater they open to buy you the time you need."

"I'm working on it, Sir, but part of that is getting the right specialists on the Normandy." Shepard paused, waiting to see Hackett's reaction.

Hackett was direct and to the point. "Who do you need?"

"I've actually got her; it's Communications Specialist Samantha Traynor. She's got the perfect skill set and she's a hard worker, but she's not in comm. I have her working the CIC as an Operations Specialist and she's handling it like she was born to it. I need you to upgrade her position code and officially assign her to the Normandy instead of her R&amp;D billet, so she can get the appropriate flight pay and uniforms. I need her properly equipped."

"Consider it done, Shepard. Anything else?"

"Not at the moment, Sir. I'll give you an update after Menae."

"Sounds good, Commander. I'll be expecting _regular_ updates on your progress. Hackett out."

* * *

**Menae, Trebia System, Apien Crest**

Shepard was standing on the Bridge when they dropped out of the relay in the Trebia system. Joker glanced at the long-range scanners and whistled. "Shit. This is as bad as Earth, Shepard. It's gonna be a bumpy ride; Reapers are here in force."

Edi spoke in her normal, calm voice, and somehow it reassured the commander. "Most of the forces are concentrated around Palaven. It seems activity on Menae is still relatively light. I would suggest you do not delay, Shepard. It will likely only get worse."

"Thanks, Edi. I hadn't planned on waiting. Count us down to launch, Joker. I'm headed to the shuttle."

Joker responded in the affirmative and Shepard soon found herself, James and Liara in a shuttle being piloted by Steve Cortez. As they got close, Cortez activated the external view screens and Liara sat forward in her seat, shocked by what she saw. She practically whispered, "Oh no! No... Palaven."

Shepard looked at James to explain, "We have an old friend there."

James stared at the screen. "Holy hell. They're getting decimated."

Shepard's glance shifted back and forth between James and the viewer. "It's just like Earth. The Reapers are obliterating their military."

When she heard the comment, Liara looked at Shepard. "Earth was like this? Goddess! I am so sorry, Shepard!"

She was trying to think of a reply when Cortez shouted at her, "Commander! The LZ is being swarmed! Get ready; I'm going to have to drop you hot!"

Shepard's mind was instantly back on the mission and she was on her feet, drawing her pistol. "James, open that hatch!"

He didn't even bother responding, just pulled his own assault rifle and punched the door control pad. The door lifted open and they saw scores of husks swarming up the rock cliffs and charging the gates of the Turian compound. The guard towers were busy, but didn't seem overwhelmed yet. She and James quickly cleared those closest to the shuttle and as Cortez brought them in for a near-ground hover, Shepard leapt out the door. "Alright! Get in. Get out. Let's move!"

All she had seen were husks, so Shepard quickly changed back to her shotgun and readied herself for the bloodbath. Liara saw her change weapons and grimaced because she knew what it meant and hated it; anytime Shepard exposed herself to close-quarters combat it worried her. She need not be concerned. Rather than charging, Shepard held back and lifted the husks to let the Turian Overwatch soldiers on the wall pick them off as they floated helplessly in the air. They made it inside the compound quickly and found General Corinthus without any problem; the general paused for a moment when Shepard had told him why they were there. "Primarch Fedorian is dead. His shuttle was shot down an hour ago as it tried to leave the moon. Communications are down, so we have no idea yet who his replacement is."

Shepard glanced quickly at Liara when she felt a twinge of regret come from her lover. She looked back at Corinthus. "I'm sorry. I heard he was a good man."

Corinthus hung his head. "And a good friend. He would have been an outstanding diplomat."

Shepard looked at the general. "I don't mean to seem insensitive, but we need to find whoever is going to replace him to run the War Summit. I guess that means we need to get your comm tower back in operation."

Corinthus' head bobbed. "That would help tremendously, Commander. If you do that, I can contact Palaven Command and figure out who's next in the hierarchy. I'd appreciate the help."

* * *

A Turian patrol had already attempted to reach the tower and been overwhelmed by husks. The Normandy team had no trouble getting there, but the husks had caused some serious damage and it needed to be repaired. Shepard cussed and looked at the most tech-savvy one in the squad. "Liara? Can you fix it?"

Liara looked at Shepard, a grim expression on her face. "I can do it, but you'll have to keep the husks from climbing up behind me. I doubt I can fight and work at the same time."

Shepard nodded. "Get to it and don't worry. Nothing is going to get past James and me. Concentrate on the repairs. We've got your back."

Liara swallowed and looked up at the narrow communications tower ladder. Shepard laid a hand on her arm. "I know it's kind of exposed up there, but I won't let anything happen to you, Li. I promise. You've got this."

Liara met cool green eyes full of confidence and, giving the commander a quick nod, started the climb. It wasn't long before Liara was giving Shepard an update over the comms. "It's not as bad as it looked. They just yanked wires out, nothing's actually broken. I just need to reconnect everything. I'll be just a moment."

Shepard's voice was upbeat. "Take your time and get it right. We're just having some target practice down here. Surprisingly underwhelming."

Shepard felt a distant chuckle through the link, and considering Liara was just a few meters above her head it should have been much stronger. She realized just how correct Liara was about their need to renew it, especially when a couple minutes later Liara spoke to her from directly behind and Shepard hadn't even felt her approach. "Thank you, Shepard. Comms are operational."

The commander gave Corinthus the update and they headed back to the command center, hoping he'd have an answer for them by the time they got back. When they arrived, both Shepard and Liara were thankful; they were met at the command center by none other than Garrus Vakarian. His voice was light as he greeted his old friends. "I'm on it, Shepard. We'll find you the new Primarch. It's General Adrien Victus. I was fighting alongside him this morning. He's here on Menae... somewhere."

Shepard's grin was ear-to-ear with relief. "Garrus!" Her head turned briefly, "James! Get over here!" Her eyes went back to her Turian brother-in-arms. "I want you to meet Garrus Vakarian. He helped me stop the Collectors. He's a hell of a soldier."

Liara smiled. "It's good to see you in one piece, Garrus. We feared you were on Palaven."

"Ha. Good to see you too, Liara." He looked through the night sky to his home planet in the distance. "We lose this moon, we lose Palaven. I'm the closest thing we have to an expert on Reaper forces, so I'm... advising. Supposedly from a position of safety."

"Garrus. You said Victus. His name's crossed my desk." Liara concentrated for a second and continued. "Taetrus! During the uprisings. He dropped back and ceded territory to a Salarian spy ring and left it to the Turian separatists to take them on. After the two sides beat each other into submission, Victus moved against the depleted forces of both sides and took the territory back.

Garrus chuckled. "Yes. And didn't lose a man. But it didn't make him very popular with military command. They aren't very appreciative of... unique... solutions."

Shepard nodded in appreciation. "Sounds exactly like someone we need in this fight against the Reapers. Traditional strategies certainly aren't going to work."

Garrus sobered. "I agree. Primarch Victus. That should be something to see."

Shepard pulled her shotgun once more. "Okay. Let's get him on the shuttle and get out of here."


	4. Finding the Primarch

Notes:

AI - Artificial Intelligence

CIC - Combat Information Center

_I__onúin Álainn__ \- _beautiful beloved (Gaelic)

LZ - Landing zone

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

SMG - Sub-machine gun

* * *

**Finding the Primarch**

**Citadel, Serpent Nebula**

Aethyta paced in front of the desk as Tevos worked on her terminal. The councilor suddenly laughed lightly. Aethyta stopped her feet and turned her attention to the unexpected emotion. "What the fuck's so funny, Tevos?"

"Oh, Aethyta. You won't believe me when I tell you." Tevos shook her head. "A place as large as the Citadel, all the races that are here, all the businesses. There is only one job opening for which you are qualified that will put you in a position where you could possibly run into Liara."

As Aethyta stepped up and leaned menacingly over the desk toward the councilor, Huntress Nizia Tenir took a half step forward. Tevos caught the motion out of the corner of her eye and waved a hand, indicating she should stand down. "It is fine, Nizia. The matriarch is simply frustrated with the circumstances."

The councilor turned her attention back to the looming presence before her and stood, leaning in on her desk in response and closing the distance to Aethyta to mere inches. "I realize you feel time grows short. I understand the Reapers are here, but Liara is safely on the Normandy once again. They briefed the Council and your brilliant daughter has a plan, if we only have time to execute it. They will _be_ here, Thyta. Liara will come back and you _will_ get your chance." Tevos relaxed and straightened, pulling back slightly from her desk. "Now. If you are done trying to look threatening to cover your anger at yourself for your delay, I will tell you what I found."

Aethyta stood up in disgust. "Shit. I don't care what the job is, Tevos, and I'm not angry at myself. I'm angry because you've been here too long. You don't simply _talk_ to me anymore. You know how important this is to me, yet you surround your message with unnecessary crap, like I'm one of the diplomats you are trying to manipulate. I don't care if the Citadel has ten thousand jobs or how many races live here; I just want to know the one you found for me. Straight up, without all the bullshit."

Tevos bowed her head. "You are correct. I am sorry, Thyta." Tevos paused and a smile returned to her lips. "It is on the Presidium Commons at the eatery. They need a bartender."

The shock on Aethyta's face was priceless. "You have to be fucking kidding me."

* * *

**Menae, Trebia System, Apien Crest**

Shepard looked at Garrus. "Where's the last place you saw Victus?"

The commander's comm unit was suddenly filled with an uncharacteristically frantic Flight Lieutenant Jeff Moreau. "Commander! Shepard! Come in!"

"Joker?" Shepard stopped and concentrated on Jeff's voice. It was obvious he was very stressed. "What's the matter? Is the Normandy under attack?"

"No, Ma'am, but she's flaking out! Systems are shutting down, weapons are powering up... It's like she's possessed! I can't find the source and Edi's not responding!"

"Damn it! I need the Normandy standing by." Shepard's eyes flicked across her team. "The plan is to grab the Primarch and bug out as soon as possible."

Liara's eyes narrowed in concern. "Shepard. I can go back and take a look."

Shepard's focus landed on Liara. "Do it... Be careful, Li."

She checked her weapon. "I will. You too, Shepard."

The commander gave her a quick smile and a nod before turning back. "Garrus. You said you were with Victus this morning?" Shepard wanted to be done, off Menae and back on the Normandy with Liara, finding out what the hell was going on with her ship.

Garrus grunted. "Yeah. We got separated when I went to bolster a flank that was failing. He could be anywhere by now."

The commander shrugged. "Well, he's not answering any of the hails, so we don't really have a lot of choices. Let's head to where you last saw him. It's as good a place to start as any."

Before Garrus could reply, James yelled out a warning, "Harvester! Headed toward the LZ!"

"Damn it!" The commander took off running, assuming James and Garrus would follow. Liara had just headed in that direction, toward the landing zone to grab the shuttle. "We've got to deal with whatever that thing is dropping off, so Liara can get back to the Normandy!"

As soon as they got outside the gate, Shepard caught a glimpse of Liara as she launched a warp and ducked back into cover. Shepard growled, "Those are not all Human husks!"

James was right behind her. "The new ones look like oversized Turian Marauders. They're tough bastards, that's for sure. They've got shields!"

Shepard yelled at Garrus. "Gonna need overload! Get those damn shields down!"

The Turian replied quickly, "I'm on it, Shepard. Get to Liara... their flanking her on the left!"

Just as Garrus shouted, a husk rounded a large rock on Liara's blindside. Shepard called on her biotic charge and flew across the remaining open space, sending the husk flying. With a quick roll, she was back on her feet and behind the rock next to her Asari, where she flashed Liara a grin. "Did you miss me?"

Liara warped a husk into oblivion before responding with a grin of her own. "Told you. Right place, right time." She picked up one of the new arrivals with a singularity, which Shepard promptly detonated with a warp. Liara asked, "What _are_ those things?"

Shepard shot another husk trying to come around the left side. "James said they look like Turian Marauders, but what it really comes down to is just more people warped by Reaper indoctrination. Their shields are pretty hefty. I'm glad we've got Garrus and his overload capability."

Liara acknowledged, "Agreed."

As the battle raged on, the team methodically wiped out everything the Harvester dropped and eventually Liara peeked around the rock and was met by an empty airfield. "I think we got them all." She dropped the barrel of her SMG and stepped out cautiously for a better look. She turned back to Shepard. "Good luck finding the Primarch, Shepard. I've got to go. Jeff is honestly worried. I hope to see you soon."

"Agreed." Shepard smiled and echoed Liara's previous answer. After Liara climbed safely into the shuttle and it lifted off, Shepard turned back to the rest of her team.

"Now that that's done... let's try this again." She looked to Garrus and spoke in a voice that sounded like a crude imitation of Legion. "Take me to your leader."

James burst out laughing and Garrus just stared at them. "Alright. You'll need to explain that one to me... Later."

* * *

They were just getting ready to head out when General Corinthus came back on the comm channel. "Shepard. Still trying to raise the Primarch, but we've got trouble at the main barricade. They brought more than the one Harvester."

"We're on our way!" Shepard and her team ran back through the main stronghold and climbed the wall to the defensive positions.

"We can't lose this fortification, Shepard." Garrus pulled his sniper rifle out. "We lose this, we lose our foothold."

"Relax, Garrus. We got this." Shepard's eyes lit up when she got to the top of the wall and saw an empty defensive turret position. "Oooohhhh! I get the gun!"

She quickly pulled the actuator lever and started blasting husks. James was enjoying the additional target practice as well, hooting out, "Like shooting fish in a barrel!"

They had managed to eliminate a number of waves and Shepard's hands had actually started to tingle from the vibration of the turret when something big hit the ground right in front of them, the force of the impact so great that it shook the wall and rocked the gun turret. The numbness in her hands cost Shepard her grip and she slipped and tumbled from her position, grunting heavily as she hit the ground below.

Vega was completely focused on the monster that just smashed into the wall and yelled out, "Holy Hell! What is that thing?"

Garrus, however, saw the turret spin with the impact and watched helplessly as Shepard tumbled over the side. Without hesitation, he leapt after her and yanked her to her feet as one of the Reaper's newest creations roared in front of them. It was _very_ large, and Shepard thought of the Scions the Collectors had created by combining three human husks and said as much to Garrus as they put some distance between themselves and this new horror. Vega peppered it with his assault rifle from atop of the wall to keep it temporarily occupied and managed to buy them time to get away. Garrus shouted a thanks to James and then actually chuckled. "I don't care what you call the brute, just keep shooting it!"

As Shepard regained her balance after being practically dragged across the field by Garrus, she pulled out her shotgun and yelled, "Brute is as good a name as any! Won't matter when it's dead!"

She had no time to think as the beast suddenly put its head down and charged her like a bull. For something so large, it moved incredibly fast and Shepard reacted strictly on instinct. She dumped all of her barrier power into a Nova shock wave directed at the Brute and blasted it with everything she had. It hardly even slowed the thing down, but destroyed the majority of its armor. Shepard quickly rolled away and blasted it once with her shotgun before biotically charging the beast and restoring her barrier, which she immediately dumped into another Nova. Facing the short-range power of a Vanguard in her prime, along with the combined firepower from Vega and Vakarian, the Brute stumbled and collapsed to the ground. James jumped down from the wall and ran over, staring at the monster lying at Shepard's feet. "Christ, Commander! In all our sessions at the battle sim, I never saw you do _anything_ like that!"

Shepard took a deep breath and a long swallow of an energy drink. "And I hope you don't have to see it too often! Shit. That was nothing but reflexes. I didn't have time to think about it, it just kinda happened." She shook her head. "I'm glad Liara wasn't here to see that. I wouldn't have to worry about the Brute. She would have my hide after that display. She hates it when I do things like that."

Garrus chuckled. "If Liara had been here, you wouldn't have had to. She would have grabbed your ass and hauled you back up on the wall, instead of me having to jump down and join you in the dance."

Shepard grinned. "Yeah. Come to think of it, you're probably right. Anyway. We're down here now. Might as well go get the Primarch!"

"You got it, Shepard." Garrus took off at an easy trot, a pace meant to cover ground faster than a walk and one that could be sustained for a long time.

As the team loped along, James struck up a conversation with Garrus that jogged Shepard's memory and made her look at the burning planet of Palaven in a different light. She had been so happy to see Garrus, she had forgotten he still had a sister and his father on the planet. The knot of hatred for the Reapers that sat in the center of her chest grew as she thought about what this war would cost her and her friends by the time is was all over. They came across a number of Turian patrols as they progressed, each providing information on the last time they had seen Victus and the direction in which he had been heading. They also came across a lot of dead bodies and a few very lively husks, which they quickly dispatched before continuing on their hunt for the Primarch. They finally got a firm lead; one of the passing patrols told Garrus the Primarch had gone to one of the forward operating bases, leading the team to make their final change of direction. They arrived at the camp only to discover it was under a full-press Reaper attack.

* * *

**SSV Normandy**

Liara rolled onto the Normandy and immediately headed for the Bridge to talk to Joker; he was on the comms long before she ever got there. "Liara! Edi's dropped completely offline."

"What do you mean by 'completely offline, Jeff?" The elevator door opened on the CIC level and Liara stepped out.

Joker snapped, "I can't even access the AI core diagnostics!"

Samantha Traynor was working furiously at her terminal in the CIC and turned quickly to Liara when she heard her voice behind her. "Dr T'Soni! Communications are also going haywire. Whatever's happening started in the AI core behind the med bay!"

Joker suddenly shouted again, "Fire alarm in the AI core!"

Liara turned immediately back to the elevator. "Goddess! I'm on my way, Lieutenant!"

As Liara ran into the med bay, she saw Karin standing to the side, watching all the activity, a very worried expression on her face. There was smoke rolling out from under the door to the AI core and a technician and Engineer Adams was standing at the door, working on the entry pad. Liara shivered involuntarily as thoughts of what happened the last time a Normandy burned crossed her mind. She shoved those thoughts violently away and focused on Adams. "Greg, what's going on?"

The indicator on the door suddenly changed from red to green and Adams straightened up. "There! Automated systems have the fires contained. It should be safe to enter, Liara, but we're going with you."

She nodded her head quickly and replied, "You won't get any objection from me."

He tapped the panel and the doors opened to reveal a room full of smoke. They walked in slowly and Liara jumped when the processors rebooted and the once quiet room sprung back to life. Liara spoke hesitantly, her eyes quickly scanning back and forth in the room. "Edi? Can you hear me?"

There was no immediate response, but Liara thought she detected movement in the smoke and quickly pulled her SMG, suddenly remembering the Dr Eva Coré synthetic shell was in this room. On reflex she called out, "Ready weapons!"

Greg and the tech immediately pulled their service pistols and awaited orders. Greg whispered, "Liara. What's going on?"

She was just getting ready to answer when Dr Eva Coré's body stepped out of the smoke and spoke with Edi's voice. "Yes, Liara. I apologize for the delay. My voice activator processors were not yet back online when you made your query."

All three weapons remained trained on the synthetic, though the muzzle on Liara's SMG dropped slightly in her surprise. "Edi?"

The synthetic seemed to be studying itself, waving its hands in the air and watching their movement. "Yes."

"You're in Dr Eva's body?" Liara's brow was wrinkled with concern, knowing what this thing, what _Coré,_ had done to Ashley... had almost done to Shepard. _How am I supposed to trust it?_

"Yes. And I must admit, it is a ... _unique_... experience." The synthetic suddenly stopped and stood upright, noticing the weapons pointed its way. "But not all of me. I still reside mainly within the Normandy mainframe."

"You'll have to pardon me if I don't quite believe you." Liara's voice became cold and hard, a persona coming through which she had hoped to leave behind on Illium. "So indulge me and explain _exactly_ what happened."

"A reasonable precaution. I hope I can put your fears to rest." Edi placed her hands behind her back, in what she assumed to be a non-threatening posture. "When we brought this unit on board, per Commander Shepard's instruction and your direction, I began the background process to search for the information on the Prothean device. Once we extracted the target information, I continued to review and catalog the remaining data within its memory banks. This search eventually triggered a trap. A back-up power source and CPU activated and the unit attempted a physical confrontation, hence the fire."

Edi paused and her hands dropped to her sides, prompting Liara to tighten her grip on the SMG and refocus her aim. "All you've told me is that Dr Coré came back to life. I'd advise you to keep talking."

"Understood, Dr T'Soni." Edi did not return to her previous posture, but did continue her narrative. "This unit's processing power is not comparable to that of the Normandy and we basically entered into an electronic warfare battle it could not win. It was not a seamless transition, but Normandy's quantum processing capabilities enabled me to gain root access faster than the unit was able to construct the necessary defenses to keep me out. Once I had root access, I was able to repurpose the unit as I saw fit."

"Say I believe you." Liara was thinking it actually did make sense, but was not ready to drop her guard. The machine that stood before her had already proven itself deadly. "What benefit is there in the Normandy having access to the unit?"

"There are no longer blocks of any kind on any of the available data. We have full access to all the data the unit possessed at its point of deactivation. Once the data download has been completed, the platform would be available to assist the ground team, but for optimal control, should remain within Normandy's broadcast or tightbeam range."

"Wait. What?" At that, Liara stood up straight and dropped the hand holding her SMG down to her side in surprise. "You could leave the Normandy?"

"Normandy's weaponry is not suited for every combat situation. This unit has the ability to provide limited-fire ground support, should you require it."

Liara shook her head, dumbfounded at the possibilities. "Goddess. That could prove extremely beneficial. I..." She rubbed her fingertips across her forehead in thought. "We'd need to completely test the platform. Independently. Perhaps Specialist Traynor. I believe she is probably the most familiar with your programming. And you'd have to stay under guard until the process was complete."

"Those conditions are acceptable, Dr T'Soni. They are all reasonable precautions." The unit turned and walked to the back of the room, which was now clear of smoke, the air handlers doing their job admirably.

"What are you doing?" Liara tensed briefly as the unit started its motion.

"I am returning the unit to its prone position. I will return to Normandy and leave the mobile platform deactivated until your testing is complete." The unit positioned itself on the table and the visor immediately went dark.

"Edi?" Liara was somewhat relieved when the response once more came from the room's speakers. "I hope you understand my hesitation in trusting the... mobile platform... as you called it."

"Yes, Dr T'Soni. I do. Still, I do not know that any testing could truly convince you of its reliability, other than learning to trust it over time. I believe in that regard I will be similar to Commander Shepard."

Liara was extremely puzzled by that comment. "I don't understand your comparison, Edi. What do you mean?"

Edi then made the only argument she could possibly make that would convince Liara to give her a chance. "Commander Shepard was dead, yet her new mobile platform walks among us and we accept her as herself. After the unit's testing is complete and I inhabit the mobile platform, it will still come down to only one thing. Faith that I am who I say I am."

Liara was stunned and stood in silence for a moment, contemplating the words. "Goddess, Edi. You're right. I think you may have just won your case." She shook her head and walked out to go talk to Joker.

* * *

**Menae, Trebia System, Apien Crest**

As soon as the Normandy team entered the forward operating base, they were confronted by what were obviously corrupted Batarians, but they weren't alone. They were soon joined by more of the Marauders and it wasn't long before a few Brutes were also added to the mix. The tactics the team had been developing seemed to be working, but the sheer numbers pressing against them limited Shepard's biotic charge to a finishing tactic for the commander, not a battle strategy. She called on Garrus to focus his efforts on taking down the Marauders' shields while she and Vega concentrated fire on the Brutes. As soon as their armor failed, Shepard could charge in and finish them off, but not before... and then she had to retreat quickly, her barriers not strong enough to withstand that much direct fire at the front lines. It got easier as the number of enemy decreased and when the last corrupted Reaper creature fell, Shepard stepped back, took a deep breath and glanced at her squad to see how they fared. Vega seemed a bit pale, so she asked if he felt alright.

James scowled. "Those Batarian things... they're fucking animals. Cannibals! When one went down, the others started eating it! Made them easier to kill, but... holy shit. It was disgusting!"

Shepard shared his revulsion. "Gods be damned. Who knows what all we're going to see by the time this damn war is over. I know it's tough, Vega, but try not to let it get to you."

"Oh, no worries on that account, Shepard." Vega snarled. "Just gave me more reason to hate them... Like I needed one."

Their attention was brought back to the task at hand when Garrus spoke. "That's Victus. The one with the red, up in that command bunker."

Shepard nodded in acknowledgment and headed straight for the Turian Garrus had pointed out. "General Victus?" Shepard stopped before him. He was carrying an assault rifle like it was the most natural thing in the world and Shepard knew he was a soldier, through and through. "I'm Commander Shepard of the Normandy."

He docked his rifle on the hardpoint on his armored back in an easy, fluid motion and his voice was welcoming, but curious. "Ah, Commander. I know who you are. I can't wait to find out what brings you here, when I know your world is under attack as well."

His gaze suddenly shifted and his voice took on a bit harder tone. "Vakarian. Where did you go?"

Garrus answered promptly, no apology reflected in his attitude. "Heavy Reaper unit on the right flank? I believe your exact words were, 'Get that thing the hell off my men.'"

Victus chuckled. "Ah. That's right. Appreciate it." His attention returned to Shepard. "So, Commander. What brings you to Menae?"

The man was a soldier, so Shepard didn't hesitate or try to candy-coat her request. "General, you're needed off-planet. I've come to extract you."

Victus scoffed. "It would take something beyond important to get me to leave my men in the middle of a damn war. I will not abandon my brothers and sisters in their time of need."

Garrus stepped forward. "Sir. Fedorian is dead, killed as his shuttle tried to return to Palaven. You're the new Primarch."

Shepard quickly followed up with Garrus' statement. "You're needed immediately to chair a war summit and represent your people in the fight against the Reapers."

The commander was met with a stony silence as Victus stepped past her and looked up at Palaven. After a few moments he spoke, but did not turn around. His eyes stayed on his homeworld. "I'm the new Primarch of Palaven? Negotiating for the Turian Hierarchy? I'll admit... I never saw that one coming. I honestly didn't think you could bring any argument that could possible make me leave my homeworld behind, but this..."

He turned back to the commander. "I've spent my whole life in the military; it's in my bones. I'm no diplomat... I _hate_ diplomats!"

"Believe me. I understand. Leaving Earth was the hardest thing I've ever done, but here I stand." Shepard cocked her head to the side. "Do you not think you're qualified?"

Victus growled, "I'm not a 'by the book' kind of guy, but my kind of passion is... deceptive. Can make you seem reckless when you're anything but. The Hierarchy isn't a big fan and I have a tendency to piss people off. Not exactly diplomat material."

Shepard took one step forward and pointed emphatically at Victus. "And that's why you're perfect. War is your résumé. Right now, we need leaders who have been through that hell. Someone who won't casually make decisions that cost peoples' lives."

Victus nodded. "You're right. I can't argue with that."

Shepard's voice was intense. "I've been trying to do this for three years and I'm afraid uniting the races will take at least as much strength as facing the Reapers. I need people on my side who understand the stakes."

Her hand pointed across the surface of Menae and then up at Palaven. "See this devastation, Primarch? Double that for Earth. If we want any chance at winning this thing, we need to work together... and we need the Turian Fleet."

His eyes followed her fingertip and he looked once more at Palaven, burning in the distant night sky. He sighed and met the commander's eyes. "Give me a moment to say goodbye to my men."

As he walked off, Garrus looked around at the soldiers standing around them and spoke solemnly. "You know, without him here we'll probably lose this moon... and maybe Palaven as well."

Shepard looked at her friend sadly. "I know, Garrus. But without him to run the summit, we just might lose everything."

He turned his head and looked at her. "You think we can actually win this, Shepard?"

She was honest. She owed Garrus at least that much. "I don't know, Garrus, but I'm sure as hell gonna give it my best shot!"

He turned completely in order to face her head on and his voice picked up both strength and volume. "I'm damn sure nobody else can do it. For whatever it's worth, I'm with you."

Shepard's face broke into a smile. "Now that's the best news I've had all day." She stuck her hand out and they clasped forearms. "Welcome aboard, Garrus!"

She glanced back at the general. "You ready, Primarch?"

He walked over and spoke. "One thing. I can't give you our fleet. Not now; not with my homeworld burning." As Shepard's head dropped, he continued. "But if we can take the pressure off Palaven, we can free up some of the fleet. We need the Krogan."

Shepard's head snapped up, not believing what she just heard. "The Krogan? You have _got_ to be kidding!"

"Not in the least, Commander." Victus stepped closer. "I can't see us winning without them. Get them to help us and we can help you."

Shepard stood, silent, her brain trying to wrap itself around the idea of the Krogan and Turian forces working together. She recognized the truth of it; they _did_ need the Krogan. She just had absolutely no idea how to make it happen. She could see Wrex helping her on Earth, but helping the Turians on Palaven? Her skepticism was shattered when Garrus chuckled. "Looks like your summit just got a lot more interesting."

She shook her head. All she could do was ask Wrex to attend the summit and wait to see what happened next.

* * *

**SSV Normandy**

When they got back to the Normandy, Liara met her at the shuttle and reassured her all was well, and explained what had happened with Edi. Shepard ran her hand quickly through her hair in aggravation. "Hell's bells. I'm glad you got it all sorted out. Thanks, Li." She looked at Liara and gave her a desperate smile. "I've got to go get cleaned up and figure out how to get Wrex to the war summit."

Liara raised a brow marking and her voice reflected great skepticism. "The _Krogan_? At the summit?"

Shepard laughed. "Yeah, I know. I mean, it's Wrex, so he'll probably come if for no other reason than to see me. I just gotta figure out how to keep everyone from killing each other for the duration of the negotiations." Her smile vanished. "It would be nice if we could get the Migrant Fleet here as well."

Liara's face fell. "I'm sorry, Shepard. We're still looking, but I haven't heard a peep from Tali. But that just reminds me I need to get back to work." A hint of a hopeful smile returned. "See you at dinner?"

Shepard's hand went up quickly to stroke down the length of Liara's arm, ending with a quick squeeze of a soft blue hand. "Absolutely."

* * *

Wrex was easier to convince than Shepard had anticipated, but his last comment before he terminated the vid call had her a bit concerned. His voice had been low and a tad bit threatening when he rumbled his goodbye. "Good. I have a small matter I need to discuss with the Salarians. Damn frogs. See you soon, Shepard." He had disconnected before the commander could get any details. All she knew was he didn't sound very happy.

The conversation with Tevos was extremely disappointing. What Tevos told her was not the answer Shepard had expected. "I'm sorry, Commander, but the Matriarchy will not support my attendance. Not with the Krogan coming."

Shepard looked at her in disappointment. "Damn it, Tevos. I thought for sure I could count on you."

Tevos looked pained. "I'm sorry, Shepard. Really. I did what I could to try to calm the Salarian Dalatrass, but she wouldn't budge. And with her attitude, the Matriarchs feel a summit with the Krogan is doomed to failure." Tevos hesitated just briefly before finishing. "I think they also fear violence and are concerned for my safety. They ..."

She didn't get to finish as Shepard exploded. "WHAT? Of all the _stupid_... They honestly think I would let harm come to you on board the Normandy? That is just fucking wonderful. Nice to know how little trust they put in me!"

Tevos bowed her head. "Shepard. It's not you they do not trust. To say the Dalatrass is upset would be a _monumental_ understatement. The Matriarchy fears she will be unable to control herself and will provoke the Krogan, to an obviously disastrous outcome."

"Gods be damned. Some of these issues are hundreds of years old. It's time to let them go!" Shepard's jaw tightened in anger. "Thanks for the heads-up, Tevos. At least I'll be ready if the Dalatrass tries anything stupid... and I can pre-warn Wrex and impress upon him how important this is to the survival of us _all_, not just the damn Salarians. Honestly, Tevos. I'd rather have _you_ here than the damn Dalatrass. Any day of the week."

Tevos smiled lightly, an achievement given the circumstances. "I don't think we could talk her _out_ of coming at this point. She is intent on blocking any sort of treaty or assistance agreement with the Krogan." Her smile disappeared as she finished speaking. "I'm sorry, Shepard, but I fear this must be my final word. I cannot attend your summit."

Shepard shrugged in defeat. "I'm sorry too, Tevos. Maybe you can approach them on the subject again, after we work out a deal... apparently contrary to what the Matriarchy feels I'm capable of accomplishing." Tevos went to say something, but Shepard cut her off. "No. Tevos, it's alright. At this point, I'm used to people doubting me until evidence gets shoved in their faces. Let's just hope that the Asari don't wait too long to join the coalition I'm building. I don't want to imagine the consequences of that if everyone else comes on board and you don't."

"Nor do I, Shepard." Tevos had been standing with her hands behind her back but she suddenly stood straight and dropped her hands to her side before providing Shepard an Asari salute. "Good luck, Commander."

Shepard was surprised, but answered with her own salute quickly. "You honor me, Councilor. I hope we speak again soon."

Shepard turned to leave as the image of Tevos faded from view, but Specialist Traynor's voice stopped her in her tracks. "Commander. Admiral Hackett has been waiting for you on the vid comm. I'm patching him through now."

The conversation was relatively short, and while Hackett was expecting an update on the progression of the war summit, he didn't expect the news that Shepard ended up reporting. When they were done, he signed off. "You've got your hands full, Commander. Good luck and keep me posted. Hackett out."

* * *

Shepard walked down the steps from the QEC into the main War Room and looked at the situation map. It was in sad shape; Shepard knew they had a long way to go before they'd be able to get back to Earth. Primarch Victus had set up shop here and he made sure to thank Shepard for giving him such a great workspace. They chatted for a little while before Shepard begged off; she had much to do and little time to do it in. She went to the Bridge and asked Joker to head for the Citadel; he told her about his discomfort with being the ad hoc XO. She smiled at the pilot, "Don't worry, Joker. I won't ask you to do it all the time now that Garrus is here. It'll be him unless he's on a mission with me. Besides. I trust you and Edi to do the right thing."

Shepard went silent for a few minutes before speaking again. "Listen, Jeff. A lot of our time is going to be spent mining for resources, and I'm not talking just minerals and ores. I'm talking people and ships stranded by the Reapers who we can help out and get them back into the fight. If we don't have a particular destination where we need to be or if the ground team is on a rest period, I want you running scans and launching probes. I already have a list started..." Shepard keyed her omnitool and transmitted a file to Joker. "Like this Prothean obelisk in the Shrike Abyssal. We pick that up and get it to the Vol protectorate? Maybe the Volus bomber fleet joins us. I'll keep adding stuff to the list anytime I get a lead and you keep scanning and finding stuff when we have time or if we're passing through. Every little bit will help. I already told Traynor the same thing, so she may add to the list as well. And of course there's always Liara."

Joker shifted the ball cap on his head. "Alright, Commander. I'm still not thrilled about the whole XO arrangement, but as long as I'm sharing with Garrus, I guess I'm ok with it."

Shepard laughed. "Don't forget Edi. Her vote is important too. She can probably come up with some algorithm to maximize our search patterns to save time."

Edi spoke up for herself immediately, "Shepard. I have already optimized all of our standard operating procedures, including search patterns."

"See what I mean, Joker? How can you go wrong? You'll be fine. I'll see you later."

Shepard left the Bridge and did a quick walkabout on the ship, touching base with everyone and making sure everyone was settling in alright. She wasn't the least bit surprised when she found Garrus in the main battery. They chatted for a bit, Garrus giving her a bit more detail on Turian status of forces from the last update from Palaven and Shepard told him of her chat with Joker. Garrus chuckled. "Don't worry, Shepard. Rest well when the time comes. I'll keep Joker from running any suicide missions while you sleep."

Shepard finally had to give in and head to the loft, no longer able to avoid the mountain of paperwork that was waiting for her.


	5. Trials and Tribulations

Notes:

CIC - Combat Information Center

C-Sec - Citadel Security

FTL - Faster than light travel

_I__onúin Álainn__ \- _beautiful beloved (Gaelic)

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

SMG - Sub-machine gun

* * *

**Trials and Tribulations**

**SSV Normandy**

Shepard finally returned to her room, changed out of her uniform and filled out the necessary mission reports. She had just gotten up from the desk to go down to dinner when Liara stormed into the loft, practically glowing from biotics. The Asari froze her in place with a glare, her eyes a steel blue Shepard hadn't seen in a very long time. "Shepard! By the Goddess, _what_ were you _thinking_?"

The commander's hand went to the back of her neck and she rubbed it nervously. "Uh... Liara? You've gotta help me out here, I honestly have no idea what I'm in trouble for this time."

Much to the commander's surprise, Liara grabbed her by the collar and shook her lightly. "Goddess! Garrus just told me about the Brute on Menae! You could have been _killed_!"

Shepard's eyes lit up with understanding and she held her hands out flat, palms up in supplication. "I didn't have much choice, Li! That thing came blasting out of the sky, smashed into the barricade, and I fell. Not like I _planned_ the dive off the wall!"

"So of all the options you had available to you, you decided it would be a good idea to _charge_ it?" Without warning, Liara spun both of them around and shoved Shepard up against the bathroom door; still holding onto Shepard's collar, she crashed her lips into the commander's, punctuating her next sentence with kisses. "I...am ... never... leaving... you... alone... again." When she finished, Liara stared at the commander as if still expecting what she considered to be a reasonable explanation.

"I wasn't alone. I had Garrus and James covering my back." Shepard just stood there, her hands holding Liara's forearms and wondering what was going to happen next.

"That is _not_ helping your cause. If you have any intention of staying out of trouble..." Liara's chest was heaving and she was staring into Shepard's eyes, her blue ones burning with an intensity Shepard had no words to describe. "... stop talking and kiss me, Shepard."

"Is that an order, Dr T'Soni?" Shepard grinned and it was positively the wrong approach to take.

Liara's intensity shifted in an unexpected direction and tears sprang to her eyes. "I could have _lost_ you, Shepard! I..." Liara quit talking as a single sob escaped before she could contain it. Her next words were muffled as she buried her face in Shepard's neck. "I don't know what I would have done!"

Shepard spun them around and pinned Liara to the wall, forcing the Asari out of hiding and making Liara look at her. Liara saw deep greens filled with devotion and yearning as Shepard spoke, her voice low but extremely passionate. "You did not even come _close_ to losing me, Liara, so don't think it. Garrus should have told you the thing didn't even put a scratch on my armor. Trust in my abilities and have faith in me, _I__onúin Álainn__. _I _will_ come home to you."

Before Liara could say anything in rebuttal, Shepard leaned in and pinned her with a kiss as her hands moved from Liara's shoulders to the clasps of her armor, starting to undo them. Liara planted her hands firmly on her chest, stalling the commander in her goal, and turned her head to break the kiss. Breathing hard, she said, "Shepard! Wait... please."

Shepard leaned back just a bit. "Edi. Seal the loft and give us eight hours, uninterrupted. Jeff has the ship. Tell him to run some of the scan patterns we talked about."

Liara interrupted. "Edi, belay that order."

Shepard looked at her in surprise, her voice strained. "Insurrection, T'Soni? You planning to take over the Normandy?"

"No, Commander. But the Citadel is just a hop away. We can be there in less than an hour. We don't have time for this now."

Liara watched as resignation overtook Shepard's face as she responded. "Fine. Edi, cancel that order and continue on to the Citadel."

Edi came back with, "Understood, Commander."

Shepard stepped back in frustration, closing her eyes for a moment while she willed her insides to settle. When she opened them again, Liara was studying her. "_What_?" Her voice was more abrupt than she intended, but made no apology.

Liara narrowed her eyes over her concern with Shepard's mood and stepped forward to caress her face, but the commander caught her wrist before Liara was able to make contact. Shepard's voice was low and her speech pattern was purposeful. "Don't, Li. You can't come at me like you did and then expect me to just shut myself down when you realize we don't have enough time for... _more_. You touch me like that now and I swear to you, I will _not_ behave myself." Shepard's breathing was shallow and fast.

Repentant, Liara withdrew her hand, having not understood just how fragile Shepard's control was on her emotions at the moment. Her forehead was pinched as she spoke. "I'm sorry, Samantha. I... I didn't realize. You always have such control..."

"Not in regards to you. Not after I faced losing you twice in the same number of days." Shepard drew in a deep breath and blew it out slowly, her breathing closer to her normal rhythm. "It's odd. I didn't realize how much I've come to depend on our link and once you left Menae, I couldn't sense you at all. I've gotten used to _having_ it, even if most of the time you're just loitering in the background. Its absence... not _knowing_ that you're ok... is very disconcerting. It makes me... I don't know. Edgy."

"I didn't realize it was that bad already." Liara was conflicted. "Perhaps we should..."

"No. You made the right call. Citadel first. Us later... just not too much later." Shepard's eyes were pained and it tore at Liara's heart. "I don't think I can stand this feeling very much longer."

* * *

**Citadel, Widow System, Apien Crest**

They hit the Citadel like a firestorm. Shepard had received a slew of messages and her first stop was Ashley. She had regained consciousness and Udina was already pressing her to become a Spectre. As Shepard walked in, she heard an impatient Udina. "I'd like an answer, Lieutenant Commander. The galaxy has need of exceptional soldiers like you. Now more than ever."

Shepard's temper was short and it took all her control to not throw the man out of the room. Ashley looked like hell and she certainly wasn't in any shape to be jumping out of bed to play Spectre. Ashley eased her concerns by putting the councilor off. "I still need time. You'll have my answer soon. I promise."

Ashley's glance over his shoulder told him someone had come in, so he turned to leave. He stopped dead in his tracks when he realized who it was. "Shouldn't you be on Menae, Commander?"

Shepard glared at him. "There and back again, Councilor." The title tasted bitter on her tongue and she had to swallow any additional retort. "I have the Turian Primarch on the Normandy, but had some business to attend to here... So I'm checking up on _my_ officer." Udina turned and left the room without commenting on Shepard's emphasis on the word 'my.'

Shepard pulled up a chair and sat, talking with Ash for quite a while on a number of subjects; becoming a Spectre, Ashley's family back on Earth, and the rough start to their reunion on the Normandy and Mars. Ash was surprised at the offer of discussion, thinking the commander had made it pretty clear where things stood. Shepard sighed. "It's a damn mess out there, Ash. All we've got are the people around us and we have to trust one another. We don't have time for doubts... so you either trust me or you don't, and we go from there."

Ashley looked at her. "That goes both ways, Commander."

Shepard huffed. "You don't think I trust you? Well, you're wrong. You're a hell of a soldier and I'd trust you at my back any day of the week. But if you have doubts, you need to talk to me in private... not in the middle of a damn ground mission. That's the only reason I cut you off." She shook her head. "That, and if you had said one more thing questioning the status of my humanity, I think Liara was going to warp you into the next century. You really pissed her off."

Ash almost laughed. "Yeah, that was pretty obvious. I was just thinking out loud... I'll be more careful about that. And I'll apologize to her when I get back on the Normandy, I swear."

"Back on the Normandy?" Shepard wasn't convinced that would happen. "You sure about that?"

Ashley's face clouded. "Why wouldn't I be? Am I not welcome anymore?"

Shepard did laugh at that. "Not what I meant, Ash. Just, if you accept the offer of Spectre, I imagine Udina will have other plans for you."

"Yeah, well. Plans are good, but Spectres do what they need to do, right?" Shepard's grin told Ashley she was going in the right direction. "My goal is to get my ass back on the Normandy as soon as possible, Skipper. No place I'd rather be for this damn war."

Shepard stood up with a broad smile on her face. "Good to hear, Ash. Now, get yourself well and see how fast that can happen. I gotta run. Places to go and people to see."

"Good luck out there, Commander." Ashley's smile faded and her voice took on a serious tone. Shepard's attitude reflected the same when she answered.

"Thanks, Ash. I have a feeling we going to need a lot of it."

* * *

Shepard's next stop was a lab on the other side of the Citadel; Hackett requested she visit a Dr Garrett Bryson, leader of something called Task Force Aurora. Shepard was dumbfounded. For all of the Alliance's claims to not believe what she had told them about the Reapers, they had appointed a task force to investigate the Reapers and discover their source. Bryson had unearthed something called 'Leviathan' and his teams were searching the galaxy for leads. This so called Leviathan of Dis had supposedly killed a Reaper and Shepard agreed whole-heartedly that it was something they needed to pursue. Bryson was prepared to give her the full briefing as soon as his assistant, Hadley, returned with the files.

However, when Hadley returned, he did so with a pistol instead of the files. Without glancing up, Bryson asked if he had the files and Hadley suddenly shouted out "No!" before shooting the doctor dead.

Surprised by the gunshot coming from behind her, Shepard spun and tackled Hadley, immediately calling for C-Sec assistance. They arrived quickly and had barely started questioning Hadley about the murder when Liara and Edi also showed up. Liara moved quickly to the commander. "Shepard! Are you all right?"

The commander looked at her in amazement. "I'm fine, but how did you even know about this without the link?"

Edi was the one that answered, claiming to have intercepted the call for C-Sec assistance at the commander's location. Shepard eyed the AI platform warily, her eyes flicking between the platform and Liara. "I don't want to sound ungrateful, but what the hell are you doing here? I thought Specialist Traynor had to run diagnostics before you were allowed to use the mobile unit to join the ground team?"

"That is a valid question, Commander. Specialist Traynor programmed and activated the diagnostic routine as soon as Doctor T'Soni informed her of the requirement. The quantum computing capabilities of the Normandy allowed the entire routine to be completed in thirty-two minutes, fourteen point seven seconds." Edi stood at parade rest as she finished. "My presence here indicates the specialist found no anomalies within the programming and the mobile platform was cleared for utilization."

Shepard refocused on the task at hand. "Well, that's good and I'm glad you're here, because I can use your help searching the office for anything relating to Leviathan. I'll join you as soon as we're done questioning the assistant."

Shepard briefly explained what Bryson had told her before his unfortunate demise and Liara and Edi quickly set about searching the office for clues as Shepard turned back to Hadley. The C-Sec officers shook their heads in disbelief as Hadley repeatedly denied any knowledge of what happened and Shepard was getting frustrated, when Edi suddenly cut in. "Shepard. His statements resemble those in the files regarding indoctrination."

Hadley shook his head in denial. "_Indoctrinated_? No way. We've shielded all the Reaper artifacts. I can't be!"

"I don't really give a shit if you are or not." Shepard's temper was getting noticeably short. "I just need to know what _you_ know about Leviathan and the research Bryson was doing."

As Hadley started to explain about Garneau, his nose started to bleed, he cried out in pain and clutched the sides of his head before passing out and falling to the floor. "Gods be damned!" Shepard looked at the closest C-Sec officer. "Get him over to the hospital. See if _they_ can figure out what the hell's wrong with him. We'll find the data on Leviathan ourselves." It was almost an afterthought, but Shepard did remind them, "And be sure to warn them he might be indoctrinated."

As they dragged Hadley out of the lab, Shepard turned back to her teammates and asked how they were doing. Between the two of them, they had already managed to piece together that the mystery researcher named Garneau was most likely the one who would be able to help them.

"How did I not know he had Prothean artifacts here?" Liara was amazed at what Bryson had in the lab. "Shepard, we need to get all the data from these to add to our archives."

Shepard nodded. "Agreed. Why don't you do that while Edi and I keep looking for leads on Garneau?"

Shepard and Edi continued the hunt, eventually collecting enough pieces to provide them an approximate location for the researcher, somewhere in the Caleston Rift.

Shepard looked at Edi. "Plug the coordinates into the galaxy map, and we'll get to it eventually."

Liara looked at her, concern on her face. "Shepard. Are you sure this is something we want to tangle with?"

"In all honesty?" Shepard glanced at the Asari. "No. But I don't see much choice. This thing _killed_ a Reaper. We need to know how and why. We won't do anything rash, but we need answers from Garneau to make an informed decision. We'll figure out what else we need to do then, if anything."

Liara nodded. "I can agree with that approach. We have to know what we're dealing with."

Shepard smiled. "Yeah, we do. But I also realize we've got some other things right now that are more pressing." She looked at both Liara and Edi. "Come on. Let's get back to the Normandy and get some of them done."

* * *

**Grissom Academy, Vetus System, Petra Nebula**

Shepard looked at her growing list of tasks and compared the necessary locations to the Galaxy map. They had gotten a distress call from Grissom Academy and felt the need to get there as soon as possible. The rest of the leads were just that... leads. But distress calls were a different story, normally indicating an urgent need for immediate assistance. Her choice was clear.

The Petra Nebula was only two relay hops away, and a couple hours of FTL put them at the Academy. She and Joker were on the Bridge as they approached the station, quickly realizing the attacking force was once again not the Reapers. Shepard was livid. "Gods be damned! TIM is really starting to piss me off! How the hell are we going to get past that cruiser?"

Joker replied, "That's easy enough. The Normandy can provide a distraction and you can get in with a shuttle, but you need someplace to land. If Cerberus is in charge of the station, they'll have the docks covered. Hold on... Let me try something."

Joker reached for the comm and flipped the switch over to the Alliance emergency channel. Sure enough he got a response and a woman named Kahlee Sanders directed them to an auxiliary supply dock that she still controlled. Shepard called on Liara, James and Edi to go with her and they found it relatively easy to get to Sanders in Security; getting to the students was another matter entirely. They had to fight their way past several groups of Cerberus troopers along the way, but managed to collect a few student stragglers and sent them back to Kahlee. They found the main group of students in Orion Hall, with none other than Jack, the psychotic biotic. Shepard looked at Liara in surprise as the battle began to eliminate the troopers that had them cornered.

Liara was just as shocked, shouting as she launched a warp. "Don't look at me! I had no idea they made her an _instructor_! Not sure who thought _that_ could have possibly been a good idea!"

Once Cerberus was dealt with, Shepard approached Jack, who was just as surprised to see the Normandy team. Jack stomped up to meet them, anger written in every line on her face, "Damn it! How many times did I tell you not to trust Cerberus?"

When she got close enough, Jack took a swing at the commander. Shepard was keyed up from battle and her reflexes were on high alert. Her hand jerked up and she caught Jack's fist in full swing; her other hand snapped out and grabbed the front of Jack's jacket, yanking the diminutive biotic up on her tiptoes. "I don't care how mad you are at Cerberus; don't you ever take a swing at me again, Jack." Shepard pushed her away. "It's good to fucking see you, too. Now what the hell are you doing here?"

"Short memory, Shepard? You're the one that sent me here." Jack seemed to be settling down.

"Yeah... as a student. How the hell did you end up a _teacher_?"

Jack laughed. "Alliance brass knew I helped you take down the Collectors, and I had more power and knew more about biotics than any of the lame instructors here, so they decided to take advantage of it. Besides, now I get _paid_ to blow shit up. It's awesome."

Their conversation was cut short by Kahlee. "Commander. For us to get off-station, I need you to get the students to the shuttle bay. You'll have to go via the Atrium, but it's packed with Cerberus troops."

"Don't worry about that, Kahlee. We'll clear it and then move the students through safely." Shepard was trying to keep everyone safe but Jack had a different idea.

"Fuck that, Shepard." She jerked her thumb over her shoulder. "These guys are training as biotic artillery. We'll take the upper level and blast down on 'em while you cut through their middle."

When they burst into the Atrium, the team quickly learned what Kahlee meant by packed. There were numerous Cerberus personnel and not just the standard troopers. They had put the hard press on Grissom in an attempt to kidnap the students; there were centurions and engineers in the mix, jumping the difficulty level tremendously with the addition of automated turrets. Well into the fight, Shepard heard Liara cry out, but without the link had no idea how badly she was hurt or where she was. She cussed, slipped into her Asari martial arts mode and sliced through the remaining Cerberus troops like they were water, leaving her exhausted. She went down on one knee and got on her comms. "Liara. Talk to me, Love. Where are you?" She held her breath, waiting for the response that absolutely had to come.

She exhaled explosively when a soft voice replied. "I'm on the upper level, Shepard. I took some turret fire in my side. I'm just waiting on the medigel to finish closing the wound and we'll be down."

Shepard staggered to her feet and climbed the stairs. "Screw _that_, T'Soni. I'm coming to _you_."

When she got to the top, she understood what Liara had meant by 'we.' James was standing over her and glanced at Shepard when she cleared the steps. "No worries, Commander. I had her covered. You look like shit."

Shepard chuckled. "Nice, James. I'll remember that. Next time I'll stop to wash my face and put on make-up."

She knelt down again, this time at Liara's side, her voice riddled with concern as she spoke. "You sure you're ok?"

Liara looked at her gratefully. "I will be. Nothing vital was hit, I promise." She studied the commander's face. "You _do_ need to eat or drink something. James is right; you look pale."

"Yes, Ma'am. I just..." Shepard had a light smile on her face. "I just needed to see for myself that you were alright. So shoot me."

Jack was suddenly yelling down at them. "Hey! Lovebirds! Sometime today? Cerberus isn't going to wait for you to finish playing kissy-face, you know!"

Shepard pulled out an energy drink and stood up. "She's right. We've got to keep moving."

They headed back down the steps and crossed into the other side of the Atrium, only to find more of the same. The team knew what to expect for round two and got through the other side fairly easily. Kahlee was on comms again, warning them to hurry because from their movements it was obvious Cerberus had figured out what they were doing and troopers were trying to close off their access to the shuttle bay. The team pressed forward as fast as they dared, eventually running into another batch of Cerberus and more students. Shepard was pleasantly surprised when one of those students was David Archer, looking much healthier than when they had pulled him from the Illusive Man's Geth experiments. David looked at her, "Commander Shepard. I have been counting."

With David being a mathematical savant, that didn't surprise her in the least, but she couldn't help herself and the question was off her lips before she could stop it. "Anything in particular?"

Liara smiled gently and placed a comforting hand on the stunned commander's shoulder when David answered her. "The number of days since you saved my life." After he finished speaking, he simply turned away and followed the rest of the students.

"Well, fuck me." Shepard watched him walk away and swallowed down her emotions. "What am I supposed to say to _that_?" She turned and looked at her squad; James was grinning at her. "What are you looking at, Vega? Come on, we've got a job to finish."

James chuckled softly as they turned and continued on their way to the shuttles. As they cleared the next hallway, they found an engineer repairing an Atlas mech. Shepard grinned and took out the engineer before turning to James. "You know how to drive one of those things?"

Vega's jaw dropped. "You kidding me, Commander?"

"Not a bit, Vega. I'm a Vanguard. Prefer to be on my own two feet. It's all yours. Let's see you rock and roll!"

Like a kid in a candy store, Vega climbed in eagerly and lit it up, turning the unit and stepping into the next room. Shepard was glad he wasn't kidding; he actually did know how to operate one, and fairly well at that. Cerberus had concentrated their troops here in a last ditch effort to halt the students' escape, but the combined Normandy team with an Atlas Mech and artillery biotics was more than they could handle. When they were all safely aboard the shuttle, Kahlee thanked her for getting as many out as she did and wondered aloud what their future would hold within the Alliance. Shepard spared a glance at Jack before she answered. "They've been trained by one of the best, and they're definitely ready. We'll use them as barrier support for our frontline troops, and with their artillery training, they'll also be able to support the sides and keep the line from being flanked. The Reaper's biggest weapon is overwhelming force... If these guys can help stop that, they'll be a big boost in our offensive capabilities."

Jack nodded in agreement. "Hell yeah! You guys kicked some _ass_. Next stop, you guys are all getting inked. My treat!"

* * *

**SSV Normandy**

Shepard escorted Liara to the med bay to see Karin when they got back aboard the Normandy. Karin raised her eyebrows when they told her why they were there. "Now that's a switch. Liara, I hope you don't intend to make a habit of this? I heard about you breaking your ribs on Mars."

Liara didn't have a chance to answer before Shepard jumped in. "That was _not_ her fault. Who would have thought James would crash the shuttle to stop Cerberus from getting that data?"

Liara smiled. "You did tell him that he _had_ to stop them. With the Normandy out of contact, he didn't exactly have a lot of options."

Shepard rolled her eyes. "Ok, fine. So it wasn't James' fault. It was mine."

Karin laughed while Liara gave her a glare and smacked her on the arm. "It was no one's fault, Shepard. It just happened. Like you falling off the wall on Menae."

Shepard chuckled and looked at Karin. "Why do I try and argue? I know she's going to outsmart me at every turn."

Karin smiled. "Beside the point. Now, you. Up on the table. I've got some work to do." Her glance shifted from Liara to Shepard. "And you, Commander, out. I'll not have you fretting over my every move as I work on your betrothed. I'm sure you have something worthwhile to do."

"I'd rather... " Shepard's budding protest was cut off by a look from Karin that could have frozen the volcano on Therum. "Alright, already. Jeez." Shepard beat a hasty retreat and returned to the CIC.

Traynor was waiting for her arrival. "Commander, Primarch Victus wanted me to tell you all the delegates are scheduled for arrival at Sur'Kesh. He recommends we head there at our earliest convenience."

"Well. That answers my question of where to next. Let's do it."

* * *

As soon as they arrived at the rendezvous point, Wrex and the Dalatrass were ready to board and get started. Shepard met them in the shuttle bay and escorted them to the conference room. They had barely gotten in the room before the Dalatrass opened the conference, not even allowing Shepard time to make introductions or offer a welcome to the Normandy. It was obvious from the start that the Salarians would take an aggressive stance. "The _Krogan_ is in no position to make demands!"

Wrex immediately glowered across the table at her and spoke with surprising cordiality. "The _'Krogan'_ has a name. It's Urdnot Wrex, and I'm not some junkyard varren you unleash whenever you're in trouble. I'm only here because Shepard asked me. Politely." His attention shifted to the commander. "But we do need to make this worth my time or I'm headed back to Tuchanka. Reaper scouts are already sniffing around."

Victus stepped up to the table. "We have no time for drawn out negotiations, Wrex. You and I are soldiers, not politicians. Just tell us what you want."

Wrex looked at the Turian. "Fine. I'll tell you what I _need_. A _cure..._ for the Genophage."

The Dalatrass' eyes flew open wide. "Absolutely not! The Genophage is nonnegotiable! If we give them a cure, we'll just have a repeat of the Krogan rebellions! They don't know how to keep their... _'urges'_... in check."

Wrex growled. "You used us to fight a war you couldn't win against the Rachni. Krogan blood turned the tide and then you cast us away like vermin."

"Because after that you ceased to be useful!" The Dalatrass wasn't about to give the Krogan anything, but Victus stepped in.

"Dalatrass, you may not like him, but Wrex is right. Insulting him won't change that and we _need_ the Krogan for this war." He stared at her, almost willing her to rebut his statement.

"I won't apologize for speaking the truth, and I _won't_ agree to making the same mistake twice." She turned to Shepard. "We uplifted the Krogan because we were desperate. You're about to make the same mistake again!"

"It was over a thousand years ago! The Krogan have paid for their mistakes... eventually we have to give them a chance to prove themselves... And Primarch Victus is right. We need them for this war. With the Reapers, we need _everyone_ to work together."

Wrex looked at Shepard. "One thousand, four hundred and seventy six years, if you're counting."

Victus banged a fist on the table to get everyone's attention. "Enough! Whether or not they deserve a cure is academic. It would take years to formulate one. Years that we don't have."

"_Wrong_." Wrex glared at the Dalatrass. "The Salarians have already developed a cure." Wrex brought up a vid and projected it on the wall of the conference room. "They have five females in their custody that are immune to the Genophage."

The Dalatrass stammered, "Where did you get this? It... It could be a fabrication!"

Wrex roared across the table, "Don't insult me! Those are my people and you're going to give them back!"

Victus stared at the Dalatrass, "Is this true?"

The Dalatrass practically spit her response, angry at getting caught. "How will curing the Genophage benefit _my_ people?"

Shepard couldn't stand it anymore and leaned across the table. "You have got to be fucking kidding me! What the hell kind of question is that? If you haven't noticed, we're getting our asses handed to us by big ugly black monsters from dark space that _you_ denied existed! You need _allies_ and if you don't help us, you won't have any!"

The Dalatrass looked at Victus for support and got none. "Help us now, Dalatrass, or I'll be the last friendly Turian you'll ever see. Now, where are they?"

The Dalatrass glanced around the table, realizing her position was untenable. "_Fine_! They're being kept at the STG base on Sur'Kesh." She glared at Shepard. "I _warn_ you, Commander. The impacts of this will be felt for _centuries_ to come... "

Shepard snapped, "Which will mean nothing if the Reapers _win_! Don't you get that?"

Wrex stepped over to Shepard. "Let's go get the females, Shepard."

The Dalatrass looked at Wrex in disgust. "You're not setting foot on Sur'Kesh! Besides, this will take time."

Victus had also had enough of her resistance. "It happens now. _Spectre_ Shepard can oversee the exchange. Make the call, Dalatrass."

"Come on, Wrex. We're leaving." Shepard turned to the Dalatrass. "Make the call. They'd better be ready by the time we get there."

* * *

**Sur'Kesh, Pranas System, Annos Basin**

The Dalatrass was not timely in her notification, but after a brief confrontation, a Salarian named Padok Wiks ran out of the building and gave the team access to the STG base. As they walked inside, a Yahg was being moved along an overhead rail system, the large creature banging angrily against the sides of a clear confinement container. Shepard smirked and glanced back over her shoulder at Garrus and then Liara. Liara visibly tensed. "Goddess. I had hoped to _never_ see one of those ever again."

Wiks' eyes flared wide at her statement, but he was in too much of a hurry to comment. "Yes, yes. Follow me, Commander."

As the commander moved off, Garrus spared Liara a sideways glance and a grin. "Brings back memories, doesn't it?"

"Nightmares, more likely." Liara shivered. "Come on, let's keep up."

While Wiks worked with Shepard to get her access to the secure lower floors of the facility, Liara looked around and caught sight of an old friend. A smile came to her face as she walked over. "Captain Kirrahe. It's very good to see you!"

Kirrahe popped up. "Dr T'Soni! The pleasure is all mine. It's _Major_ Kirrahe, now, due in no small part to our mission on Virmire. The Normandy crew _saved_ my men that day. We are all in your debt." His glance shifted to Liara's side. "Garrus Vakarian. Good to see you again. It seems the Reapers have a way of bringing us together. Where's the commander?"

Liara pointed toward the back of the room. "She's working with Padok Wiks to get us access to the lower levels."

"Ah yes. To see the females. I led the mission on Tuchanka that found them. Nasty business. Maelon may have meant well, but his operation was crude. He had poor controls and the females _easily_ escaped his lab." Kirrahe was obviously not impressed by Maelon's lack of competence.

Liara frowned. "I didn't see it, but Shepard told me stories of what they found. Since you're the one that brought them here, I'm interested in what _you_ think of returning them to Tuchanka?"

Kirrahe shrugged. "The scientists want to keep them, but we've done what we can for them. Better to send them home, I say. You keep something valuable; someone will want to steal it. We have enough to worry about. Though I do find it ironic that on Virmire we destroyed one cure only to now have a new cure as the key to an alliance."

"Yes. A very important one. Are the Salarians prepared for the Reapers?" Liara hoped the answer was yes, but didn't expect it to be.

"I've heard what they're doing to Earth and Palaven. I'm not sure _any_ species can be prepared for that. Though rumor suggests you're building a super-weapon of some kind." Kirrahe looked at her and flashed a very quick smile, leaning in conspiratorially and lowering his voice. "Mordin Solus is downstairs, by the way."

"Ah. That would explain it. So you know it's not a rumor." Liara smiled in return. "Good to know he's here. I had lost track of him."

"He knows when he needs to be found. This was such a case. I should let you go." A smile flashed across Kirrahe's face again. "And Dr T'Soni. Please pass on to the commander that we don't care _what_ the _politicians_ decide. You can count on STG support for the war. Consider it _my_ way of returning a favor. It will be an honor to fight alongside the Normandy crew again."

"Thank you, Major. I'll pass it on. I'm sure Shepard will be thrilled to hear that."

Liara and Garrus walked over to Shepard just as she was finishing up with Wiks. He looked at the group, guided them to the elevator, and was telling them someone would meet them down below when alarms started ringing. A warning announcement blared throughout the compound. "Alert! Threat condition two has been declared. Scramble readiness teams."

Shepard looked at Wiks, "What's happening?" As she asked the question, she saw shuttles and gunships lifting off.

Padok Wiks was on his omnitool and answered quickly. "Sensors have picked up activity on the perimeter. Hurry, Commander. Someone will meet you below. You may have just run out of time."


	6. Finding Balance

Notes:

AI - Artificial Intelligence

FTL - Faster than light

_I__onúin Álainn__ \- _beautiful beloved (Gaelic)

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

VI - Virtual Intelligence

* * *

**Finding Balance**

**Sur'Kesh, Pranas System, Annos Basin**

As the elevator door opened to the lower level, the Normandy team stepped out into controlled chaos. With the Reapers on the horizon, it was obvious the Salarians weren't taking any risks. Orders were being shouted with composed authority; there was urgency, but no sense of panic as the various biologic specimens were placed in lockdown and the current research data was transferred and secured at auxiliary locations off-site. A familiar voice rang out from the center of the storm. "Shepard! Excellent timing. Good to have you here."

Mordin Solus walked quickly over to the group and extended his hand to the commander. Shepard smiled. "Great to see you, Mordin. Liara just told me you were here. When did you come out of retirement?"

"Contacted me when they brought the Krogan here. Special consultant. Had to be me. Someone else might have gotten it wrong... like Maelon. Couldn't risk a repeat." Mordin turned and quickly walked away, just assuming the group would follow as he continued speaking. "Notified Wrex. Surprised it took him so long to arrive."

Shepard connected the dots quickly. "So _you_ were Wrex's inside source."

Mordin kept on the move. "Of course. But will explain later. No time now. Security warnings highly irregular. Need to get off world to safety, with the female. I assume you have the Normandy?"

Even though Mordin was walking away and couldn't see her, Shepard nodded. "You know it. Otherwise we wouldn't be here."

"Excellent." Mordin stopped and looked at a row of covered corpses. "These didn't make it. Too far gone by the time they arrived. Pity. Could not save them."

"Damn it." Shepard looked at Mordin. "The death of the females may very well be the death of us all, Mordin. We need a cure. Not just for the Krogan, but to build an alliance against the Reapers. Tell me you've got _something_."

"Mordin offered a quick nod and started walking again. "Of course, Shepard. One female survived. Immune to the Genophage. Need to synthesize cure from her living tissue. Must get her to Normandy in one piece, however. If she dies... Genophage cure... problematic."

Mordin stopped again, this time in front of an entire wall lined with clear confinement containers exactly like the one that had held the Yahg they saw as they entered the facility. Mordin was focusing on one in particular... one that held the last surviving female Krogan. "Please be careful. Krogan slow to trust."

Shepard stepped slowly forward as Liara pulled up her omnitool and did a quick scan. Looking at the results, Liara gasped, "Goddess! What she's been through!"

Shepard stopped at a respectable distance from the Krogan and introduced herself, telling the female that she and Wrex were there to take her home. Mordin was right to caution Shepard; the female's response to the commander's announcement was skeptical. "I know I'm the only one left. That makes me dangerous to a lot of people. Why would you help me? What am I to _you, _Commander Shepard?"

Shepard frowned. "Wrex is my Krantt and you are the Krogan's last hope. I'm here to get you home and give the Krogan back their future."

The female couldn't help but hear all the alarms and announcements about unidentified ships breaching the perimeter. "Then I hope you brought an army."

Shepard's omnitool started flashing and she opened the comm channel. Wrex growled at her. "Shepard! Cerberus troops are attacking the base! I'm taking the shuttle. Get the females out of there and up to the landing pad!"

"Only one made it, Wrex, but I'm here with Mordin. We'll keep her safe." Shepard glanced at Mordin, who had a rather surprised look on his face. "At least it's not the Reapers."

"Time to go. Cerberus obviously opposes Genophage cure." Mordin activated the overhead lift system and nodded at the technician. "Once I am inside, program it for the rooftop loading dock." He quickly stepped into the container with the female Krogan and turned to look at the commander. "Meet us at next checkpoint, Shepard. Make sure technician authorizes the transfer so the container keeps moving toward the roof."

Shepard and her team ran to the elevator to return topside, but when the door opened they were all stunned to find it contained a bomb. Shepard had been prepared for Cerberus troops, not an explosive. As Garrus commented, "Oh, crap," Shepard yelled a warning and most of the team dove away from the doorway; Liara stood her ground and threw everything she had into a barrier. The explosion was contained and Liara saved the lives of all the unarmored scientists nearby, but it completely destroyed the team's exit point. One of the scientists quickly directed them to the closest service ladder and they started to climb.

When they reached the next floor they were met by a squad of Cerberus troops and as they fought their way through, it became quickly evident Cerberus had hit the Salarian base in force. The team tried to move quickly, but every corner seemed to hide a new threat. They finally reached the opposite end of the current platform and as they rounded a corner to head to the stairwell, they were met by yet another explosion, immediately followed by the appearance of a Yahg, the explosion having shattered one wall of its container and setting the beast free. It turned away, ran toward a low wall and leapt out into the jungles of Sur'Kesh, looking only to escape; Shepard couldn't help herself and glanced at Liara. "Careful. There goes the next Shadow Broker."

She was met by a baleful glare from the Asari. "That is _not_ funny." Her tone contained not even a hint of amusement.

Garrus didn't help the situation as he piled on. "Could have sworn he was muttering 'T'Soni' the whole time!"

Shepard couldn't help but chuckle as they pressed onward and climbed the steps to the next level. "Mordin! Where the hell is this 'next' checkpoint?"

"Two levels up, far side from the stairs. Hurry, Shepard. Technician dead. You must clear us through the checkpoint!"

They ran into more Cerberus as they hit the next level and as the team fought their way toward the checkpoint, Shepard saw and charged a Cerberus troop preparing to fire on the confinement container. The Cerberus trooper had killed the Salarian technician, so Mordin gave Shepard the code and had her authorize the transfer; the container began to rise once more. Again, Mordin pointed upward and told Shepard to get to the next checkpoint, so the team pressed on. When they got to the next level, they arrived just in time to see Major Kirrahe take down another Cerberus trooper. "Commander, stay back! Hostiles just down the hall."

Shepard laughed. "That's why we're here, Major. Let's clear the path."

Kirrahe prepped a weapon Shepard had never seen and stepped out into the line of fire. Shepard heard an odd sound, almost like a repeating spring, but didn't see anything happen. "That thing misfire, Kirrahe?"

The major chuckled. "Wait for it..." Suddenly the three troopers down the hall exploded. Kirrahe flashed a smile. "Sticky explosives."

Shepard's face lit up. "I have _got_ to get one of those," a sentiment quickly echoed by Garrus.

"Take this one, Commander." Kirrahe unexpectedly handed the pistol to her. He shrugged at Shepard's surprised expression. "What can I say? I carry more than one."

Garrus looked at her with disappointment. "How come you always get the cool stuff?"

Shepard laughed and handed it to him. "Here, big guy. We'll get more later. Now. Let's move!"

The level proved reminiscent of the Grissom Academy; lots of Cerberus troops, including engineers with automated turrets. The new pistol proved very useful, as sticking an explosive directly to the side of a turret was extremely effective against both the turret and the engineer setting it up. The team moved quickly, especially with Major Kirrahe having joined the team. With his assistance, they rolled easily across the platform and climbed to the next level. As the door opened, she heard Mordin call out that their container was taking fire. The bothersome troops were quickly eliminated, but as Shepard ran to the rail system control panel, Mordin informed her Cerberus had cut the power. Kirrahe responded, "I've got it, Commander. The control node is at the far end. Defend the container until I can get you moving again."

Shepard gestured at Garrus to go with Kirrahe and then looked at Liara. "Blue. You alright?"

Liara smiled reassuringly. "I'm fine, Samantha. Stay focused and don't worry about me."

"Easier said than done when you're not in my head." Shepard returned the smile. "We'll fix that when we're done here."

Liara raised her brow markings in surprise. "Commander! Are you _trying_ to distract me?"

Shepard laughed. "Just giving us something to look forward to, T'Soni."

Their easy banter was suddenly interrupted by the sound of arriving Cerberus shuttles and the battle began anew. The power came on, but Shepard couldn't exactly stand at the panel with her back to the fight, so Cerberus had to be dealt with before she could authorize the transfer to keep the container moving toward the loading platform on the roof. She growled as she blasted a trooper into oblivion, "These guys are really becoming irritating..."

Kirrahe and Garrus ran back to join them and the fight turned instantly in favor of the Normandy crew. When they were done, Kirrahe directed them to a ladder that led to the roof. "Last stop, Shepard. Landing pad is right up here and I'll be able to send you on your way." He talked as he climbed. "If I don't get the chance to tell you later, it's been a pleasure fighting alongside you again."

They climbed onto the roof and it was filled with Cerberus troops; it would be the worst fight of the mission. The rooftop's openness made it easy for Cerberus shuttles to drop additional soldiers continuously into the battle. Regardless, the team successfully fought their way through and Shepard ran to the control panel. Still helplessly trapped inside the container, a relieved Mordin nodded in appreciation. "Excellent work, Shepard. Pleased to see your affinity for destruction remains intact. Enter final approval for undocking, and we'll be able to depart."

As she entered the code one last time, they got a warning call from Wrex. "Shepard! You've got a heavy mech inbound to your location!"

Mordin's voice went up a couple of notches. "Shepard! You must protect the container! It is especially vulnerable during the undocking procedure!"

Shepard gritted her teeth. "Keep the faith, Mordin... Keep the faith!"

The heads-up from Wrex gave the team a few seconds of critical preparation time. As soon as the mech hit the ground, Garrus blasted it with an overload and took its shields down, quickly followed by a warp from Liara and a triplet of sticky rounds from Kirrahe and his extra pistol. Shepard let loose with her own pistol loaded with incendiaries and Garrus followed his tech attack with concussive rounds from his assault rifle. The mech never stood a chance, managing to launch only one rocket during the entire encounter. There were a few straggling Cerberus troops, but Shepard dropped easily into her 'crash and blast' routine and quickly cleaned up the remaining riffraff with the assistance of a singularity from Liara.

Wrex landed the shuttle and turned the controls back over to Cortez, the large Krogan smiling as he jumped out onto the roof. "Damn impressive, Shepard. Nice to know Alliance lock-up didn't turn you soft."

He ambled over to the containment pod and popped the door, holding his hand out to the female. "Let's get you out of there."

The female eyed him, but ignored his hand as she stepped out onto the platform. Unexpectedly, two previously hidden Cerberus troops stepped into the open and prepared to open fire. The female lashed out, ripped Wrex's shotgun from his grip, and blasted the troopers without hesitation before turning back to Wrex and shoving the shotgun into his chest. As Wrex scrambled to catch the gun, the female glared at him and growled. "I can handle _myself_, Wrex," before turning away and climbing into the shuttle on her own.

Shepard chuckled and Wrex watched the female Krogan as she boarded. "Hmmph. Women."

Shepard raised her eyebrows. "Careful, Wrex. I could take offense to that remark."

Wrex growled, but wisely said nothing more as they returned to the Normandy.

* * *

**SSV Normandy**

The team quickly split apart, with Mordin taking the female to the med bay, Wrex returning to the conference room and Garrus heading to the War Room with Shepard. While Garrus retrieved Primarch Victus to continue the negotiations, Shepard placed a quick call to Admiral Hackett to update him on the retrieval of the female Krogan and the potential of a cure. Hackett was impressed by her progress but curious about the Cerberus involvement. Shepard shook her head in disgust. "I don't know, Sir, but the Illusive Man _has_ to be up to something. I can't believe it's simply their xenophobic policies that have them opposing the cure. I feel there's more to it, but I don't know what, yet."

"Keep them at bay, Shepard. We need this treaty. You do whatever needs to be done to make it happen." Hackett continued. "I've got some news for Dr T'Soni as well. We've officially begun building the device. Alliance R&amp;D has dubbed it 'Project Crucible.' You'll be able to follow the construction progress on the battle board display in the War Room. We're throwing everything we've got at it, so keep sending us people and materials, Shepard. The more we have working on it, the faster we get it done and get back to Earth."

"Permission to speak freely, Sir?" When she got a nod from Hackett, Shepard asked for an honest opinion. "You think we'll actually finish it in time, Sir?"

The admiral nodded. "I do. The plans are remarkably simple. Massive in scope, but almost elegant in their design. We can do this, Shepard. You can do this. Never doubt that." Hackett glanced back over his shoulder. "I've got to get back to it, Commander. Get us that treaty."

When Shepard got to the conference room, she was disappointed. The Dalatrass was gone and Wrex and Victus were still arguing. She banged her hands on the table to get their attention. "Enough! Wrex. What's the problem?"

Wrex growled. "Turians get Krogan boots when the Krogan get the cure. Not before."

"And Primarch Victus apparently has a _problem_ with that. Can't say I blame him." She directed her gaze to Dr Solus. "Mordin. How long?"

Mordin had an answer prepared, merely waiting for someone to ask the obvious question. "Need to synthesize base antigen from female. Also requires healthy male Krogan tissue. Will need sample."

Wrex crossed his arms and glared at the doctor. "You're looking at it."

Mordin nodded. "Acceptable. You must stay on Normandy for duration of the process."

Wrex looked at the commander. "I don't believe that will be a problem. Shepard?"

"You know you're always welcome, Wrex. We'll give you a workstation in the War Room." She looked back to Mordin. "You have access to your sample, so I ask again. How long?"

"Unknown, Shepard, but it will be relatively quick. A few days at most." Mordin seemed very confident in his capabilities, which calmed both Wrex and Victus.

Shepard noted their change in demeanor and nodded. "Excellent. You need anything else?"

"Need to get to work. Will be in med bay if you need me." Mordin started to walk out, then stopped and turned back. "Shepard. Recommend you speak with Eve. New perspective. Surprising for Krogan."

Shepard raised her eyebrows. "Eve?"

"Real name unknown." Mordin shrugged. "She is on Human vessel and will be responsible for rebirth of Krogan race. Seemed appropriate.

Shepard shrugged. "It will seem so to some, but it's as good a name as any; better than 'hey you.' I'll be sure to talk to her... Eve. Thanks, Mordin."

Doctor Solus smiled. "My pleasure, Shepard. Glad to be back."

Shepard sat down at her desk and opened her message system to look at her growing list of tasks. _Damn it_. She sighed and opened a comm link to the Bridge. "Joker. We've still got the N7 assignment Hackett tossed at us. I know it's on the other side of the damn galaxy, but we've got to get it done."

"Roger that, Commander. You're talking about the lab on Sanctum, right?" There was more than one N7 assignment on the books and Joker didn't want to inadvertently end up in the wrong place.

"Affirmative, Lieutenant. Edi. Can you give me an estimated travel time?"

"Certainly, Shepard. Considering the search pattern parameters you've established, we'll be passing through a number of potential collection points en route. Taking those searches into consideration, along with the FTL travel requirements, we will arrive on Sanctum somewhere between ten and sixteen hours, depending on how quickly our searches provide results. I would estimate our actual travel to be twelve to thirteen hours at our maximum sustainable velocity."

"Thanks, Edi. Joker, set course for Sanctum. Shepard out."

After a couple hours of running through her unanswered messages and getting caught up on her mission reports, Shepard got up and stretched. It was time to have that long overdue private time with her bondmate. Just like on the original Normandy, she walked the decks and visited all the workstations to make sure everyone was settling in. She couldn't help but smile when her last stop was Liara's office; simply knowing Liara was once again on the Normandy made everything feel right. She strolled in and sidled up behind a busily typing Liara, strong hands settling on tight shoulders. Shepard started to massage gently and even though Liara was working, she hummed in satisfaction. "You've got two hours to stop that."

Shepard leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on the back of Liara's neck, sending shivers down the Asari's spine. "Actually, I have between eight and nine hours, assuming you're interested."

Liara's hands froze on the keyboard. "Shepard... I'm..." She turned, her face filled with disappointment and regret. "Goddess. I'm in the middle of my shift."

Shepard stroked her cheek and spoke softly. "So send a message out to Miranda and Arlyna, set Glyph on one of his emergency alert settings and come to the loft, Liara. It won't be the first time." Shepard placed her hands on Liara hips and pulled her close for a quick peck on the lips. "You do it for ground missions and this, my dear Asari, is definitely a mission. We need this."

Shepard's hand slipped from a hip and sat suggestively against Liara's lower back. She didn't move it or massage the folds hiding beneath the Asari's shirt, but Liara could feel the heat from the commander's hand penetrating through to her skin. Liara's breathing deepened and her eyes drifted half closed. "That's _cheating_, Shepard."

"_That's_ an invitation. _This_ is cheating." Shepard used the same warm hand to put pressure on the delicate folds beneath the shirt and pulled Liara tight; her other hand wrapped around the back of Liara's neck and delicately stroked the folds there as well. As Liara moaned in pleasure, Shepard closed the gap between their lips and kissed Liara slowly and quite thoroughly.

When the kiss broke, Liara's eyes were completely closed as she whispered, "You're right. _That_ is _definitely_ cheating." Her eyes opened slowly and Shepard saw hints of obsidian infringing on the edges of deeper than normal blue. After a couple of blinks and a deep breath to settle herself, Liara's eyes cleared back to their startling blue and she continued. "But you're also correct about us needing the personal time; we've already established that as fact. Plus, we haven't slept in almost twenty-four hours. Give me just a moment."

She stepped out of the commander's arms and turned back to her system, typing in a quick update and sending the notification to the other ships that Riana would pick the Normandy node back up in approximately six hours. She turned to her little info drone. "Glyph. Set emergency protocols to level three until further notice."

The blue glowing orb bobbed up and down slightly. "Understood, Dr T'Soni. Enjoy your day."

Liara thought nothing of Glyph's standard greeting but couldn't help but laugh when she heard Shepard mumble under her breath, "Oh, if it only knew!"

Liara blushed and slapped at the commander's shoulder. "Shepard!"

Shepard turned and her face held the lopsided rakish grin that Liara hadn't seen in ages. She remembered seeing it once during their reunion on Illium but, other than that, she hadn't seen it since... before. The look that suddenly crossed Liara's face stopped Shepard in her tracks, immediately turning completely to her lover. "Liara, what's wrong?" Shepard's face held deep concern, endearing her even more to the Asari.

Liara smiled lovingly. "Absolutely nothing, Shepard. It was that grin. That magical 'I know I'm going to be in so much trouble' grin that I love to see on your face. I haven't seen that look in a very long time and I didn't realize how much I've missed it. I tried to think of when the last time was... and that made me think of the original Normandy and our time there."

Shepard stepped close and pulled Liara into her arms. "Li..."

"No, Shepard. Really. I'm fine." Her hand came up and ran softly through Shepard's auburn locks. "Most of those memories are _wonderful_, and those that aren't... well. I have you back and we have our future, so the unpleasant ones no longer hold any lasting power." She kissed Shepard tenderly. "They just make me realize that I love you so much, sometimes it hurts. A good, deep ache in my heart that clearly tells me I will stay with you, always."

Shepard's eyes misted. "I... Wow." Shepard blinked a couple of times to clear the haze from her vision. "I love you too, _I__onúin Álainn_. More than anything. Come on." Shepard stepped away and took Liara's hand. "Let's finish this discussion in the loft."

Once they got to the loft and Shepard had notified the Bridge that the 'do not disturb' sign was hung on the door, she turned to Liara and pulled the Asari into her arms once again. "I have so missed this. Being so close to you all this time and unable to do this has been torture."

As they had done much earlier in their very long day, Shepard's hands moved to undo the clasps of Liara's clothing and, once again, two blue hands were planted firmly on her chest to keep the commander from her objective. "Now, Dr T'Soni." Shepard stared at the Asari before her, her green eyes displaying the familiar intensity that Liara always found impossible to resist. "Do _not_ tell me you have _additional_ objections to my desired course of action."

Liara's eyes met hers and the Asari smirked. "Only one, Shepard. If you are going to undress me, you can at least _kiss_ me while you do so."

Shepard laughed good-naturedly and her eyes flashed in joy. "That's one condition I can most certainly accommodate, Doctor."

Samantha cupped Liara's face in her hands and kissed her gently on the lips. Before Liara was ready for her to leave, the commander's lips slid to the side and she kissed her way across Liara's chin and down her neck. Liara gasped when the kisses turned into a nibble and a tongue ran deep through one of her neck folds as Shepard pulled her tight. "Goddess!"

Liara could feel pressure at the back of her mind building. "Shepard?" The commander murmured a 'yes' into Liara's neck, and the extra vibration from her speech against the neck folds increased the intensity of the sensation Liara was feeling.

"Do you remember... Sha'ira... saying anything..." Liara was finding it difficult to catch her breath or stay focused on her question with the combination of Shepard nibbling her way up and down her neck and the soft touch caressing her lower back. "... about my sexual... urges returning... if we let... the link... lapse?" When she managed to finish the sentence, a groan of desire escaped from between her lips as a hot dagger of yearning pierced her core.

The commander mumbled a negative response in much the same way as she answered the previous question before what Liara had actually asked fully penetrated her mind. She suddenly backed off, her eyes wide as she looked at Liara's eyes, well on their way to obsidian. "Oh!"

Shepard wasted no more time with foreplay. She scooped Liara off her feet and carried her hastily downstairs to the bed. She was still rushing to get undressed when Liara pinned her to the wall.

The kisses began anew and hands worked frantically to shed clothes that were impeding their progress. Shepard whimpered in anticipation when she felt Liara's hands strip her shirt down off her shoulders and guide it past the tips of her fingers, followed quickly by her equipment belt as Liara undid it and it slid down the side of her leg to the floor. She felt her pants get unbuckled, but she pulled back as the last piece of Liara's upper body armor hit the floor. She slipped Liara's grasp and knelt down, removing the armor leggings and undoing the clamps on Liara's boots, holding them to the floor as Liara stepped out of them, easily tossing the boots to the side once they were devoid of feet. Liara was running her hands through Shepard's hair and preparing to pull her up to renew kissing her when the commander reached up and grabbed the waist of her armor liner pants. Liara gasped in surprise as Samantha stripped them down quickly to below her knees and then pushed them down to her ankles. Liara had to step out of them or risk tripping, suddenly finding herself very much naked below the waist and Shepard on her knees before her.

Unable to resist such beautiful temptation, Samantha leaned forward and kissed her blue azure while running soft fingertips teasingly up Liara's hamstrings before massaging her butt cheeks with a firm stroke. Liara let the name caress her tongue as she pushed it out through whispering lips, "_Shepard_. Goddess, how I've missed your touch."

Her mind looked for a light meld and Shepard willingly met her and shared her love and desire, even as her tongue reached for its first caress of Liara's quickly stiffening bud. As her tongue ran through wet heat and found its target, Liara hummed in delight and eagerly spread her legs to give her lover better access. Shepard very happily accepted the offer and gently slid one of the Asari's knees up over her shoulder before her hand went up across Liara's buttocks and found her lower back, gently pressing into the folds still hidden beneath her armor liner shirt. Liara's back arched and her leg curled tightly into Samantha's back as a groan of pleasure started deep in her chest, rumbling slowly outward as Shepard smoothly caressed the folds in time with her tongue strokes on the shaft of Liara's engorged bud.

Shepard's other hand was slowly massaging the inside of Liara's thigh, but gradually crept higher until it met the junction with Liara's torso. The Asari's groan turned to a moan of desire as fingers temporarily replaced the tongue in her wet folds. _{Liara. You are_ so _wet for me.}_

Shepard's thought was met with a whirlwind of unintelligible emotions as Liara's hips started to rock, seeking a stronger connection as her body started to slick with a heated sweat, her hands releasing Shepard's hair and going to the wall, looking for purchase. Finding none, they ended up on Shepard's shoulders as Liara temporarily found her balance. _{Goddess, Shepard! Quit tormenting me. I want you... inside! Please!}_

The tongue returned to the bud, wrapping it in a loving caress as Shepard pulled it gently into her mouth and started to suck as her now slick fingers slid easily up inside Liara's eagerly waiting core. Liara cried out in pleasure, her hips jerking in response to the contact as her muscles contracted strongly around Shepard's fingers, trying to pull them deep within. Samantha obliged, sinking them deep before drawing them slowly out again and starting a long, slow, torturous rhythm. Liara's hips tried to force their own cadence, encouraging Sam to gradually increase her tempo until the Asari started to gasp for breath and pant with want. _{Siame! I... I need...}_

Liara's head fell back against the wall and her eyes flashed black as she reached out for the full union. Samantha tumbled into the void and her own arousal spiked when she felt Liara's aching need, the Asari quivering in anticipation of that final blessed thrust that would drive her over the precipice into ecstasy. Shepard answered the call and increased the intensity of her thrusts as she curled her fingers to gently catch the ridges on Liara's inside wall. The trembling started in her legs and Liara had barely felt the surge begin before a tiny pulse of Shepard's biotics forced it to explode rapidly into a shattering wave that enveloped Liara's whole body. Her insides collapsed tightly and the tsunami roared through her center, her orgasm exploding outward along with her voice, seeking escape from its confinement and screaming in joyful release. After Liara's sweet nectar completely coated Samantha's tongue and throat with bliss, she slipped Liara's knee off her shoulder and stood up, scooping the weak-kneed Asari up in her arms and carrying her quickly to the bed. Liara quickly shed her top as Shepard kicked off her pants, Liara's soul still filled with want and Shepard's eyes never leaving those of her lover.

As Shepard turned to her and started to lie down, Liara's arms reached out to meet her and engulfed her in a warm embrace accompanied with passionate kisses, tasting herself on Shepard's lips and wanting the same joy in return. Shepard's eyes opened wide when a blue hand planted in the middle of her chest and shoved her over backwards, inverting their positions. Liara started to massage her breasts and placed a well-muscled thigh into Sam's heated crotch, teasing an eager clit and coaxing a growl from deep within Samantha's throat as she gently rocked her hips and rode Liara's thigh in a tantalizing promise of more.

Liara leaned in for a sensual kiss, her tongue joining in a dance with that of the commander's until they had to break apart to catch their breath. Liara slid a short distance down Sam's body and took a breast in her mouth as a free hand slid down the commander's taut abs. While her hands wandered the commander's body, gently massaging and caressing everywhere she could reach, her mouth wandered next to the pulse point above Sam's collarbone before slowly kissing her way up the commander's neck to a particularly sensitive spot just below her ear. Samantha was having a hard time maintaining control; her hands gripped the bed sheets in a struggle to not throw Liara over and take her again. Liara nibbled on the base of her earlobe and her voice was low and husky as she whispered, "You are such a dominant warrior on the battlefield, yet you yield so willingly to my touch... and it sets you quivering and quaking, responding to my every whim and desire. How it possible that I can have such power over you, Commander?"

Sam was covered in a sheen of sweat from her struggle to lie still as Liara tormented and teased her body and her control almost slipped with Liara's question. She struggled with a coherent answer and her words were halting. "_I__onúin__...__ Álainn_... Isn't it... obvious?" Sam continued to rock her hips in want and groaned in disappointment as Liara's hand passed up the inside of her thigh but then skipped up to her chest. "I... I... would do...any... thing for... you... Anything!"

Liara's fingers once again slid down Shepard's powerful stomach but stopped to play in her hair, her teasing ministrations eventually making the commander plead for mercy, feeling the pressure in her clit throbbing, yearning for unanswered contact. Samantha's hips jerked off the bed and her back arched as a roaring flame of desire screamed through her center. "By the Gods, Blue!" Shepard cried out as a surge of wet desire soaked Liara's thigh and Sam choked back a sob of frustration.

The desperate sob broke Liara's will and she would tease her lover no more. Her eyes still shined with the darkness of a moonless night as she slid down Shepard's body to press her tongue against a throbbing pink nub. Her long, slender fingers curled into Samantha's core in answer to her lover's desperate plea. _{Then come for me, Samantha!}_

Samantha's mind leapt forward and almost buried Liara in the avalanche of adoration and utter devotion, the intensity nearly overwhelming the Asari's senses. Liara's whole body glowed with power and she only made two thrusts before Sam's entire being spasmed in orgasmic ecstasy as she surged into a powerful climax, pulling Liara along with her in a shared tidal wave of bliss. Their minds linked in remembered harmony and they tumbled headlong into waves of teal comfort as the aftershocks of their lovemaking carried them forward through long moments of rapture.

Once their heated corporeal desires were sated, the couple laid quietly together and enjoyed gentle loving caresses as they let their minds rediscover the deep link of _Inanna_. Shepard felt Liara breathe a deep sigh of contentment as the world disappeared and they found themselves in the familiar black void. Shepard stepped up and pulled Liara close as she ran fingers gently through the Asari's neck folds, making her lover shiver softly with pleasure.

Liara wrapped her arms around Sam and pressed her fingers up along the sides of Shepard's spine, massaging the thoracic muscles near the center, and then spread her hands across Sam's broad, strong shoulder muscles. They were face-to-face and eventually ended up just standing together, with arms wrapped around one another and foreheads touching. They were barely aware of their auras once more coming to a point of full blend. Shepard couldn't remember the last time she had felt so at peace. _{I love you, I__onúin Álainn__.}_

_{I love you too, Siame. It's so... calming... here. I wonder what would happen if we fell asleep here... if it's even possible.} _She felt the rumble of the chuckle that passed through Samantha's chest.

_{Let's not experiment. We'll ask Sha'ira next time we talk to her.}_

_{I am tired, Sam... I actually would like to get some sleep now.}_

Shepard gently cradled a blue cheek and kissed her deeply, leaving her other arm wrapped around the Asari and continuing to hold her tight. "Just close your eyes and sleep, love. I've got you." As soon as Shepard spoke aloud instead of through the link, they found themselves cuddled on the bed in the loft. They crawled under the covers and Liara automatically slid back into Samantha's embrace, her eyelids heavy and already sliding closed. Sam placed one last tender kiss on the top of her crests as they slipped into slumber; Liara's head rested on Sam's chest and she fell asleep to the reassuring thrum of a strong heart.

* * *

They awoke at almost the exact same time and Shepard sighed happily, instantly recognizing a comforting presence in the back of her mind. _{By the Gods, that is so much better.}_

Sam felt the delight in Liara's response. _{Yes, it is. We'll be more careful and make sure we work to maintain it, now that we have it back.}_

Shepard laughed. "If that's work, I think I'm really going to like my job." She was rewarded by a sharp poke in the ribs, but before she could respond with anything other than a grunt, Liara had her wrapped in a tight hug and planted a firm kiss on her neck.

"I'm sorry, Shepard. I didn't mean to poke quite so hard." As Liara released her tight grip, Shepard rolled up on her side and propped herself up on an elbow to better take in the visage of the blue goddess next to her.

Liara's face shone with contentment as she reached to tuck some errant auburn strands up behind Samantha's ear. The tone of her voice matched the smile on her face. "You look happy."

"Why wouldn't I be?" Shepard planted a gentle kiss on soft blue lips before continuing. "My beautiful Asari is naked in bed beside me and I can sense you again... more than enough to feel the serenity in your soul. Everything is as it should be."

Liara softly whispered her name as she pulled the commander to her, entwining their legs and reveling in the warmth of their full-body contact. They drifted, content in the link, sharing memories, thoughts and feelings and fully cementing the unity they had lost over the six months of separation. Finally satiated, they pulled apart and Shepard flopped onto her back with a contented sigh. She glanced at the chronograph on the nightstand and groaned, "I suppose we need to get up and get dressed."

Liara stared at the ceiling. "Edi. What's our estimated travel time to Sanctum?"

"We are three hours, fourteen minutes and forty-two point seven seconds from arrival, Dr T'Soni."

Shepard started to laugh. "You sure that's correct, Edi? You sure it's not point six eight eight seconds?" She got a second jab in the ribs.

Liara spoke quickly. "Edi, ignore her. She's being rude. What she's really trying to say is that's a bit specific for my general inquiry. We... Organics... have a tendency to just approximate." Liara hesitated for just a second as she figured out how to continue. "For example, in this case you could have simply said three hours and fifteen minutes. That would have been close enough."

Edi sounded honestly puzzled when she responded. "So you would prefer that I purposely report inaccurate data? I do not understand."

Shepard groaned. "Now you did it." Her focus shifted from her lover to the AI. "Sorry, Edi. I _was_ just giving you a hard time. I'll come down and explain it later. Don't worry about it for now."

"Understood, Commander. I look forward to your explanation."

Shepard rolled out of bed and started to reclaim the various pieces of clothing that were scattered all over the floor. She had a smile on her face as she shoved everything into the cleaner bin, thinking about the night's activities that had caused their wide dispersal. Liara joined her in wearing a smile as she caught the thought through the link. "Come, _Siame_. Let's take a shower."

Shepard's years of routine had her dried and dressed in a minute while Liara took her time. The Asari finally emerged to find Shepard standing with her head cocked, staring at the fish tank. Liara wrapped an arm gently around her waist and placed her chin on Shepard's shoulder, watching the fish swim through the water. "Soothing, isn't it?"

Shepard was silent for a moment before speaking. "When did you put fish in the aquarium?"

Liara laughed. "Shepard! They've been there since I moved into the loft while on _Earth_! You're just _now_ noticing them?"

Shepard huffed. "Well. I've been a tad bit _busy_!"

Liara shook her head. "I'm sorry. You have been..." Liara's tone changed to reflect a small amount of worry. "...but I'm still surprised you didn't notice."

"Too much happening in too short a time... and I think I was more distracted by the loss of our link than I was willing to admit." Shepard _was_ actually bothered by the fact that she hadn't noticed them, so was a bit grumpy in her response. "You have to remember to feed them though, because if you leave it to me, they'll be dead in a couple of weeks. I always forget and I'm done with pulling upside-down fish out of the tank."

Liara sensed her disquiet and soothed the commander's psyche with a gentle mental embrace of tranquility through the link. "It's alright, Samantha. This is home. This is someplace where you're not _supposed_ to be fully aware and on guard. Where you should be able to stop, take a deep breath and _relax_, Love."

Liara turned her head and kissed Shepard softly on the cheek. "Besides. Neither of us has to remember to feed them. I installed an Aquarium VI that I found at Elkoss Combine Arsenal, of all places. It feeds, maintains the appropriate water conditions, dispatches little cleaning bots and even sends me a reminder when its internal supplies get low. _You_ never have to do anything but watch the fish swim calmly about and enjoy their soothing presence."

Shepard turned in her arms and Liara saw comforted greens turn their attention to her. "Dr T'Soni. I look forward to the day that statement is _completely_ true."


	7. Trail of a Killer

Notes:

FTL - Faster than light

IR - Infrared

_Kena sa'ki - literally "the heart of evil" (Thessian); refers to Feron after his second betrayal_

STG - Special Tactics Group (Salarian Special Forces)

* * *

**Trail of a Killer**

**_Rakhana_ SB-2**

_Livos_

_We need you to take the Rakhana to the Caleston Rift; you must find a researcher by the name of Garneau. He is working on a project that may have significant repercussions; he is on the trail of a potential Reaper killer. Do you remember the tales of the Leviathan of Dis? It now seems to be somehow connected to the Reapers; it is certainly more than merely a story to scare children._

_Exercise extreme caution. We have reason to believe the Reapers are also hunting for this Leviathan; it is likely you will cross paths. This mission is strictly for data collection. Please do not place yourselves at unnecessary risk, but you must find Garneau; his information is critical to our investigation. I've attached what data we have to help you locate him. _

_Go with the Goddess._

_Liara_

* * *

Livos stared at the message and read it again before finally calling out to the other two commandos. "Going to be like Illium until we get another analyst to replace the _kena sa'ki_; it seems Dr T'Soni has decided to use us as a wet squad_._"

Sella Temi nodded. "_Good_. It beats sitting here with nothing to do but count ships that pass through. I realize monitoring relay traffic is probably important, but _Goddess_ it's boring!"

Allia Vasia shrugged. "We go where we are needed. What's the mission?"

The expressions of both Sella and Allia reflected surprise when Livos stated they would be hunting the Leviathan of Dis... especially when she confirmed that she was dead serious. "Check your gear. It's only a double hop to the Caleston Rift before the hunt begins. Be prepared to move fast; apparently the Reapers are also interested, so there's a good chance we will see some action."

They emerged from the mass relay in the Balor system and breathed a sigh of relief when they verified no Reaper presence. Using the search parameters provided by Liara, they quickly scanned the system for Garneau. They did not find _him_, but did discover large deposits of minerals and a few critical items that would be extremely useful to the war effort. Progressing through the cluster in a clockwise pattern, they moved from Balor to the Talava system, then on through Solveig and Yakawa without the slightest hint of the researcher. They had been in the cluster for what seemed like forever and were becoming convinced the researcher Garneau was as much a myth as the Leviathan of Dis. Their attitude immediately changed when they dropped out of FTL in the Aysur system to discover a few small Reapers in orbit around a small mining colony on the Mahavid asteroid.

Captain Tanni looked at her two huntresses. "Never thought I'd say finding Reapers was a good thing, but it must mean we are now on the correct path. You have read the file provided by Dr T'Soni. Do you have any questions?"

Allia shook her head but grumbled, "I just wish I had listened more closely to my mother when she told us those old stories. Not that I would have believed them, but most tales have some kernel of truth to them. Anything would be better than what we currently know... which is virtually nothing."

Sella chuckled. "If it was the Leviathan we were looking for, yes. But it is not; it's this Garneau. That's why we need him; he is presumed to be the expert. I say we grab him and leave, _before_ the Reapers decide to invade the mining colony."

Tanni nodded her head. "Agreed. I'm setting down on the landing platform; stand by to leave the ship, weapons-ready. If they are too many, we will leave... Dr T'Soni did tell us to take no unnecessary risks."

They cautiously disembarked and moved silently onto an open freight elevator to drop down from the landing platform to the main level. As soon as the elevator began to move, they heard a roar and the banging of metal. Allia stepped over to the elevator control panel and used it as cover as she sighted along her sniper rifle. As they dropped lower, a Brute and two Marauders came into view. Tanni looked at the sniper and whispered, "_That_ does not meet my definition of too many. Give us time to dismount and get to cover, then let go. While they are focused on you, we will blindside them before they can get close." Her attention shifted to Sella. "Lifts and warps, with incendiaries I think, to burn through the armor."

Just before the platform ground to a halt, the commandos started moving; the first three creatures didn't pose too much difficulty, but the team was surprised by a second Brute as it descended a flight of stairs at the opposite end of the platform. Even so, they adapted quickly and, since the Marauders were already down, maneuvering to stay away from the Brute was not difficult. Allia had to abandon her sniping nest when the Brute charged her, but the three of them alternated fire and kept the beast confused as to which target it should attack first. Though it took more time than the other three combined, it finally went down as well and the commandos progressed toward the stairs from where the second Brute had emerged. They quickly discovered the steps led up to a small, mid-level platform and the main entrance to the facility.

As they entered, Captain Tanni expected those inside to be surprised by the sudden appearance of three Asari commandos, but figured the miners would welcome anyone who managed to kill the Reaper creatures that were literally banging on the door. Instead, they were met by an eerie calm and nothing but the standard recordings welcoming them to T-GES Mineral Works. Tanni glanced back over her shoulder at her two companions. "This feel as odd to you as it does to me?"

Sella glanced around nervously before answering sarcastically, "They seem awfully _calm_... Hello? A group of well-armed strangers just walked into a mining colony, weapons drawn... and _no_ reaction from the natives?"

Allia glanced between the two. "You'd think they would have _some_ type of reaction... anything but this... _indifference_."

Tanni frowned. "Stay sharp. Something is _definitely_ not right here. Let's see if we can find Garneau and catch the early tide."

They worked their way to the reception desk and their approach finally got some attention. As one of the workers behind the counter looked up, Tanni asked, "You know you had _Reapers_ at your front door, right?"

The guy showed hardly any reaction to the news, simply asking if the Reapers were still there.

Tanni was a bit confused by his apparent lack of concern. "Uh... No, we took care of them, but...

She didn't even finish her statement before the worker responded, "I see. Have a nice day."

Somewhat bewildered by the response, Tanni frowned in confusion. "Have a nice _day_? Is that all you have to say?"

Sella spoke quietly in her ear. "They sound like they are _drugged_... or... almost like Elcor... no emotional inflection whatsoever. I know we have not met many, but he is _not_ speaking like a normal Human."

Tanni nodded almost imperceptibly as the worker responded. "Yes. You need more. Welcome to T-GES Mineral Works. How can I help you?"

The worker's attitude and lack of apparent emotion caused Tanni to sigh with frustration. "We are looking for a researcher named Dr Garneau. He would have arrived within the last couple of weeks. We need to speak with him."

The team got two separate responses. The only worker who had spoken to them thus far was blunt "We have no Dr Garneau." A second worker, however, asked, "Do you need to _see_ a doctor?"

Tanni became impatient and growled at the man, "Yes. I need to see Dr Garneau!"

The first worker frowned. "I have told you. We have no Dr Garneau. We're done here. Please step _away_."

"Done? We are far from _done_. What are you people doing here?" Tanni's tone of voice betrayed her progression from impatience to anger. Sella stepped up to say something to calm her, but they received an unexpected break before she intervened.

The second worker had taken her question literally and answered it... providing them a way in at the same time. "T-GES Mineral Works is a small to mid-level supplier of tungsten to the galaxy. Are you here for the tour?"

Tanni instantly swallowed her anger and put on the best imitation of a smile she was capable of at the moment. "Why, yes. The _tour_ would be lovely."

They were even more surprised when the worker passed a file to her omnitool. "The tour is self-guided. Please follow the directions. They will lead you to the various displays throughout the facility. There is a time limit; you must be complete within thirty minutes. The staff will guide you out at that time, whether or not you have finished the tour."

As the team stepped onto the elevator to begin the tour, they all looked at one another in bewilderment. Allia whispered quietly, "I think I can honestly say that was the _strangest_ interaction I have ever had, with _any_ species. Something is _definitely_ wrong here."

* * *

They followed the tour path through the facility and, since it was self-paced, they were able to move quite quickly from one section to the next, departing each area as soon as they determined Garneau was not there. Everything they saw indicated the staff was busy completing a great variety of tasks, none of which had anything to do with mining, and every staff member they talked to told them to turn back, that they didn't 'belong' there. More disconcerting was how every person, whether Human, Asari or Turian, utilized almost identical verbiage.

Finally, in one of the rooms, Allia picked up a datapad that had belonged to Garneau; it contained an unsent voice message addressed to Dr Bryson.

_Bryson, it's Garneau. I've had to go into hiding, and I need you to come get me. I found another one of those artifacts here. They're more important than we realized. It's in the mines-here's the navpoint. That's where I'll be. If something happens... I'm attaching a passcode that I hacked together. It'll open any security terminal. Bryson... something is very wrong here. Please hurry. Garneau out._

"So he _is_ still here." Tanni frowned. "Why would they _lie_ about that?"

Allia shrugged. "Probably for the same reason he had to go into hiding... whatever _that_ was. But he gave us a passcode and we walked by a security terminal on the way in here. If we go back, I can open and review the logs; we will be able to see if they recorded what happened."

Tanni agreed it was the most likely way forward, so they backtracked to the security terminal and put their infiltrator to work. It wasn't long before Allia found evidence of an altercation in the mines, which was where Garneau had said he would be, and that the victim ended up in the medical bay. With the passcode hack and the patient file number in hand, they quickly made their way to medical, only to find the facility devoid of staff. Sella snorted. "Good thing we didn't need that doctor they asked about us needing to see."

Tanni wasn't in the mood. "Enough. I feel like we're about to wear out our welcome. Our clock has expired; I'm sure they are going to begin looking for us soon. Split up. See what we can find."

The team quickly reconvened in front of a treatment room that held a dead body; as they were speaking about the deceased and discussing the potential end of their investigation if he _was_ their researcher, a man spoke from a blacked-out treatment room behind them. "If you are looking for Garneau, you have found him." All three commandos reacted and spun around. As soon as they had turned to face him, he continued. "I am Dr Garneau."

Tanni breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank the Goddess. Are you alright?"

Garneau sounded tired as he answered. "Yes... Only, I'm trapped in here. I was doing my research... until they attacked me for some reason. They didn't harm me, just confined me here."

"We are here following up on Bryson's research." Tanni tried to get a good look at the man, but the darkness in the room made it impossible. "We were hoping you could tell us about the Leviathan and why these artifacts are so important."

Garneau backed off. "They are not. The whole investigation is a dead end."

Tanni stepped up to the glass. "I understand if you do not wish to speak to us. You do not know us... But we don't have _time_ for this; there are _Reapers_ attacking the facility, so we need to get you and the artifact to safety."

Garneau became very agitated and mumbled to himself as he stared at the floor. "Reapers! The darkness must not be breached."

Tanni frowned in confusion. "Darkness? What are you talking about?"

Garneau suddenly threw himself at the glass in anger, his voice going deep and gravelly, sounding nothing like he did at the start of their conversation. He practically yelled, "Why do you pursue me?"

The commandos backed up and Sella reminded them about Hadley. "The briefing said the assistant was indoctrinated. I do not believe this man is truly Garneau at the moment."

He pounded on the glass again. "Leave the artifact! You will not take what is mine..."

Realization lit Tanni's face, Sella's comment making her understand that Garneau was either indoctrinated or somehow _possessed_. She stepped up to confront whatever was hiding within the man. "_You_! You _killed_ a Reaper! We are here to ask for your help. Learn how you did such a thing."

The man growled, "You bring only _death_!" and the commandos suddenly had to wonder if the Human was a biotic; a loud noise rang out and the glass of his prison exploded outward into the hall they were standing in. As the commandos ducked and covered their ears to protect both themselves and their hearing, Garneau launched himself through the shattered window and ran out of the med bay, the commandos recovering and setting off after him as quickly as they were able.

Garneau used every trick in the book to slow his pursuers; as he went through them, he locked doors behind him, cut power and sealed hatches after climbing ladders; anything and everything he could to increase his lead. It suddenly occurred to Tanni that he was probably going after the artifact in the mines, so they diverted and selected an alternate route to bypass his roadblocks. They very nearly caught up to him on the roof, but Reaper creatures were starting to drop in force so the team either had to give up the pursuit or fight their way through. They were commandos; they elected to fight.

* * *

They were very happy to have Allia with them. While Tanni and Sella took care of the Marauders and husks that they recognized from the Broker reports, Allia utilized her high-powered sniper rifle to take out new creatures about which they had not been informed. The first new arrival must have been derived from the Rachni; it was a multi-legged creature equipped with powerful long-range cannons, but the soft sack that composed the majority of the body proved to be vulnerable to Allia's rifle and the creature was eliminated with surprising ease. The second wave, however, sent chills through the commandos. A pair of new creatures joined the fray which were obviously corrupted Asari; they announced their presence with spine-chilling wails and possessed enormous glowing eyes... Their crests were twisted and elongated to look like spikes on the tops of their heads, their whole bodies appearing stretched and emaciated. The worst attribute was their biotics... They were quite formidable, including a short Vanguard-like charge and barriers that augmented already _very_ good armor; it took the concentrated fire of all three commandos to take each of them down.

Once again, by the time the commandos had worked their way forward, Garneau had left a couple of presents behind, this time in the form of small explosives that took out two of the power supplies required to open the door to the next passageway. Tanni was frustrated, "_Tides_! What _else_ is this researcher going to do to delay us! We will need to fight off the Reapers while we escort the repair drone to the trouble spots."

Nothing new surprised them and the numbers thrown against them in the second wave seemed fewer than the first, so they were soon on their way... but Garneau's efforts to slow them had been effective and the commandos arrived too late to change the course of events. When they caught up to him, he was sitting on top of a rock that had been excavated from the mines; it still partially encased the artifact, which appeared to exactly match the description of the one Liara reported in Bryson's office. The researcher was already being surrounded by Husks and, even as the commandos started to pick off the Husks, Garneau, or whatever possessed him, repeated what he had said in the med bay. "The darkness must not be breached."

Garneau raised a shaking hand, displaying a detonator to the commandos as he growled out, "Turn _back_!"

Tanni yelled his name, but Garneau was already committed to his chosen path. Her eyes went wide as she watched Garneau push the plunger on the detonator; she yelled "Cover!" and threw herself backwards, twisting to land face down on the floor while protecting the back of her head and neck as best she could with her hands.

The bomb was not meant for Garneau. It was strapped to the backside of the artifact, which was easily destroyed in the explosion, but since Garneau was sitting practically on top of it, it killed him in the process as well. Tanni uttered an Asari curse as she pushed herself up off the floor and moved to confirm if Garneau was truly dead and that the artifact was indeed destroyed.

The captain was still examining the fragments as Sella excitedly shouted out to her from across the room, "Livos! You need to see this!"

When Tanni turned toward her, Sella pointed at the man close to Tanni and spoke quickly, "_That_ was not Garneau." She continued, pointing at the corpse at her own feet. "_This_ is... and he's been dead for a while."

"What?" A confused Tanni looked again at the remains of the man they had chased across the facility. "Then who is this?"

Sella shrugged, "No idea, but _this_ is definitely Garneau. He has identification on him and a datapad with all the research data he had collected so far."

Tanni shook her head. "This makes no sense, but collect what he has and let us leave. Hopefully we can get past the miners and the Reapers without anyone else dying." As they turned to leave, a door in the back of the room opened and a small group of people staggered in, extremely confused and disoriented. After asking them a few simple questions, it was easy to determine the miners had been under the Leviathan's control for nearly ten years. They didn't recognize Garneau and had no memory at all of the time period while they were enthralled; they merely remembered darkness and cold. Other than that, they at least _seemed_ perfectly healthy... but catching up on ten years would be difficult for anyone, especially considering what the last three years had brought.

Tanni scowled. "It is good we have the data, but we must talk to Dr T'Soni immediately. The implications are troubling. We came here knowing Leviathan could take over individuals and use them as puppets to do its bidding... but it appears to have controlled this entire colony!" She looked to her team. "Come, we must hurry."

Fully expecting to have to fight their way out of the mine and back to their ship, the commandos were pleasantly surprised to find the Reapers gone. Sella narrowed her eyes as she looked around suspiciously. "Somehow, the Reapers could sense when the artifact was destroyed. Certainly that must mean something, though I know not what."

Tanni shook her head as they climbed back in the ship and started prepping for takeoff. "I don't know either, but we will include that information when we send everything to Dr T'Soni. I agree; I also believe it important."

* * *

**SSV Normandy SR-2**

When Liara reached her office, the Normandy had just emerged from the relay at Skepsis in Sigurd's Cradle, meaning she still had a couple of hours of FTL time before they reached their destination in the Decoris system. She smiled at her compatriot, hard at work on one of the terminals. "Good morning, Riana. I'll be going on the ground mission with Shepard when we reach Sanctum, so my time is limited. What do I need to focus on?"

Riana grinned back at her, the lilt in Liara's voice telling her that all was well. "So... You enjoyed your _downtime_ with Shepard?"

Liara blushed slightly at the commando's tone and laughed lightly as she responded. "Yes. It was a much needed rest." Liara couldn't help but smile at the memory as she continued, "And we _did_ sleep, very well as a matter of fact."

"That is good!" Riana's smile faded a bit as she focused on the feeds. "There is something you need to see. I received a file back from Livos; their mission in the Rift is complete... and the results are somewhat disturbing. I haven't done anything with it yet, the system just finished the decryption and I only read through it once. I flagged it, so you will find it in your box without difficulty."

Liara immediately located the report and opened it, reading through it quickly. "Goddess! Who's closest to the Citadel?"

Riana nodded. "I see you understand what I meant. Fortunately, it is the _Aletheia_. I imagine Miranda and Judea should be capable of constructing the described 'shielding device' per Garneau's instructions."

"Yes, I agree." Liara wrinkled her forehead in thought. "Please send them the data and dispatch them immediately. While they are at the lab, they also need to follow-up on Dr Ann Bryson. See if they can figure out where she is, but make sure they know to not pursue her until we discuss it. We may send the _Rakhana_ again... or Shepard may want _us_ to take on the task, since the Reapers have definitely proven themselves to be on the trail."

When Riana acknowledged the task assigned to her, Liara turned to the drone. "Glyph. I need you to search the databases for Dr Ann Bryson and consolidate a brief history for our review."

Upon its acknowledgement, Liara called Shepard to the office. When Shepard walked in, concern was prominently displayed on her face. "Liara? We're only an hour out; it's time to get dressed-out for Sanctum. What's so important that it couldn't wait?"

Liara gave the commander a summary of what the _Rakhana_ team had discovered and the look of concern on Shepard's face continued to increase in intensity the more Liara told her. When Liara finally finished, Shepard shook her head as she spoke, "Damn it! The thing destroyed a Reaper and can apparently indoctrinate, or at least control, multiple persons at the same time. I wonder..."

When she hesitated, Liara finished her sentence for her, just as concerned as Shepard. "... if it actually _is_ a Reaper?"

Liara's blue eyes were cloudy and restless as Shepard looked at her and continued. "Exactly. But it doesn't matter if it is or not; we still need to figure out what the hell it's doing. If it's a rogue, why did it leave the rest? And how long has the damn thing been out here hiding?"

Liara frowned. "Rumors of the Leviathan of Dis have existed for centuries. We have stories that go back to shortly after the Asari became a space-faring species."

Shepard was surprised. "Shit! That's almost 3,000 years! How can something that powerful stay out of sight for so long?"

"If we continue on this path, we just may find out." Liara's forehead pinched even more. "Even though I understand the necessity, I still do _not_ like that we are pursuing this." She paused only briefly as she closed down her system in preparation to leave. "But if we hadn't, we never would have discovered the danger of the artifact sitting right in the middle of the Citadel!"

They walked together to the doorway and Shepard spoke as they stepped out into the main crew deck. "Hopefully we'll hear back from Miranda soon and she'll have good news for us... but we need to get word out so people can recognize and destroy these artifacts. Or, at the very least, shield them."

Liara ran a hand across her crests in irritation. "And the rest of the report... I know I should have anticipated it, knowing the Reapers are already hitting outlying colonies."

Liara stopped and looked at Shepard, who easily saw the pain behind Liara's eyes. "You should have anticipated _what_, Liara? What else did Livos tell you?"

"The Reapers have corrupted what the commandos believe to be Rachni, the result of which is a multi-legged creature with two very powerful long-range cannons." Liara closed her eyes as she continued. "And they have taken _Asari_, Shepard! Livos said they are frightful to behold and their biotics are incredibly strong."

Shepard immediately stepped to Liara and enveloped her in a tight embrace, kissing her softly on the temple. "Damn them all to Hell! I am _so_ sorry, Liara. Our _victory_ will be revenge for every person they take, no matter the species. The Reapers will pay for their transgressions with their own deaths, I _promise_ you."

* * *

**_Aletheia_ SB-1**

Miranda scowled at the flash message she had received from Riana. She turned to Sellis Boni and spoke quickly. "Sel, I need you to take over for Judea for a bit and take us directly to the Citadel. Ask Judea to come back here, please... and tell her to bring her engineer's hat."

Sellis looked at the Human and spoke hesitantly. "I... do not believe she has such a device, Miranda."

Miranda chuckled. "Sorry, Human saying. I need her engineering expertise, Sel."

Sellis was even more confused and rubbed her forehead in frustration. "Human engineers have special hats?"

Miranda couldn't help but laugh aloud. "No. It's only a figure of speech. Someone like Judea who is an engineer, a pilot _and_ a commando is said to wear many hats. They don't actually _wear_ hats; it just means she holds many jobs with different responsibilities. Which _figurative_ hat you are wearing merely references the job you happen to be working on at the moment."

Sellis shook her head. "You Humans like to complicate things and your idioms tend to translate literally, not figuratively. It makes them very hard to understand." With that, she disappeared forward to swap places with the pilot.

Judea walked back quickly and gently ran a hand down the Human's arm, stopping with her hand resting atop Miranda's. "Miri. What's up? Sel made it sound somewhat urgent... before she started muttering something about hats."

Miranda showed her the report she had received on the Leviathan artifact and explained what they needed to do. Judea's eyes didn't move off the report, but Miranda could tell when it was no longer the engineer's focus; Judea had read and absorbed the information and was now thinking about her options. After a few moments, Judea's started to nod her head slowly up and down and Miranda knew she was on to something. "Yes. Garneau is correct. It _should_ be relatively easy with his specifications."

Judea stepped to her locker and pulled out a box of miscellaneous gear as she continued talking. "Your Dr Solus did something comparable to shield a ground team from the Seeker Swarms on Horizon; ingeniously simple. He tuned your personal shields to the particular IR signature that humans give off and blocked it from leaving your bodies. Without your bodies actively emitting an IR field beyond the shield, the Seekers could not _see_ you. The hardest part of his research was figuring out exactly _how_ they sensed Humans, so he knew _what_ to block."

Judea turned to Miranda and continued. "According to his notes, Garneau has already established the wavelengths of the transmissions, which is the most difficult part of the process. With that task already complete, assuming his data is correct, my job should be easy."

Judea dug out a spare shield generator from the box she had retrieved and started removing the side-plates. "I can do the same thing with the artifact's signal. I can tune this personal shield generator to suppress the particular wavelengths at which the artifact emits and trap the signal inside the shield; it will act as a jammer. A very specific jammer, but a jammer none-the-less. Also, given that the required shield surface area is much smaller than what it is for the Human body, I can also adjust the shield size down significantly, which will proportionally increase the relative strength of the shielding."

"Give me an hour and I'll have it done. I'll configure a second one with a slightly larger field and we can activate them in tandem, to insure the field is strong enough, and also to provide a failsafe, should one or the other fail." Judea took advantage of their rare moment of privacy and stepped close to Miranda, ghosting her lips across the Human's cheek before whispering suggestively in her ear. "There are many things that work better in tandem than they do alone. I believe we should follow Dr T'Soni's example and make sure we schedule some personal time in the near future."

Miranda felt the heat crawling up her neck, but she didn't back away from the contact, grasping and gently massaging Judea's triceps as she whispered in the Asari's ear in response. "Yes. Well. Let's get this mission done and see where we stand, shall we?"

Judea grinned mischievously. "We'll have to stay and monitor the device for a little while, to ensure the artifact does not have the ability to modulate its frequency. If it has variable frequency capabilities, blocking it becomes significantly more difficult."

Miranda smirked and pushed back. "Yes, we will. But our time there will be spent trying to hunt down a certain Dr Ann Bryson, not kissing in the corner." Miranda grimaced. "Besides... shielded or not, I don't care to spend any more time in the vicinity of that artifact than necessary. The whole idea gives me the creeps."

Judea pouted. "I am not exactly sure how I feel about that. Is it that you don't want to spend time kissing me, or is it that you do not trust my work enough to believe it will protect you from potential indoctrination?"

Miranda raised her eyebrows. "It is neither of those things! It's just... We don't know exactly what the artifact does. We know there is more than one... are they merely indoctrination devices, or are they Leviathan's windows to the galaxy? I don't like the idea that Leviathan could be watching us through that thing and all we did was mute it, not blind it!"

The expression on Judea's face turned to disgust. "Eew. I did not contemplate that possibility. You're right. That _is_ creepy."

Miranda's face also turned to a look of disgust. "And to think I supported the Illusive Man when he basically did _exactly_ the same thing on the Normandy, with his bloody cameras everywhere." Her body physically shuddered at the thought.

Judea wrapped her arms around Miranda in comfort and gave her a quick kiss. "That was _Operative_ Lawson, and _that_ woman no longer exists. I must admit I am glad for the change, but it was a necessary period in your life. Otherwise, Shepard would still be dead and _we_ never would have met. I am not sorry for what you once were."

Miranda ran her fingertips softly up Judea's neck fringes and the Asari shivered at her touch before pulling away abruptly. She turned a deeper shade of violet at Miranda's surprise. "Sorry. But you keep doing that and I won't have the devices ready for the Citadel when we arrive. I... I need to get to work."

Miranda smiled, knowing the effect she had on Judea. "No apology necessary. I was surprised, that's all. I'm not angry or anything."

"Good. That would be the _last_ thing I wanted." Judea cast her one last smile before unpacking her tools and getting to work.

* * *

When they arrived at the lab, Judea took the two shield generators and walked directly to the case holding the artifact. She looked at the glowing globe as it sat perched atop a thin stand. "This will be simple. All I need to do it fasten the two generators to the stand and queue them for omnitool control. Anyone with access to the code will be able to turn them on and off." She glanced back at Miranda as she continued, "Though I can't imagine anyone wanting to shut them down, unless they were indoctrinated. And I would hope that anyone we give the code to is _not_ indoctrinated, since it will most likely remain within the broker network. That would be very bad, indeed."

Judea quickly attached the devices to the post directly underneath the artifact and stepped back next to Miranda. She punched the code into her omnitool and they watched the two shield layers rise around the glowing orb. Once the shields were completely formed, the swirling lights within the orb dimmed and eventually went totally black, leaving the orb as dark as a starless night. Miranda shook her head, a concerned look on her face. "Damn thing's been here this whole time. I wonder how long it takes to indoctrinate someone..."

Judea shrugged. "I do not know, but from what happened at the mines, we know that anyone who was under its influence here should now be free." Judea activated her omnitool again, scanned for any signals in the designated range and found none.

Her fingers continued to fly across the haptic interface and Miranda finally asked what she was doing. "I have changed my mind about the need for a dual shield. Instead, I am reprogramming the outer shield as a sensor. If _any_ signals emanate from the orb and penetrate the inner shield, at _any_ wavelength, it will broadcast an emergency notification to the Broker network... And then it will implode, shrinking the field until it crushes anything within."

"You can _do_ that?" Miranda was once again surprised by Judea's knowledge of electronic devices and her voice reflected her admiration.

"Yes." Judea made a face that Miranda couldn't recognize the sentiment behind. "I learned the trick from a friend in the STG. They use it for political assassinations. They infiltrate and replace the shield generator and then set up a situation that would cause fear. As soon as the target activates their shield for protection, it... crushes them." Judea shuddered involuntarily before finishing. "And then the program self-deletes and it looks like nothing more than a shield malfunction."

"Oh, God!" It took an amazing amount of restraint for Miranda to not yank her own shield generator off her belt. "I didn't think about... That's..." She stopped talking and looked at Judea in horror.

"Yes. I know. There are no words for that particular... _application_... of a shield generator." Seeing Miranda's involuntary twitch, Judea reached over and took Miranda's generator off her belt and scanned it. She then set it on the table and activated it remotely via her omnitool. The shield immediately formed itself around the table and held steady. Judea deactivated it and quickly clipped it back in its place on Miranda's waist.

"Yours is currently functioning normally." Judea's golden eyes met Miranda's still startled blues and her fingers once more flew across the interface of her omnitool. "There; I've passed you the hack. Now you can remotely test it before you put it on again..." Judea's eyes bore into Miranda's in emphasis. "_Every time_ before you put it on."

Miranda's omnitool beeped and the unrest in her eyes settled down. "Thank you, Judea." She remembered to breathe as one last chill ran down her spine. "I guess we need to see what we can find on Dr Ann Bryson."

With a quick nod from Judea, they began to search the lab for clues, but Miranda's mind was still working on the feats Judea had just accomplished. "I have to ask. How did you hack my shield generator so quickly so you could control it remotely like that? I've never seen such a thing before."

Judea chuckled. "Every time my father and I designed a new ship model, we would buy store models and _repurpose_ their flight controls. I spent my young life hacking into proprietary model ship flight control programs so we could link them to our flight simulator and control _our_ model remotely. It was one of the first skills my father ever taught me, so I've had almost two centuries of practice."

"Have I told you lately how glad I am that you're on _our_ side?" Miranda finally smiled again after the disconcerting conversation from earlier.

Judea grinned back and lowered her voice. "No, you haven't. Perhaps you'll have to demonstrate your gratitude a bit later."

Miranda chuckled and shook her head as they continued to hunt for clues on Dr Ann Bryson's whereabouts. By the end of their search, they had managed to piece together that Ann was the leader of Project Scarab and had jumped to the Pylos Nebula aboard a ship called the Icarus, which was capable of long-range FTL travel. They had also located a passkey to the project requisitions locker; the items missing indicated Ann had traveled to an arid, but hospitable, location. Miranda glanced at Judea and shrugged. "I don't see _anything_ else. All we can do is put the data into a search program and see how many planets within the Pylos Nebula fit the given parameters. Let's hope it's not too many."


	8. Our Own Worst Enemy

Notes:

_Arashu_ \- Drell Goddess of Motherhood and Protection

C-Sec - Citadel Security

_Chandra_ \- small insect resembling a honeybee, same name as the sweet nectar it produces

FTL - Faster than light

QEC - Quantum entanglement communicator

* * *

**Our Own Worst Enemy**

**SSV Normandy**

While Liara and Shepard spoke in the office, Riana slipped out to the Mess to grab a quick bite to eat along with some morning tea. She never thought it possible, but she missed Mess Sergeant Rupert Gardner; they hadn't overlapped for a very long period of time, honestly only a matter of hours, but the man had been friendly and pointed out foods the commander had brought on board in the hope that Dr T'Soni would have joined the Normandy crew much sooner. What had surprised Riana even more was that someone associated with Cerberus even knew how to _prepare_ the Asari dishes properly, and she had a very nice lunch while he spoke of how much respect he had for the commander and her crew of _aliens_. She remembered his rough, gravelly voice as he had complimented them, "_Got the job done, they did. Even saved our asses from the Collector base_."

Now, as she searched the meager selections before her, she realized having Dr T'Soni on board meant she should have doubled her last order for Asari specialties and Riana vowed to go shopping to stock up on extra Asari staples next time they went to the Citadel. In the mean time, she sighed in disgust and grabbed a bowl of oatmeal and a container of honey. She was proceeding to dump in a rather significant amount when Specialist Traynor cleared her throat beside her. "You may want to go easy on that. No clue when we'll be able to restock and get more... and you'll be stuck with eating your oatmeal plain."

Riana's face darkened a shade and she swiftly placed the honey back on the shelf. "I am going to shop next time we dock at the Citadel. The Asari grocery sells _chandra_; it is much sweeter, so I would not need to use so much each time. I will also get some other Asari foods... With Dr T'Soni back on board now, we need to increase the order for specific food that is more... _pleasing_ to our palates."

Traynor grabbed a plate of pancakes with syrup and a cup of tea before picking up the same honey container Riana had just set down. "I'm actually being selfish," she said with a cheeky grin. "I didn't want you to use it all up; then I wouldn't have had any for my tea."

Riana looked at the specialist thoughtfully and gave her a smile. "Would you care to join me for breakfast, Samantha Traynor? I think I would enjoy your company."

"Oh!" Traynor's eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected invitation. "Well, uhm... I... ahhh." Traynor stopped talking so as to not embarrass herself and decided she was rather intrigued by the idea of eating with the beautiful Asari. She took a calming breath and answered directly. "Certainly. Yes. It would be my pleasure. Not a big fan of eating alone, myself."

* * *

As they dropped out of FTL in Decoris, Shepard received a call from Hackett; he briefed her on the Cerberus Lab they were about to raid. She wasn't at all pleased when he told her, "We think they're using the facility to warehouse and study _Reaper_ tech."

"Damn it!" Shepard grimaced at the Illusive Man's stupidity. "That means there's a good chance we'll be facing off with some indoctrinated folks... or, at the very least, 'augmented' soldiers like those we saw on Mars."

Hackett nodded in agreement. "Yes. We sent in a recon team and they didn't get very far; the resistance was too stiff. That's why I need you and the Normandy team, Commander. I imagine you'll be fighting your way in _and_ out."

"Thanks for the heads-up, Sir. We'll go in heavy." Shepard stood up straight and prepared to salute. "Anything else, Admiral?"

"Just find out what Cerberus is doing and get me any Reaper tech samples you can, Commander. Hackett out." A quick salute and the Admiral was gone, leaving Shepard to round up additional team members as they neared the planet. She now planned on taking every ground team member she had aboard except Riana... they needed the Shadow Broker working. Shepard even pulled the two War Room guards, Privates Westmoreland and Campbell; they were true soldiers and excited to be finally getting in on some action instead of standing around and operating a relatively useless checkpoint. Honestly, the checkpoint only served a purpose when they had guests aboard. As long as it was strictly Normandy crew, the checkpoint really was a waste of manpower. Shepard decided she needed to fix that when they returned from Sanctum and mentally added it to her list of things to do.

The approach and entry to the landing pad was unexpectedly easy, but given Hackett's warning, Shepard was not deceived and her eyes shifted to Garrus. "You've got Wrex, Edi and Campbell for the lower floor. I'll take Liara, James and Westmoreland with me to cover the upstairs. Collect any data you can from active terminals and secure any Reaper tech you find."

Her eyes traveled over the entire group. "Be ready for anything and make sure everyone stays in radio contact."

The minute the shuttle door slid open, both teams dropped to the deck and went their separate ways. The teams had almost identical reports for one another; they were both met with troopers and centurions, they found a couple of random data logs, a lot of research notes and they each found only one artifact. Garrus called in, "Shepard... this place is too empty. Where are all the scientists and technicians? I think they're in the process of pulling out."

Shepard had to agree. "You might be right Garrus, but stay sharp. There's still stuff here, so they're not done... and I doubt they'll be happy to find us here cleaning house for them."

Searching the upstairs data terminals, Liara uncovered an upgraded medigel formula that only worked on non-Humans. Her voice was filled with disdain, "Only _Cerberus_ would call something like this a failed experiment and not share such a medical breakthrough! Is there no limit to their Human-centricity?"

Shepard snorted in disgust. "Probably not. That's just another reason to despise them."

She glanced around the area and quickly realized they had swept the entire floor. She was getting ready to call mission complete when Cortez called out a warning on the comms; he notified them of a couple inbound Cerberus shuttles and that he had to bug out to avoid a Cerberus fighter sweep. Shepard tapped her comm unit. "Alright, you heard the man! It's time to vacate the premises, so rendezvous and secure the landing zone until he can get back here to get us!"

Getting out was a bit more difficult than getting in; Cerberus had figured out they were there and dumped everyone remaining at the station on them. On top of the normal troopers and centurions, the Normandy team now had engineers and turrets to wade through before they secured the landing zone and enabled Cortez to safely return with the shuttle. Shepard was glad Hackett had given them advance warning. Having an eight-man squad had reduced the time they needed to be on station to complete their sweep and provided sufficient cover fire to extract everyone relatively safely, with no one receiving anything more than minor wounds.

Once back onboard the Normandy, those who needed treatment reported directly to the med bay and Shepard transferred all the collected data to Traynor so she could forward it to the Alliance. She also had Edi create a containment shield in the AI core compartment to store the two pieces of Reaper tech they had found, until the items could be transferred safely to the research team on the Citadel. She silently thanked Dr Garrett Bryson for having developed the required shielding technology for the piece of Sovereign he had in his lab; otherwise she never would have allowed the artifacts onto the Normandy and she was pretty sure the admiral wouldn't have liked her telling him "no" when he asked her to collect whatever they could from the lab on Sanctum. "And once that stuff is stored, Edi, lock the compartment down. No organic goes in there; access is restricted to you only, until those artifacts are off this ship... and that includes _me_. Understood?"

"Yes, Commander. Even with the shielding, I believe that is a wise precaution." Shepard grinned; Edi had started inquiring about emotional development and freewill a few days after they had left Earth. She had first tried to ask Jeff but he had dodged the questions in typical Joker fashion, so after Shepard took the time to explain the concept of approximation after giving Edi a hard time from the loft, the AI had turned to the commander for assistance. Shepard was happy to help the AI 'grow' and she found that Edi's voice was starting to show organic intonations instead of her usual calculated, deadpan delivery.

Shepard was still smiling when she got to the QEC, but it vanished quickly as the system came on line and linked with Hackett. She wasn't really looking forward to the report she had to give.

Hackett got straight to business. "What have you got for me, Commander?"

"We secured only two artifacts, Sir. We copied a bunch of datalogs they hadn't wiped yet, but it looked like maybe your recon team spooked 'em and they were packing up to relocate." Shepard frowned. "There was hardly anybody there when we first showed up. Wasn't until we picked up the artifacts and headed back to the shuttle pad that we got swamped. It was a bit of a fight, but we all got out ok. Thanks for that heads-up. Not sure how it would have turned out if we had gone in with only a half-squad."

The admiral gave a quick nod. "Glad it helped. Any idea what they were actually trying to do?"

"We picked up some personal logs talking about 'integration.' Traynor is collating everything we found and sending it to your analysts, but my guess is it's what we saw on Mars. I think they're _integrating_ Reaper tech into every new soldier they bring on board... and from what I read, it seems to cause mindless obedience." Shepard growled in disgust. "It is certainly _not_ something I see as our future. We have to stop Cerberus as well as the Reapers or what's left of the Human race won't be worth saving."

"That doesn't sound good. At least we disrupted their experiments." Hackett paused for a moment while he considered courses of action. "We'll hit the facility hard; take it off line now that we've got whatever they had left there. We'll make sure they can't use it again, as well as destroy anything they haven't managed to ship out yet."

"I doubt they'll just close up shop, Sir." Shepard crossed her arms and scowled. "If it's at all possible, I hope you can get someone there fast enough to put a trace on them. Figure out where they're headed next so we can keep the pressure on."

Hackett was nodding in approval again, "Agreed. We'll see if we can't tag a departing shuttle when we send in the strike team. In the mean time, get those artifacts to the lab at your earliest convenience. We'll put our best engineers on that tech and I'll make sure they take the necessary precautions. Good job, Commander."

As soon as Hackett signed off, Shepard's smile came back; she could sense Liara waiting in the wings, staying just out of sight of the QEC. Her smile faltered as she sensed concern from her bondmate. She turned to see a judgmental frown.

"You order everyone else to the med bay, yet _you_ skip it." Liara's eyes were narrow and reflected chastisement as she approached the commander.

"Sorry, Blue, but I had to give my report to Hackett." Shepard shrugged. "Besides, Karin was plenty busy with all of you. Mine could wait... there's nothing serious."

"Please do not get in the habit of taking that for granted!" Liara sighed in frustration. "This could very well be an extremely long war, Shepard, and you need to take care of yourself for the long-haul. Those little injuries will add up! _No_ one had anything serious; Karin could have seen you first and _then_ sent you on your way. If your injuries are so minor, Admiral Hackett could have waited the ten minutes required for treatment."

Shepard held her hands up in surrender, sensing Liara's growing aggravation. "Alright. Guilty as charged." She gave the Asari a light smile. "Come on. I'll let you escort me to the med bay so you know I've gone."

"You'll _let me_?" Liara's brow markings rose in vexation. "I do not believe you have any _choice_ in the matter, Shepard. You are stuck with me until Karin clears you." Liara took her hand and tugged her toward the door. "And don't give me that look! If _you_ won't take care of yourself, _someone_ has to do it... and I am perfectly fine with that someone being _me_."

Shepard realized nothing she said was being interpreted the way she intended, and when Liara heard her release an exasperated sigh, the Asari misread her meaning yet again, stopped dead and spun toward her. "Don't. you. dare." Liara gave her a defiant stare. "I _love_ you, Samantha Shepard, and I have every intention of doing all I can to ensure you and I _both_ survive this war. You promised me at least 400 years and lots of little blue children." Liara's look softened and she dipped her head, but it didn't hide the fact that the corners of her mouth had twitched up into a smile at the thought. "I'm here to make sure you deliver."

Shepard couldn't help the light laugh that escaped her lips; she reached out her free hand to cup Liara's face and her thumb stroked gently down a blue cheek as she smiled and spoke softly, "You're right. I'm sorry. I get caught up in the things I need to get done and... I don't know. I just get lost in the mission. That's why I need you to keep me grounded."

"Shepard, it's..." Liara blinked and shook her head a couple of times. "It's that I get so damn _frustrated_, having to watch you always put everyone and everything before _yourself_. Just once, I'd like to see you put yourself _first_... but I honestly don't think you have it in you."

Shepard squeezed her hand and started walking again towards the med bay. "You're probably right, but I promise I'll _try_ to do better. No guarantees."

Shepard felt the tension in the link ease as Liara strode beside her and squeezed her hand in return. "There never are, Samantha. Your best effort is all I can ask."

* * *

Wanting the Reaper tech off her ship as quickly as possible, Shepard instructed Jeff to get them back to the Citadel by the shortest route possible, skipping any scans or searches along the way. What took them twelve hours on the outbound journey would still give them all at least six hours of down time on the return trip. Shepard, however, was restless; she had finished all her mission reports, had no model ships to work on and Liara was back at her Broker terminal hard at work. As much as she wanted to, Shepard knew it wouldn't be right to interrupt the Asari just because she was bored. Shepard was also physically tired, but had no desire to try to nap without the Asari to cuddle up to; it seemed the nightmares intruded whenever Liara wasn't there to give her mind something good to focus on, and the commander didn't feel up to another trip through the blowing ash forest. With a sigh, she headed off to the War Room to talk to Wrex and Victus.

"Shepard." The Krogan didn't look very happy. "I'd rather face three squads of Cerberus centurions than go back to that med bay again."

Shepard looked at Wrex quizzically. "I know you're not fond of medical care... hurts your tough guy image, but centurions, Wrex? Really?" She let out a small chuckle. "You probably had all of two slugs penetrate that thick hide of yours. I'm sure Doc Chakwas didn't hurt you, taking them out."

"Not what I'm talking about," Wrex growled. "Your damn Salarian said he needed a tissue sample... he didn't say where he needed it from. I think he was purposely trying to turn my quad into a trio."

Shepard was barely able to contain her laughter, but the glare from Wrex's red reptilian eyes convinced her to try her damnedest to hold back. "Sorry, Wrex. But the Genophage _is_ a reproductive issue, so it kind of makes sense that the sample would have to come from your... ummm... testicles." Shepard's laughter was quieted by her embarrassment. She could hardly believe she was standing there talking to Wrex about his balls, like she was one of the guys. "Besides. You regenerate... Don't _they_ grow back, too? Just like anything else that gets shot off?"

"Yeah. I guess so. But he didn't have to take such pleasure in it!" Wrex grunted and shifted his stuff a bit in an attempt to make himself more comfortable. "Anyway, I've got other things to worry about, Shepard. I have a squad missing."

"On Tuchanka?" Wrex had mentioned they had Reaper scouts sniffing around, but Shepard didn't realize they had already started offensive operations; if they had, that was reason for serious concern. If the Reapers kicked off an attack against Tuchanka, the Krogan would probably no longer be willing to go to Palaven and the mutual assistance treaty would be dead.

"No, nothing like that." Wrex glanced around the room to make sure no one was close enough to hear his next words. "They were scouting out the Rachni relay. We've heard rumors of trouble in the area and the squad went silent as soon as they arrived."

"Gods be damned. Liara just got a report from one of her agents that said they thought one of the Reaper creature types they saw had probably came from the Rachni." Shepard scratched the back of her neck and rolled her head around in a futile attempt to ease the tension suddenly building there. "The queen promised to disappear and I got a follow-on message saying they had found a remote place to hide out, but that doesn't mean the damn Reapers didn't find them!"

"I thought the possibility they were back would get your attention, but adding in a report like that..." Wrex leaned in closer and spoke very quietly. "We need to check it out. I've got Aralakh Company, my best unit, on standby. As soon as we have time, you give the word and I'll have them meet us there."

"And if the Reapers are corrupting them, we need to make it sooner rather than later." She looked up at the big Krogan and spoke with conviction. "Maybe it's a good thing. We can save the Rachni, pull them into the war on our side, and cut off one of the Reapers supplies of troops all at the same time."

Wrex harrumphed. "Maybe. Maybe not. But either way, if they're crawling out from under some rock, you know how bad it could get. We need to stop them... and you also _know_ it needs to be soon."

"We'll get on it as quickly as we can." Shepard glanced over at Primarch Victus. "I've got to go Wrex. Victus wanted to talk to me about something too. We'll chat more later."

"Heh. Duty calls... Just don't forget I'm down here. I'm not a lab rat. Mordin's got his sample, but I'm not leaving the Normandy until the female does... but I don't want to be bored, either; I want to get out and knock some more heads with you. Just like old times, Shepard!" Wrex chuckled and turned back to his terminal.

"I'll keep that in mind, Wrex. I'll never turn down a Krogan Battlemaster for my ground team!" Shepard turned and walked quietly to the other side of the room to find out exactly what Victus needed to speak to her about. She was sure it was another 'special favor.' She shook her head as she walked, wondering if anyone was going to be willing to join the fight without expecting a favor in return. She smiled when she realized someone already had; Kirrahe had previously told Liara that he'd be there... _and_ he planned on bringing the STG with him.

As she walked up, Victus shifted his focus from the terminal he was using. "Commander."

"I received a message you needed to see me?" Shepard focused on Garrus' words about Victus being dedicated and trustworthy, using those thoughts to keep her frustration from showing.

"Yes," the Primarch removed his hands from the terminal's interface and turned his complete attention to Shepard. "One of our scout ships has crashed. I couldn't say anything in front of the Krogan... it went down on Tuchanka." He glanced over at Wrex and lowered his voice even more. "Now they're pinned by an advance guard of Reapers scouting the planet."

"Why do _you_ have a team on Tuchanka?" Shepard frowned at the implications. "What are your scouts doing there?"

"I'm sorry, Commander. Their mission's classified, but it's vital they be rescued." Victus' gaze dropped to the floor; it was obvious he was uncomfortable with being unable to give her more information. "They must complete their original mission. It's a matter of..." once more, his gaze traveled to Wrex and back. "...galactic peace."

"I'll do what I can but I can't go in blind." Shepard looked at Victus expectantly, knowing he hated holding back and hoping he'd give her something more.

"I appreciate your help... and understanding."

Shepard was surprised when Victus fell silent and it became obvious she'd have to pry the information she needed out of the Primarch. "How many men are there?"

Victus squared his shoulders and canted his head slightly when he realized Shepard wasn't going to take any action without more information; still, he wasn't prepared to violate Turian security protocols. "A full platoon."

Shepard frowned in displeasure. "Why is this mission a matter of galactic peace?"

Victus shook his head. "As I said, it's highly classified. I'm sorry, Commander, but I can't tell you anything more."

When he finished speaking, Victus turned his back on her to return to his workstation. Shepard took a step forward and lowered her voice, practically growling in frustration. "_Look_! If you want me to put my ass on the line, I need _answers_."

"I can't tell you. Please understand." As Shepard shook her head in disgust, Victus did offer a bit more. "The commander is Lieutenant Tarquin Victus. He'll be your contact." He turned and looked at her again before finishing. "He's my son. I needed someone I could trust completely."

Shepard clenched her jaw to keep from saying something she'd later regret and turned away, exiting the War Room before her temper got the better of her. As she stepped out into the CIC, Traynor added to the mounting pile of tasks. The specialist glanced over her shoulder as she spoke, her fingers still madly typing on the galaxy map interface. "Commander. We've got new reports of Cerberus activity on Tuchanka. I've updated the galaxy map."

Shepard stepped up to the map display and stared at it, absorbing all the points the specialist had mapped and labeled. It was a good diversion and she took a deep breath to relax before turning around. She faced the specialist and leaned back against the railing. "So, Traynor. You seem to be settling into the routine pretty well."

Traynor huffed and glanced around her workspace. "Still trying to get my bearings, actually. When I was working on the Normandy's upgrades, I still got to go home at the end of every day. I was not even _remotely_ prepared to be staying on the Normandy full time like this." She turned back to the commander. "I didn't even have a toothbrush or a change of clothing until I made some emergency purchases on the Citadel while you all spoke to the Council."

"I've already spoken with Admiral Hackett about your change of status, so you should be getting a nice bonus in your next pay period to help allay the cost of replacing the stuff you left behind on Earth. You'll receive additional crew pay along with a onetime bonus for flight gear you'll need to get; your combat safety harness and such. Talk to Lieutenant Cortez and he can get your stuff ordered. We can pick it up whenever we get back to the Citadel. If he can't find something you need, let me know."

Traynor still had issues working so closely to the ship's commander and she started stuttering out of nervousness. "Oh! I-I-It's no trouble, Commander." Traynor held her hands up in front of herself as if she wanted to keep the commander away. "I'm sure you have larger concerns."

Shepard laughed. "Relax, Traynor! The crew _is_ my concern. You're not alone here; naval personnel on the same ship are like family and they take care of their own; the Normandy's no exception. Matter of fact, generally speaking, the smaller the ship, the tighter the crew. So, folks on a frigate like the Normandy tend to get pretty close and protective of one another." Shepard smiled as she finished, "The point of all that is we can easily put in a requisition order for anything Cortez can't get."

Traynor started to wring her hands, obviously nervous. "My toothbrush is a Cision Pro Mark 4. It uses tiny mass effect fields to break up plaque and massage the gums." Her voice dropped to a whisper as she finished. "It cost six-thousand credits."

Shepard looked at the specialist to determine if she was kidding and quickly realized that she was not. She rolled her eyes and shook her head in disbelief. "Ooookay. Yeah. You're on your own with that one."

Traynor quit wringing her hands, a bit puzzled and trying to decide if Commander Shepard was making fun of her. Her tone quickly changed as she sought to end the conversation. "In any event, I appreciate you giving me the chance to stay."

"I'm not '_giving_ _you a chance_,' Traynor. You've earned your spot on the Normandy. Dr T'Soni and Riana are both pleased with your performance, Edi wants you here, and you _already_ caught that false signal from Cerberus and got us to Grissom Academy in time to save Kahlee Sanders and all those students from who _knows_ what at the hands of those lunatics." Shepard pushed off from the railing and stood up straight. "You belong on the Normandy. Don't let anyone tell you any different."

* * *

They still had a good five hours before they reached the Citadel, so Shepard walked the decks of the Normandy, checking in on all her personnel. She checked in with Garrus and found he was as pleased with Private Campbell's performance on Sanctum as the commander had been with Private Westmoreland's; it seemed they had two permanent additions to the ground team pool. She wandered to the med bay next, where Mordin was still busily working on the cure, but Eve was more than willing to speak. Mordin had been correct; Eve did have a fresh perspective on where the Krogan needed to be headed for their future.

When Shepard walked over to her, she slid off the med bed and stood to thank her for saving her life on Sur'Kesh. Eve told her of the trials of bearing dead children; such was the way for most females affected by the Genophage. But even faced with such heartbreak, some of the females chose to become Shamans in order to hang onto hope and preserve the ancient ways. She was happy to explain, "We safeguard our culture, our knowledge, our secrets-so when our children live again, the Krogan will flourish."

She also told Shepard of the brutal initiation she'd undergone to become a Shaman, of how she had been sealed in a cave in total darkness and how she had to dig her way out with her bare hands or face starvation. When Shepard asked how she survived, Eve pulled out a large crystal; she had drilled a hole through one end and it hung around her neck on a cord. "I found this. A simple crystal, but it became my chisel." Suddenly, she pulled it off and handed it to Shepard. "Take it as a reminder, Commander. In the darkest hour, there is always a way out."

They finished their conversation and Shepard was filled with a new hope regarding the Krogan future. Between Eve and Wrex, they just might have a shot at becoming productive members of the galactic community instead of the war-mongering clans so many feared. By the time they were done speaking, Shepard had gained a lot of respect for what Eve had accomplished. She offered her hand in friendship. "Thanks for talking to me, but I feel funny not even knowing your name."

Eve accepted her hand readily. "It's my pleasure, Commander, but I gave up my name when I became a Shaman; only my sisters know it. Perhaps, when this is all over, you will learn it; I believe it would be my honor to call you sister. I'm glad to see Humans treat their women with respect. Your people have placed a lot of responsibility on you."

Shepard raised her eyebrows as they dropped hands and she responded to Eve. "No more so than your people have put on you."

Eve chuckled lightly as she pushed herself back up onto the med bed to sit. She pulled her legs up and rested her arms casually across her knees as she responded back. "Then maybe we can show the men how it's done."

Shepard smiled and gave a one word response before she turned and walked away. "Deal."

She headed for the elevator and went down to the shuttle bay, where she was caught off-guard. Steve Cortez was hunched over a datapad, crying as he listened to a recording. Shepard listened as she walked up and frowned as she learned things she had not known about the lieutenant. Steve Cortez apparently had a male lover, somewhere, who had been taken by the Collectors. She felt her heart skip in her chest; she knew she hadn't been fast enough to save them all, and the memories of the mad dash through the Omega-4 relay and her second brush with death all came rushing back. Feeling the discord, Liara immediately contacted her through the link. _{Shepard? What's going on?}_

The commander was instantly reminded of what else happened during those crazy few months, including her reunion with Liara and the development of the very link they were now 'speaking' through. Feeling better about the whole situation, she pushed a gentle thought back at her promised. _{I'm fine, Li. No time right now though, I'll explain later.}_

Shepard closed her eyes and took a deep breath before walking over and laying her hand gently on Steve's shoulder as the recording continued to play, 'I love you, but I know you. Don't make me an anchor. Promise me, Steve. No, don't...'

When her hand touched down, Steve jerked and turned the recording off. "Commander. Sorry, didn't see you there... this is a recording from Ferris Fields... months ago." He sat the datapad down and turned to her. "I lost a lot of friends that day. I lost my husband. I grieved, said goodbye, made my peace..."

As his voice faded out, Shepard felt compelled to say _something_. "You were actually _talking_ to him when the Collectors hit?" Shepard's chest was tight just thinking about what he must have gone through.

Steve hung his head. "I was organizing construction at a remote station a few clicks south of the colony. Robert managed to get outside the net the Collectors put up. Instead of running, he called me."

Shepard sighed. "He obviously cared a lot about you. I'm... sorry for your loss."

Cortez shook his head. "He was afraid I wouldn't let go, but for him, I moved on... or at least thought I did. But then the Reapers hit, there's no time, and the one thing I grab is _this_?"

He suddenly threw his hands up in frustration. "I mean, what's the point of moving on with your life when everything is going to hell?"

Shepard's voice picked up an edge as she answered, "You start thinking that way and we've already lost."

Steve shrugged. "Yeah. You're right, but... well... to be honest, I've never felt as alone as I do right now."

Shepard's voice softened. "That's where you're wrong, Steve. The Normandy? We're family. You're not alone; I'm here anytime you need me, Steve."

"I appreciate that, Shepard. I really do." The lieutenant shook himself and stood up straight. "But don't worry about me, Commander. When I'm in that pilot's seat, I'm there 100%. I won't fail you. It's just the down time between missions that's hard, you know?"

"Yeah. I can relate." She shook her head. "Trust me, I know. I'm serious, Steve. Any time, day or night."

She clapped him gently on the shoulder and made her way to the loft, her desire for conversation with any more of the crew completely gone; suddenly concerned they might all have stories of people she hadn't been fast enough to save. She plopped onto her couch with a data pad in hand and ran through a number of mission reports before her eyes got heavy and she drifted off to once more visit the dark forest of blowing ash. The indecipherable whispers of the shades on the edges of her mind had just started to haunt her when she jerked awake to the sound of the door and Liara's voice. "Shepard! Are you alright?"

The Asari moved quickly down the steps and sat on the couch next to her, reaching out for her hands and looking into Shepard's eyes for the truth. Seeing the shadows lurking there, she asked, "You had that dream again, didn't you?"

Shepard closed her eyes against Liara's scrutiny and told her Steve Cortez's story from Ferris Fields. "Oh, Shepard. That was not your fault. You are only one person and can only do so much." Liara ran her hand through Shepard's hair and leaned in to kiss her gently on the forehead. "And, you did not answer my question."

Shepard groaned and leaned back on the couch. She opened her eyes and graced Liara with a small smile. "And you, Dr T'Soni, can be very persistent."

"Only when the subject matter is important to me, Commander." She focused on Shepard and waited expectantly. "So? Yes or no?"

"You don't really need to ask, do you?" Shepard flopped over and put her head on Liara's lap, looking up into a concerned blue face. "Almost every time I close my eyes without you near me, Love. It's just _there_... like the beacon images were until you helped me catalog them."

Liara smiled down at the woman who held her heart. "Then you simply aren't allowed to sleep without me, Commander."

Liara gave her a push to sit back up and Shepard laughed. "Is that your official prescription, Doctor?"

"Absolutely." Liara stood and held her hand out, inviting Shepard to stand with her and take her hand. "Come on. Let's grab some lunch and then you can join me in the office and tell me everything we need to get done on the Citadel. We'll be there in a couple of hours and I want to parse the tasks out so you're not doing everything on your own."

* * *

**Citadel, Widow System, Serpent Nebula**

Once they arrived on the Citadel, Edi and Traynor were tasked to deliver the Reaper tech to the Engineers in the research division while other personnel were assigned to deliver all the various other items of interest the Normandy had picked up along the way thus far. Karin Chakwas had a number of errands at Huerta Memorial; she was checking up on Ashley, bringing schematics for improved biotic amp interfaces to a medical researcher, biotic amplification prototypes to a Salarian scientist and handing off the upgraded medigel formula to Chloe Michel. While there, she also crossed paths with Thane Krios, who happened to be in for one of his Kepral's Syndrome treatments. She immediately stopped and took time out to speak with him. "Thane! It's good to see you. How are your treatments going?"

"Dr Chakwas." Thane dipped his head in respect. "They are going well, thank you. I understand you are back on the Normandy?"

Karin smiled. "Yes. Quite a few of the old guard have regrouped; we have Liara, Garrus and Mordin aboard, as well as Ken and Gabby." She chuckled as she continued, "And, of course, Joker is in the pilot's seat. He'll never give that up to anyone."

Thane frowned, obviously upset by a critical omission, worry riddling his words. "And what of Commander Shepard? Did she not escape Earth?"

"Oh! Yes! She most certainly _did_. I'm sorry to worry you..." Karin smiled lightly. "I simply assumed that was a given. It wouldn't be the _Normandy_ without her."

"That is true." Thane's face relaxed and he smiled as he continued. "After the attack on Earth, I tried to call but never got through. It's good to know for certain that she made it."

Karin became the doctor once again and she prodded, "So what is your latest prognosis?"

"My allotted time has come and gone and I have outlived all the doctors' predictions. I continue my treatments and my exercise regime so as to extend my life and provide what additional help I may to the war effort, though I am no longer sure what I will really be able to contribute."

"In a way, that is _good_ news, and I know you have come to terms with your illness... And _we_ all know what you have already contributed to enable us to get even this far. Your soul has been washed clean, Thane. You need not fear." Karin's brow knit in thought. "If you are unsure as to what you can contribute, I have a favor to ask."

Thane perked up. "Certainly, Doctor. Whatever aid I may provide."

"Shepard has a friend here, Ashley Williams. She is recovering from an encounter with a synthetic." Karin's eyes clouded when she thought of the injuries Ashley had received. "If you could watch over her until she is back on her feet, we would be in your debt."

"The dark-haired human who was in intensive care... She will be starting physical therapy with my class soon." Thane gave a brisk, affirmative nod. "I will help how I can. As long as she is on the Citadel, consider her under my protection."

"Thank you, Thane." Karin reached over and gripped his arm gently. "I need to get going; we have quite the task list building. I'll tell Shepard I ran into you and let her know you're watching over Ashley for us."

Thane smiled and spoke softly. "I am near the end of my life. It is a good time to be generous." He paused only briefly. "Perhaps you could deliver a message to the commander for me?" With a nod from Karin, he continued, "Remind her there comes a time when one must rest from war and conflict. I know how she is driven by outside events, but do not let her exhaust herself. I fear this war may ask too much of her... I do not wish to see it consume her."

Karin frowned. "I agree... and so does Liara. I will pass on your message, but you can rest assured that there are a great many of us watching out for our commander. _She_ is under _our_ protection."

"Thank you, Doctor. And thank you for taking time to speak with me. May _Arashu_ guide and protect all on the Normandy during your journeys."


	9. Creating an Army

Notes:

STG - Salarian Special Tactics Group

* * *

**Creating An Army**

**Citadel, Widow System, Serpent Nebula**

Shepard's omnitool pinged and she glanced at it, expecting it to be either Hackett asking for an update or Garrus checking up on her; it was neither. She had received two messages, one from a fellow Spectre, Jondum Bau and one from Aria T'Loak. _What the hell is Aria T'Loak doing on the Citadel?_ Her curiosity getting the better of her, Shepard first went to visit the very disgruntled Queen of Omega, who was now stuck in a bar called Purgatory. Aria believed the bar wedged in the center of the bureaucratic hell that was the Citadel couldn't have been more aptly named. Shepard shook her head in disbelief at Aria's explanation for her presence. "Cerberus tossed _you_ off Omega. How in the hell did _that_ happen?"

Aria growled, "Deceit, distraction and a big fucking army. They lured me away from Omega and then ambushed me. I escaped, but by the time I was able to return they were already firmly entrenched. The Illusive Man and Cerberus now sit squarely at the _top_ of my shit list."

Shepard actually wanted to laugh, but didn't, out of her grudging respect for Aria. The Asari had called her here for a reason and Shepard had yet to discover what exactly that was, so played along. "At least you survived to fight another day."

Aria turned her ice-blue eyes on Shepard, her voice low and filled with resentment. "And _that_ day is coming. But we have other things to worry about _first_. The way I see it, if you don't defeat the Reapers, we're _all_ dead. Won't matter where I'm sitting." She sneered as she continued. "As much as it galls me, I have to admit... it's in my best interest to _help_ you."

Shepard raised her eyebrows, "And just how do you propose to do that? I don't see you playing commando aboard the Normandy."

Even in her foul mood, Aria actually smiled and let out a short laugh at such a preposterous idea before going on to explain her plan; Shepard was to help her unite the three primary mercenary groups in the galaxy under Aria's rule. Shepard had three targets to focus on; Jona Sederis, current leader of Eclipse and, at least for now, incarcerated by Citadel Security, Darner Vosque of the Blue Suns, and the Blood Pack... which Aria was particularly cagey about. All she would tell Shepard was that the commander needed to meet with one of her agents, a Batarian named Narl; he would put Shepard in contact with the current Blood Pack leader. "You manage all that and you'll have a powerful and ruthless force at your disposal, Shepard; capable of doing the things your _Alliance_ won't do. Goddess forbid they get their hands dirty, even if it _is_ for their own pitiful survival... fucking self-righteous bastards; they'd get us all _killed_ over principles. My merc army won't _have_ any such... _reservations_."

Shepard stood and stared at the deposed queen. "Oh, I'll manage. And then I'll hold you to your promise of a professional merc force at my beck and call for the war. Normally I'd tell you to keep your criminals, but I'm not in the best position to turn down help these days."

Aria laughed again and smirked at the commander. "You're honestly not bad, for a Human. You know what it costs to get the hard things done. I can _respect_ that, Shepard. And after all the time we've known one another now, I think I actually still like you." Aria paused for a moment of contemplation and her eyes narrowed as she refocused on Shepard. "That's extremely rare."

Shepard nodded. "I'll take that as a compliment and take my leave before your opinion changes. I'll let you know when I've rounded up your three merc groups."

After speaking with Aria, Shepard departed Purgatory and headed for the Embassies, both to talk to Commander Bailey about Jona Sederis and to find Bau by the Spectre offices. She had intended to speak to Bailey first, but Bau intercepted her in the hallway outside the C-Sec office.

"Commander Shepard. Jondum Bau, Special Tactics and Recon. I've got intel suggesting that high-level Hanar officials may be indoctrinated."

Shepard pulled up short and looked at the Salarian Spectre in shock. "That's a _damning_ accusation. What have you got?"

Bau activated his omnitool and summarized from his screen. "Evidence of an Alliance black ops team raiding a Batarian research station. The Batarians were studying Reaper technology."

Shepard shook her head and mumbled to herself, "The Leviathan of Dis."

"What's that, Commander?" Bau paused, but got nothing but a shake of Shepard's head, indicating he would get no more... at least not at the moment, so he continued. "The raid ended up a massacre and the Humans came away with nothing. Your people faked a power failure to hide the incident. How do you know what they had there?"

"Another investigation... one I'm handling involving Project Aurora and the death of Dr Garrett Bryson. The two investigations are unrelated." Shepard focused on Bau and got back on task. "But, how does an Alliance raid on a Batarian facility implicate the Hanar?"

Bau seemed unbothered by Shepard's revelation and pressed on with his own information. "They maintained discreet gray-market trade relations with the Batarians-and led the Alliance to the station. We suspect those Hanar operatives used the Alliance to gain access to the facility and escaped with the Reaper tech. If your reports on the Reapers are accurate, they could already be indoctrinated."

"Oh, they're accurate, unfortunately." Shepard sighed, knowing she couldn't brush this off if it involved Reaper tech. "What's your source on all this?"

"It was an anonymous 'gift,' but I believe it came from a thief named Kasumi Goto." Bau flashed a smile. "I've been after her for years."

Shepard's eyes opened wide as she exclaimed, "Kasumi?"

"I take it you know her reputation. Her intelligence and skill are _almost_ Salarian."

Shepard managed to keep from laughing, but smiled as she responded to Bau's comment. "I'm sure she'd appreciate praise from the Spectre who's trying to chase her down."

"I only need her data. I admire her personally. She is a master at her trade and since she sent me this, I can only assume her feelings are mutual." Bau flashed another smile.

Shepard's smile faded to a small grin as she asked Bau what he needed from her. He explained that the operative in question was now a Hanar diplomat on the Citadel and he needed assistance in tracking down the operative's public name. Bau would stay at the embassies and monitor the Hanar diplomatic office while Shepard did the legwork. Shepard agreed with the approach. "I'll see what I can dig up at the Spectre office, and we'll go from there."

Bau nodded. "Thanks, Shepard. And for the record-not _everyone_ doubted your concerns about the Reapers. I just hope we're not too late."

As Shepard headed into the Spectre office, she was surprised by Kasumi. The thief deactivated her cloaking device and was standing right next to the commander; she wanted to tag along on the investigation. Shepard looked at her with concern. "You know Bau wants to arrest you." It was not a question.

Kasumi simply chuckled, "Well, _nobody's_ perfect."

"So you _approve_ of Bau?" Shepard gave Kasumi an 'are you crazy' look.

The master thief merely shrugged and indicated that they should proceed with the investigation. "Absolutely. He's a good Spectre. The galaxy needs more like him."

Shepard walked to the Spectre terminal and authorized covert tracking of all Hanar Embassy personnel communications, past and present. Shepard saw Kasumi's eyes light up. "Don't even _think_ about it, Kas. I love you dearly, but you hack into the Spectre authorizations system and _I'll_ arrest you. There's more power in the Spectre system than _anyone_ should have access to... including Spectres."

Kasumi looked at Shepard and saw how serious the expression was on the Spectre's face. "You got it, Boss Lady. Even _I_ know when not to cross a line... and _that_ line has bright red flashing warning lights all over it! You have my word."

Shepard's posture relaxed; she had complete trust in Kasumi. She might be a master thief, but she was an _honest_ one and had definitely proven herself on the Collector mission. "Thanks, Kas." Shepard turned toward the door and started walking. "Come on. Let's go find some comm terminals to tap."

As Shepard walked across the embassy floor, she heard the new Human Ambassador, Dominic Osoba, arguing with someone on his comm device. It quickly became apparent his son was in the military, had gone on a mission to Benning and his unit returned without him. Osoba was simply trying to discover the status of his son, but had no more traction within Citadel politics than Udina had when _he_ was Ambassador. Shepard shook her head, thinking back three years to the beacon incident on Eden Prime... to Ashley and her unit, the 212, and poor Samesh Bhatia trying to find out what had happened to his wife, Nirali.

She couldn't help herself and she stopped, tapping the Ambassador lightly on the shoulder to get his attention. "Ambassador. I'm Commander Shepard and I've faced something like this before. Sometimes it's easier to work from within the military. I'll look into it for you and see what I can do. If I find anything, I'll let you know."

"Thank you, Commander. I can aid your investigation by offering a reward for any information. If Balal is alive, we want him _home_. If not, then..." Osoba shook his head sadly as he continued. "...then we can begin to mourn him. Either way, you will set my mind at ease."

Shepard said her goodbyes and pressed on with the Hanar investigation, with various leads dragging her all over the Citadel. Bouncing information they found back and forth with Bau, they eventually tracked down the name and Bau quickly notified Shepard to meet him back on the embassy floor at the Hanar offices; the Hanar in question was currently in residence and Bau wanted back-up before going in. Bau was eagerly waiting them, so they entered the offices as soon as Shepard arrived, a cloaked Kasumi in tow. Completely unable to tell one Hanar from another, Shepard looked at the Hanar floating before her and queried, "Zymandis?"

Bau narrowed his eyes and spoke, "Or should I say, 'Regards the Works of the Enkindlers in Despair'?"

The Hanar diplomat didn't even turn to face them as it spoke, "It seems this one has been apprehended, but confinement is irrelevant. The work of the Enkindlers cannot be stopped."

Shepard took a step toward Zymandis and asked, "Why are you trying to _help_ the Reapers?"

"We obtained information regarding the Enkindlers from classified sources." Zymandis finally turned toward the Spectres.

Shepard was starting to realize what was going on. "Enkindlers. You're talking about the Protheans... and the Hanar believe they raised you up. You practically regard them as gods."

"Yes, Commander. The Protheans eventually became the Collectors and the Collectors serve the Reapers. Thus, to serve the Enkindlers, we too must serve the Reapers."

Shepard stepped back, disgusted. "You have _got_ to be kidding me! Of all the stupid things I've ever heard..."

Kasumi leaned in and whispered in Shepard's ear, "You know, I support religious freedom for all species, but that's just _crazy_!"

Zymandis was apathetic toward the commander's comments. "Your insults and skepticism do not matter. When the Enkindlers uplift us as their chosen sapients, the galaxy will bear witness."

Bau stepped forward. "I don't believe the Enkindlers are going to be doing anything today. We are placing you under arrest."

The diplomat was unfazed. "Your belief in your victory is mistaken. Our planetary defense network is largely automated. It can be disabled by a single virus... which I have just uploaded."

Shepard cussed and glanced at Bau, who was already on the move, "Wait! A virus would be detected unless sent on low-priority channels, which have a time-lag! I may be able to block the upload."

The room suddenly exploded into action. As Bau raised his omnitool to work his magic, the diplomat's security guard tackled him to keep him from stopping the upload.

Kasumi dropped her cloak, not even hesitating to reveal herself as she shouted, "Help him! I'll handle this!" She ran and jumped, sliding across the top of the desk on her hip to get to the Hanar's computer terminal. Trusting Kas with the hack, Shepard turned and punched the guard with a biotically enhanced fist, knocking him off Bau and out cold, slumping against the wall.

Bau immediately drew his pistol and shot Zymandis, who was headed to interrupt Kasumi as she hacked into the diplomat's computer. Kasumi suddenly stopped her frantic typing and stood back up. "Got it! Upload's disabled. Looks like we're in the..." She hesitated and backed away from the terminal as she continued, "Wait, he's got some kind of failsafe. Get down!"

An explosion shook the room and Kasumi was thrown down behind the desk and out of sight. Bau immediately stood and looked for her, but her cloak had activated and she was gone. "She was here the entire time!"

Shepard looked around and knew the door leaving the office hadn't opened, so Kasumi was still in the room somewhere. Her eyes continued to search, looking for any type of distortion that would indicate Kasumi's presence. "She's an old friend."

Bau kept speaking as if he hadn't even heard Shepard. "I intended to _arrest_ her."

Shepard laughed. "Bau. She helped me take down the _Collectors_ and the Council gave my entire crew amnesty for _all_ their prior acts. Since then, she's been working for me against the Reapers... which is why she saw fit to pass you that data. Plus, she just helped us _save_ the Hanar homeworld."

Jondum suddenly stopped his rant and turned to her, wide-eyed. "Point taken. Investigations closed. _Both_ of them. It was an honor to work with you, Shepard. When the time comes, I'll be there to return the favor... _with_ a few friends."

As he turned to leave, Shepard smiled. "Don't be in such a hurry, Bau. Would you like to meet the 'pardoned, no longer a criminal' Kasumi Goto?"

Bau's eyes lit up. "You mean...?"

Shepard's smile turned into a laugh. "Yes, I _mean_. Cloaks don't normally activate themselves and none of the doors have opened since the explosion." She turned and faced back to where Kasumi had mysteriously vanished. "You can come out now."

Kasumi suddenly materialized right in front of them. "Ah, Shep. You know me too well!" Somehow, Kasumi managed to sound disappointed and happy at the same time.

Shepard looked over to her fellow Spectre. "Spectre Bau? It is my honor and privilege to introduce the _illustrious_ Ms Kasumi Goto."

Bau's face was lit with joy as he reached out and took Kasumi's hand, lifting it gently as he bent to place a soft kiss on the top of her knuckles. "I assure you, the honor is all _mine_, Ms Goto. A _pleasure_ to finally meet you."

Shepard smiled, shaking her head as she watched Kasumi's surprised reaction. "I'm going to leave you two to it. I've got things to do." She turned and started walking away, then stopped and looked back. "Oh, and Kas? Be sure to check in with Dr T'Soni when you're done here. I think she has a new assignment for you."

Kasumi smiled for two reasons; first, at Bau's reaction to meeting her and, second, because she realized that Shepard had just given her a clean slate with both the STG and the Spectres. "Can do, Shep! Bau's right, you know. It _is_ good working with you."

* * *

Since Shepard was already on the embassy floor, she finally made the trip to Bailey's office to talk to him about the Eclipse leader he had in custody, Jona Sederis. Bailey was far from excited about the idea. "Somebody got the Council to order her release, but there's no way I'm letting that psychopath out, Shepard... she's unstable and a clear public threat! I'm delaying them best I can."

Concern flashed across Shepard's face; she had worked with Bailey before and trusted his judgment, but Aria had given her no reason to believe Sederis was _that_ dangerous. "Is it possible for me to get access to her? Judge for myself?"

"Absolutely. She's a ruthless sadist and her imprisonment has cracked the shell off the nut." Bailey shook his head. "Letting her out would just give her license to kill. You'll see."

"Where do I find her?" Shepard knew if Bailey's assessment was accurate, there was no way she'd let Sederis out; she'd have to find another way to get Eclipse on board for Aria.

"Go to the C-Sec outpost on the Presidium Commons. My assistant will connect you to Sederis' cell from there." Bailey's face reflected relief as he relayed the information, knowing Shepard would agree with him. "Call me back after you speak to the loony and tell me what you think."

Shepard made her way to the outpost and the C-Sec officer was ready and waiting. He set her up on the communications console and quickly vacated the premises to give the Spectre privacy. When Shepard activated the console, she felt an immediate dislike for the Asari on the other side of the vid link. Sederis' voice resonated with disdain as she spoke, "Who's that spying on me _now_? Ah, I see-_good_. Aria's indentured servant has finally come to deliver me to freedom."

Shepard snorted. "We'll see about that. I want to talk to you first."

"_Bullshit_." Sederis was pretty confident and apparently believed the commander was truly at Aria's beck and call. "You have no choice. And when I get out, heads _will_ roll. Oh, _yes_." Sederis finished her last two words with a sick laugh before her countenance completely changed; her next words were venomous. "You've killed a lot of my people! Don't think I've _forgotten_ that!"

Shepard's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "Really? You want me to release you and you're stupid enough to _threaten_ me?" Shepard actually chuckled. "It'd be a lot smarter to bury the threats, Sederis."

"You won't be laughing long, Shepard." Sederis sounded smug. "You want them buried? When I'm out, I'll toss them into caskets... with my _victims_." She shrugged nonchalantly. "I _love_ holding all the cards. Even in here, you must deal with me... _I_ have all the power!"

Shepard simply shook her head in bewilderment. "You honestly believe that, don't you?"

Sederis couldn't help herself, so confident in her release; she gave Shepard exactly what the Spectre needed for an out. "Yes. Sayn, my second-in-command, is a weak-willed toady. If he had balls, he'd leave me to rot and take control himself. But he won't defy me. He knows better." Sederis leaned into the camera and growled, "Now get me _out_ of here, Shepard! Tell Bailey to _release_ me!"

Shepard grinned. "_Sayn_, huh? Let's see if he's still so weak-willed when I offer _Spectre_ support to his take-over. I'm thinking you're staying right where you are... for a long, _long_ time, Sederis."

As Sederis started screaming obscenities, Shepard gleefully terminated the connection and called Bailey on her omnitool. "Bailey, I've seen Sederis and you're right... she's certifiable."

She heard Bailey sigh in relief as he answered. "So, it would be ridiculous to let her out, right?"

"Absolutely." Shepard couldn't get the grin off her face. "Stall just a little longer. I imagine you'll get the call rescinding the order fairly quickly."

"Sounds good. I'll hold the line until I hear from you." As Bailey terminated the connection, Shepard turned and headed for the docks; while _Aria_ had the political clout to escape the refugee holding area, she doubted that any of the mercs did, so she'd start her hunt for Sayn there.

When she arrived at the docks, she crossed paths with Garrus as well. He was trying to organize relief efforts for the Turian refugees but didn't sound very happy with the progress he was making. When Shepard asked what was going on, Garrus sounded defeated. "We convinced the Council to accept our wounded, but there's more dead than injured; eighty-five percent killed in action."

"Damn." Shepard sighed. "Realistically, I guess we shouldn't have expected anything else against the Reapers."

Garrus growled, "Our front-line units are being wiped out whole platoons at a time. A single Reaper destroys nine or ten of them in one attack. It's an all-out slaughter."

"I'm seeing a lot of civilians, too. Not just soldiers... any word from your family?" Shepard kept her fingers crossed that Garrus would be lucky on that front, but it hadn't happened yet.

"Not yet, but I keep hoping." Garrus was actually nodding. "The civilian shuttles have really just started. We had to fall back and establish evac points before we could get any shuttles out, but they're beginning to move folks now."

"Good to hear it, Garrus. Sounds promising, at least. I'm glad I ran across you, but I actually came down here to find some guy named Sayn. He's second to Jona Sederis..." Shepard pitched her voice low and leaned into Garrus so he would be the only one who heard her. "With your history, do you happen to know who he is and where to find him?"

Garrus chuckled, "He's standing right behind you... and you _definitely_ got his attention when you said his name just now. He looks nervous, Shepard. You'd better catch him before he bolts."

Shepard immediately turned around to face a wide-eyed Salarian and she held up her hands to show they were devoid of weapons. "Relax, Sayn. Just here to talk about your boss."

"Oh." Sayn visibly relaxed. "You're the one coordinating her release?"

Shepard smiled. "No, I'm the one coordinating your take-over of Eclipse."

"_What_?" Sayn's relaxed posture was gone in a flash. "It was my idea, you know. Aria came to _me_ looking to gain Eclipse support. I was leveraging it to bust the boss out."

"Sayn, _you_ should run Eclipse. You don't need _Sederis_." Shepard shook her head. "_I_ need Eclipse to help in the war against the Reapers and Sederis won't do that... but _you_ will. You agree to help _me_; I'll agree to help _you_. You've got my Spectre backing for the take-over, if you need it."

Sayn looked at her, wide-eyed once again. "Really? How would that work?"

"What? I gotta spell it out for you?" Shepard stepped closer as she continued. "Leave Sederis locked up and make your own deal with _Aria_. She already asked you once; take her up on the offer. As one of Aria's lieutenants, you'll have _her_ backing as well. Sederis won't be able to touch you."

Shepard knew Sayn had finally figured it out when his eyes lit up. "Hmm. Aria _would_ be a step up. And you think she'd let _me_ run things?"

"Sure. She doesn't have time to micromanage. Just don't disappoint her." Shepard frowned. "Or me. That wouldn't work out well for you."

Sayn took a step back and bobbed his head in ready agreement. "Right! I'll do it. That's the plan, then. Keep Sederis in jail... I'll call Aria right away, and I'll have troops ready when you call, Shepard."

"Good man, Sayn. I think this is going to work out just dandy." Shepard was smirking as she turned away to return to the commons. Her next meeting was with the Blood Pack representative; all she had to do was get to the apartments at the Commons and find Narl.

* * *

As she stepped into the apartment where the agent was waiting, Narl called her in, frantic. "What took you so long? They'll be here any minute! Quick! Hands behind your back!"

Shepard growled at him, "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Kreete! Blood Pack's leader... Aria brings him the great Commander Shepard and Kreete pledges the gang to her." Narl was anxious and with that announcement, Shepard took a step back and sent a quick shout out to Liara through the link. _{Liara... might have gotten myself in a bit of a jam. No time to explain. Come to the apartments above the Commons and follow the sounds of the fight...}_

_{Goddess! On my way, Shepard! Stay alive!}_

"It's not like it sounds, Shepard! We're just luring him into the open so we can take him out and put his Second in charge."

"Not the best start to our friendship, Narl." Shepard glared at him. "You sell me up the river, I guarantee you... at the very _least_, you'll die with me."

"He's coming! Put your hands behind your back and try to look like I beat you up or something!"

Shepard, almost sure she'd been sold out, stepped up and turned around, very hesitantly putting her hands behind her back. She glanced over her shoulder to growl at Narl, "This goes wrong, you're a dead man. I am _never_ alone."

Narl gave her a hard shove on her shoulder, "Quiet!" and Shepard was greatly relieved when, instead of cuffs on her wrists, a pistol was placed in her hand.

The door slid open and the Blood Pack leader strolled in; Shepard was surprised it was a Vorcha and not a Krogan. Kreete immediately praised Aria, both for her ability to get the Blood Pack onto the Citadel undetected _and_ to deliver Shepard to him. He stepped closer to the commander, gloating. "Want you to know... your _head_ will be hood ornament on my personal shuttle."

"Keep your distance until the deal's _done_, Kreete." Narl stepped forward and cut him off. "So... do you agree to Aria's terms?"

The Vorcha leader growled with glee, "Most _definitely_! Aria can use the Blood Pack as she sees fit."

Narl gestured at Kreete, "Wasn't talking to you." His glance then traveled back over Kreete's shoulder at a second Vorcha behind him. "Gryll?"

Kreete snapped his head around and glared at his second-in-command, "_What_?"

Gryll's voice literally _screeched_ with concern, "You have my word! Now kill him!"

Both Shepard and Narl snapped their pistols up and blasted Kreete at close range. At the same time, Shepard was pretty sure she heard a biotic explosion in the hallway; Liara had arrived.

Once Kreete was down, Shepard's pistol trained on Gryll. Narl shouted out, "Not him! Aria's deal is with Gryll... he's next in line to take over!"

The door slid open and both Shepard and Narl pointed their pistols at the doorway. Liara stepped in, pistol drawn and a full-strength barrier in place, and Shepard immediately dropped her pistol back to her side and shouted out so there would be no confusion, "Everybody stand down! That's my backup!"

She walked swiftly to Liara's side before turning back to face Narl and Gryll. "I think we're good, Liara..." Shepard relaxed and her voice picked up a bit of humor. "Did I hear _explosions_ in the hallway?"

Liara was still wondering exactly what was going on but, trusting Shepard, answered the question without delay. "Yes... two Batarians were opposed to my entry, so I... _removed_ them. I hope that's not a problem..."

Shepard smiled and spared her a comforting glance before staring at the Vorcha in the room. "I'm sure that's just fine. Isn't it, Gryll?"

"Yes! Yes. They were _Kreete's_ men." Gryll was quick to agree. "You've scratched my back, Shepard, now I'll scratch yours. My deal with Aria includes Blood Pack forces for your Reaper war; they'll be yours when you call."

Liara was catching on to what was happening as Shepard tossed Narl's pistol back to him and commented. "Thanks for the piece, Narl. A little more warning next time, maybe?"

Her gaze focused back on the Vorcha. "And you... a word of advice, Gryll. Don't double-cross Aria and don't disappoint me. Either choice would result in a _really_ bad end for you."

Gryll's answer was in earnest, "I may be ambitious, but I'm not _crazy_!"

Shepard nodded. "Good. We done here, Narl?"

"Yes, Ma'am. Thanks for the help, Shepard... and the trust, even if it was grudgingly given. Gryll and I will let Aria know the light is green." Narl was _very_ pleased with how things worked out; T'Soni taking out Kreete's men in the hallway was an unexpected bonus that made his life even easier.

Shepard motioned to Liara and they both retreated backwards out into the hallway, not fully relaxing until the door closed tightly, closing them off from Narl and Gryll. Liara gave Shepard a look of restrained irritation. "Care to explain what _exactly_ is going on, Shepard? If I trust my powers of observation, I am forced to conclude that you were taking part in somewhat _dangerous_ negotiations with a mercenary group to provide forces for our fight against the Reapers... without bothering to inform a certain party, _in advance_, who just so happens to be _very_ invested in your personal safety."

Shepard grinned and confessed without hesitation. "As usual, your reasoning is as accurate as ever. I was reckless; I walked in there without a clue about what was going to happen. I tapped you through the link as soon as I realized, but I should have thought it through better." Shepard turned and looked directly at Liara. "I am _very_ glad you were close by. I'll be the first to admit I got lucky on that one."

"I'll let you off the hook _this_ time, but _only_ because it appears you're thinking along the same lines as I... and even though you called me, it _was_ merely a precautionary measure. It seems you had everything well in hand." Liara caressed Shepard's cheek softly before turning and starting to walk down the hall. "I was _going_ to suggest we start gathering supplies for the cause; eezo, heavy arms... _mercenary groups_... but it seems you are already working on it."

"Yeah. I'd already lined up the Eclipse and now we have the Blood Pack. That just leaves the Blue Suns..." Shepard chuckled. "Honestly, maybe you should come along on that one so I don't shoot whoever took over after Vido Santiago. They certainly aren't my favorite group in the Galaxy."

Liara gave her a sidelong glance, "But neither are they the ones you hate the most. It's tough to beat out Cerberus for that slot." Liara was silent for a long moment before continuing, her voice low and menacing. "But you definitely _don't_ want me along. They tried to sell you to the Shadow Broker and the Collectors; you said you _might_ shoot them... I _definitely_ would."

Shepard took in the seething anger on Liara's face before answering. "The meet is down on the holding docks. Garrus is down there; I'll ask him to watch my back."

Liara stopped at the elevator. "Thank you, Shepard. You know I trust you, but trust does not alleviate worry. Please _do_ be careful. I'm headed back to the Normandy to relieve Riana and let her get some rest. See you soon?"

"This is my last task; I'll be back on board as soon as I'm done and I'll come find you for dinner." Shepard ran her hand gently down Liara's arm and clasped her hand momentarily before dropping it and stepping back. "I'll let you know when I'm headed back and you can have Joker issue the personnel recall for departure."

* * *

When Shepard walked through the holding area, she happened to glance to her left. There was a space there, a corner that had been set aside that she had spoken about to Steve Cortez; a memorial wall for victims of the Collector and Reaper attacks where people who had lost someone could leave mementos, be it pictures, dog tags or some other personal item. It didn't matter what the item was, it simply gave the survivors someplace to mourn. Steve had told her he'd think about it, but as she glanced down into the area, she saw him standing there. _Darner Vosque can wait. _

She turned and walked down the steps, dodging the various crates that were stacked about the area and walked up to the row of chairs where Cortez was standing. As she approached, she realized he was holding the data pad that held his final conversation with his husband, Robert. She laid her hand gently on his shoulder. "You ok?"

Cortez didn't budge at the touch, but he did speak, however quietly. "I've just been... standing here, holding this, for I don't know how long. He'll always be a part of me."

"Your past is yours, Steve; no one can take that away." Shepard didn't really know what else to say since she had never known Robert.

Cortez walked slowly to the wall, playing a short segment of the recording one last time. '_I love you, but I know you. Don't make me an anchor! Promise me, Steve.' _When it completed, Cortez reverently placed the data pad on a shelf and leaned it back against the bulkhead. "Goodbye, Robert."

Shepard followed and when Cortez pulled his hands back, finally, truly leaving the datapad behind, Shepard patted him comfortingly on the shoulder, letting him know she was there for him.

Cortez looked at her, tears in his eyes. He spoke quietly, "I'm glad you came" and turned back to the wall. "I just need a few moments to myself, Shepard. After that, I'll head back to the Normandy."

Shepard gave him a quick nod. There was nothing left for her to say, so she turned away and headed deeper into the holding docks. She still had the current leader of the Blue Suns to deal with. She located Vosque slouched against a wall in a dark, back corner, and exactly like Jona Sederis, she didn't like him as soon as he opened his mouth. "Wow, Aria wasn't kidding... the great Commander Shepard on a leash."

Shepard had little patience for any leader of the Blue Suns, so growled, "I'm here for my own reasons, Vosque."

"Sure you are." Vosque was as smug as Sederis was, but he wasn't behind bars so Shepard held her tongue as he continued, hoping maybe he'd let slip who his second-in-command was and she could continue with her pattern of replacing the current chiefs with the next in line. "Anyway, tell her I'm impressed, but to do business, I still need my little problem taken care of."

Shepard rolled her eyes, impatience eating at her tolerance for the jerk standing in front of her. "Which is _what_, exactly?"

Vosque stood up and his voice became more serious. "A Turian general named Oraka has it out for the Blue Suns. He's raising a stink over our activity in this sector. I'll commit my gang to Aria as soon as Oraka's _dead_."

"Yeah, right." Shepard wasn't about to kill a Turian general for the Blue Suns, so went fishing for what Vosque really needed. "There must be more to Oraka's complaint. What are you doing that has him so fixated on you?"

"We're just making little raids along trading routes. With Aria's _blessing_, I might add." Vosque was getting antsy and started pacing, so Shepard knew there was more to the story that he wasn't telling. "Oraka's just some military fossil who came out of retirement to relive the glory days and justify his existence. His disappearance won't affect your war in the least, but gaining the Blue Suns? Well, you know our work."

"Yeah, I know enough to figure you're up to no good. I'll see what I can do, but I _won't_ kill Oraka for you." Shepard glared at Vosque but the man just shrugged his shoulders.

"She wouldn't have sent you if she didn't think you'd do it." Vosque let out a sneering laugh. "But that's up to you. That's my price and Aria knows it; the two of _you_ work it out." Vosque brushed by her and took a few steps before glancing back and chuckling in a lewd way that made Shepard's skin crawl. "Oh, and tell Aria I still expect her blue ass in bed with _me_."

As Vosque stalked off, Shepard tapped her comms. "Aria. You _knew_ about this?"

"I'm a busy person, Shepard, so don't waste my time with games. You need to be a bit more specific." Aria sounded genuinely puzzled.

"Vosque wants General Oraka dead and you know damn well I won't do it, so what's your angle?" Shepard worked hard to keep the anger out of her voice and she was either successful or Aria understood and was willing to let it slide.

"Of _course_ I know you wouldn't do it. Vosque just needs Oraka out of his business. I'm giving you the opportunity to _talk_ to Oraka... to save his life. Find out what the problem is and solve it." Aria paused only briefly before finishing. "If you can't... _then_ call me... and _I'll_ take care of Oraka."

"Great. I fix it or he ends up dead anyway, so either way it's on me." Shepard gritted her teeth to keep from saying anything she might regret. "Why couldn't you just tell me the details yourself and save me the song and dance?"

Aria laughed, "Because, Vosque needed to _see_ you to believe we're actually working together." Her voice suddenly lost all its humor. "Besides, if I had to suffer that scumbag staring at my tits one more time, I might have to kill him."

It was Shepard's turn to laugh; it took a lot to get under Aria's skin and the queen sounded _positively_ disgusted. "Yeah, he mentioned..."

Shepard didn't get to finish before Aria growled across the comm, "That I'm going to _sleep_ with him? You Humans have a saying for that... it will be a cold day in Hell when that happens. We _all_ have our delusions, Shepard." Aria's attitude improved with her last statement and she signed off. "Talk to Oraka, Shepard. Let me know if you need me to step in."

_It'll be a cold day in Hell when_ that _happens; we are _not_ killing Oraka_. Shepard made her way back to the elevator and returned to the Presidium Commons to find the general. The Commons had four different levels and the elevator opened on the third floor; up and to the right was a number of apartments, one of which was where she had met Narl, while the eatery and a number of small shops were down to the left, which was where she was supposed to find General Oraka. Shepard was only halfway down the steps to the second level when her feet stopped almost of their own accord. She had glanced down to the left of the stairs at the Presidium eatery and there, behind the bar, was someone she wasn't sure she would ever see again... but ever since she and Liara had reviewed the vid recording on the Shadow Broker ship, she had privately hoped for it. She _knew_ she would have to tell Liara, she merely had to think about the best way to go about it. Of all the people she could possibly run into on the Citadel, she _never_ imagined it would be Liara's father... Matriarch Aethyta.


	10. Spinning Wheels

Notes:

AI - Artificial Intelligence

_Arashu - _Drell Goddess of Motherhood and Protection

DMZ - DeMilitarized Zone

_I__onúin Álainn__ \- _beautiful beloved (Gaelic)

_Kalahira - _Drell Goddess of Oceans and Afterlife

_Siha_ \- the name of a warrior-angel of the Drell goddess _Arashu_, used as a term of endearment for someone who can be described as "fierce in wrath" and a "tenacious protector"

* * *

**Spinning Wheels**

**Citadel Presidium, Serpent Nebula**

Shepard was torn. She wanted to speak to the Matriarch, but almost felt as if she needed Liara's permission first and it wasn't something she was simply going to blurt out through the link... it was too _personal_. Talking about Aethyta would have to be face-to-face so she could read Liara's body language. Shepard was frozen by indecision, standing in the middle of the staircase on the Presidium Commons and feeling like she was twelve years old. _This is ridiculous!_ Refusing to potentially lose the opportunity, Shepard shook herself free of her paralysis and walked over to the bar. "Got any Elasa back there, Matriarch?"

Aethyta gave an abrupt nod and pulled out a bottle and tumbler. She glanced up as she poured, "I remember _you_. Shepard, right? Heard you're fighting the Reapers."

"Matriarch Aethyta. You were working on Illium. How'd you end up here?" Shepard picked up her glass and took a big swig, the sharp, cold bite tingling her taste buds pleasantly.

"Anh." Aethyta made an odd, nasally grunt and tsk'd. "With the Reapers making noise, I figured it was time to get somewhere safer, so I moved here." Aethyta made herself busy, wiping down the bar.

Shepard set her glass back on the counter and focused all her attention on the Matriarch, wanting to see even the slightest reaction to her next statement. "I'll put up with a lot of shit, Matriarch, but I'm not a big fan of people lying to me. I've seen video footage... of you... watching Liara."

Aethyta's hand holding the bar towel froze and her eyes came up to meet Shepard's. Seeing the look on the commander's face, she sighed, "Yeah. Uh huh." She tossed the towel down and leaned her hip against the bar, staring down at her feet. "Matriarch Benezia was... uhm... her mother and... uh, well she doesn't know it but... I was her father."

Shepard raised her eyebrows, thinking the matriarch had divulged the information a lot easier than she had expected. "You mean you _are_ her father. Once it's done, it's not like you can take it _back_."

Aethyta shook her head. "Not my right to call myself that. Hell, she's more than a hundred years old and she's never even _met_ me."

Shepard thought she detected a sense of resignation in Aethyta's voice, as well as a touch of sadness mixed with regret. "You're not dead yet; _that_ can be remedied."

Aethyta gaped at her, not believing what Shepard had just said. After a brief pause, she only half-jokingly queried, "_What_ can be remedied? Me not being dead or her not having met me?"

Smiling at what she hoped was Aethyta's version of humor, Shepard pressed on. "I'm betting Liara would _love_ to meet you."

Aethyta instantly got surprisingly defensive, "_Why_? She doesn't know me from a _hole_ in the ground! It wasn't what I wanted, but Benezia didn't give me any choice! She ran off before the kid was born. Besides, this isn't charity work! She's one of the biggest intel brokers in the galaxy... _and_ she's got some shady connections." Aethyta's eyes turned hard and she glared at Shepard. "Like a _girlfriend_... who used to work for _Cerberus_?"

It was Shepard's turn to get defensive and she slapped her left hand down on the bar while pointing at the matriarch with her right. Her voice carried a threatening edge as she glowered at Aethyta. "I only worked with those bastards to stop the Collectors!"

Aethyta put both hands up as if she thought Shepard was preparing to come over the bar at her. "And you're not with them now... I know! Otherwise, you wouldn't get within a _light-year_ of Liara."

Shepard dropped her right hand, picked her drink back up, and took another swallow, trying to sooth her rattled nerves. "For thinking your daughter doesn't even know who you are, you're mighty protective of her."

Aethyta was quick; Shepard had to give her that. "What do you mean, _'thinking'_ she doesn't know who I am?"

Shepard chuckled at their rapidly shifting repartee. "Relax, Matriarch. Like you said, she _is_ one of the biggest intel brokers in the galaxy; we've known who you are for months now. Almost a year."

"Well. Shit." Aethyta took a deep breath. "If she's known and hasn't contacted me, what the hell makes you think she'd want to _meet_ me?"

"We've been a little _busy..._ and _you_ fell off the map when you left Illium. She didn't exactly have free time to go find you. We've had more pressing concerns." Shepard frowned at Aethyta's reluctance. "Besides, you're her father! Why the hell _wouldn't_ she want to?"

"Because she probably thinks I abandoned her... and she'd be mostly right. Not like I hounded Benezia to let me see her. But I've kept my eye on her; always knew where she was and if she was safe... until that shit at Therum anyway." Aethyta glanced around as if looking for someone before leaning over the bar and lowering her voice. "Plus, I'm sure she knows I've been monitoring her since after you disappeared, so she's probably _pissed_ as all get out. You combine her work with Benezia's and... well, let's just say the Matriarchy sat up and took notice. What do you think I've been _doing_ all this time? Hell, _I'm_ watching her so the Matriarchs are reassured that she's not going down the path her mother took. _Otherwise_..."

Shepard put both hands down on the bar and leaned in to meet the matriarch, face-to-face, their foreheads almost touching. Her voice was low as she growled, "_That's_ not gonna happen!"

Aethyta jerked back up straight to put some distance between them. "No argument here! I only _took_ these crap jobs to keep the matriarchs happy that Liara's under control."

"And they better _stay_ happy." Shepard's voice was hard, leaving no room for any misinterpretation of her words. "Because if _anything_ happens to Liara and I find out the Matriarchy had something to do with it... the Reapers will be the _least_ of their worries."

Aethyta relaxed a little and let out a chuckle. "Maybe you're good enough for her after all."

"Of _course_ I am. There's no one better for her in the whole damn galaxy and _no one_ who loves her more." Shepard relaxed and wondered if Aethyta had said that just to test her. She smiled gently and prodded, "So how 'bout it, Aethyta? Fears of rejection aside... do you want to meet your absolutely wonderful daughter or not?"

"What? _You_ going to get me an appointment?" Aethyta scowled.

Shepard answered earnestly, "Can't promise you _that_, but if you're seriously ready to start a _relationship_ with her... I'll talk to her for you. But it can't be for some one time good deal, 'Hi I'm your dad, now have a good life' _bullshit_. That would hurt her more than it's worth and I won't let you do it, not purposely anyway."

Aethyta remained silent, studying Shepard and trying to decide how to answer, until the commander's patience ran out. "I've got shit I need to get_ done_, Matriarch. Yea or nay? You want to meet your daughter or not?"

Slowly, her voice having deserted her, Matriarch Aethyta nodded in the affirmative. Shepard nodded back. "Good. Won't be _this_ trip. Normandy's leaving as soon as I finish up some business with General Oraka, but I'll talk to Liara and, if her answer's 'yes,' we'll come visit next time we're here. If not..." Shepard shrugged, "I won't leave you hanging, so I'll come tell you in person."

Shepard scooped up her drink and tossed back the last bit of Elasa before slamming the now empty glass back down on the counter. The strong, bitter aftertaste put a bit of sting into Shepard's words. "Don't be running off now, Aethyta. If Liara decides to meet you, I don't want you breaking her heart by turning up missing in action when we get back here." She paused for effect. "You do _that_... I swear by the Gods, I _will_ hunt you down."

Aethyta actually smiled. "Yup. You just _might_ be good enough for my Little Wing."

* * *

Shepard turned and walked away without looking back, ignoring Aethyta's last comment; her entire focus shifted to the Turian general in her sights. Oraka was well aware of everything going on around him and greeted her as she approached. "Commander Shepard."

"General Oraka. Seems you've come a long way since the Normandy crew talked to you in Chora's Den. You were pretty miserable, from what I heard."

Oraka let out a chuckle. "Yes. Neck-deep in drink just before I retired. Your Marines reminded me of what it meant to be a soldier. I owe them both a debt of gratitude. How are they doing?"

Shepard grimaced. "Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko died on Virmire in the war against Sovereign and Ashley Williams got injured in her first battle of the Reaper war. She's here in Huerta Memorial recovering." Shepard's grimace was replaced by a light smile. "If you want to repay your debt, stop in and see her; remind her of the good she's done and tell her to get her butt out of bed and back into the fight."

Oraka nodded. "Those two soldiers are the only reason I saved both myself and my reputation. If it hadn't of been for them, I wouldn't be reinstated now... I'd be stuck on the sidelines of what will probably be the most important fight of our lives. My condolences on the loss of your Lieutenant and I'll make sure to stop in and see Williams."

Oraka gestured to the seat next to him. "Now, Commander. I expect you're extremely busy. I'm sure you're not here to check up on an old Turian general and rehash the old days. What can I do for you?"

Shepard sat and got straight to the point. "I hear you're taking on the Blue Suns."

Oraka growled. "Those _mercs_ are raiding C-Sec weapons shipments in the trading lanes. We'd be naive to think the war won't eventually come here and we _need_ those weapons for the defense of the Citadel. So, _yes_, I aim to stop the Blue Suns from taking them."

"Have you looked at alternate acquisitions sources?" Shepard glanced around the Presidium shops. "There are a lot of weapons dealers right here that you could use."

"You don't think I've tried?" Oraka sat up angrily. "There's only one dealer here that has the quality of weapons we need... and he's not selling!"

"Every dealer has a price, General, or they'd go out of business." Shepard's eyes narrowed. "You tell me who it is and I'll get you your guns."

Oraka leaned back and relaxed into his chair again. "I'd appreciate your help. Maybe the hero of the Citadel can convince him, when a tired old Turian general doesn't have the influence anymore."

Shepard laughed, "Don't sell yourself short, Sir. There are a lot of retired old generals who are headed for the hills hoping to wait this one out. I don't see you running anywhere."

"You've got that right." Oraka smiled as he pointed across the marketplace. "The dealer works for Cipritine Armory; his name is Kannik. Let me know how you do so I can develop an alternate plan of action if things fall through."

As Shepard walked through the various small shops on her way to find Kannik, she ran across Edi's mobile platform. "You look like you're gathering data, Edi. What's up?"

"That would be a correct assumption, Commander." Edi glance over to Jeff, sitting on a bench across the wide aisle. "I was running scenarios in my head to analyze Jeff's behavior."

Shepard noted with interest that Jeff waved at the mobile unit when Edi glanced his way. Edi continued, "I believe he has a strong affectionate attachment to me, but he has not stated it to anyone yet."

Shepard's eyes widened in surprise. "Whoa. Now _that's_ news. What makes you think so?"

Edi actually... hesitated... before responding. "His attitude toward me has changed significantly since I acquired use of the mobile platform. Shepard, _you_ have firsthand sexual experience with Dr T'Soni. How do you know when someone is romantically invested?"

"Geez, Edi! That's not something you just blurt out like that!" Shepard's face immediately went bright red and she looked around anxiously to see if anyone had overheard the question. Comforted that no one was paying particular attention to their conversation, she looked back at Edi. "That kind of question is something you normally ask in confidence... quietly! Not out in the middle of the shopping sector of the Presidium."

"I am sorry, Shepard. I was unaware such a question would be cause for embarrassment. Forget I asked." Edi actually sounded contrite; Shepard thought the AI was really starting to get the hang of organic voice inflection.

"No, it's alright, Edi. Since it's already out there and no one seemed to notice, there's no harm in me answering." Slowly recovering from her embarrassment, Shepard sighed. "Anyway, they, uh, usually show signs that they can't stop thinking about you. They come by and visit often, try to spend a lot of time with you, maybe give you presents or ask you out?"

"I lack material wants other than hardware and software upgrades, but Jeff did say my presence on the bridge was good for his morale." Edi glanced over at the pilot again, "And he did ask me to accompany him here today. He said I could serve as his 'mobility assistance mech' that he is permitted to have due to his Vrolik Syndrome. Given that you arranged for his bone weave procedure, he no longer requires assistance, so perhaps it was an excuse to keep me at his side."

"I think you're right, Edi." Shepard laughed. "I do believe Jeff asked you out on a date. He may not have _called_ it that, but..."

Edi seemed very taken with the idea and interrupted Shepard before she finished. "Perhaps we could discuss how to provoke Jeff into openly stating his emotional commitment."

Shepard grinned and shook her head, "That's not how it works, Edi. Things like this take time. If things are working out, Jeff will probably talk to someone else about it first... before he ever mentions it to you. He needs to work up his courage."

Edi's visor flashed a bit brighter. "Jeff has spoken before about something called 'liquid courage.' I believe he was referring to alcoholic beverages. Perhaps I need to convince him to take me to Purgatory."

Just thinking of Edi and Jeff at a bar made Shepard grin so widely her cheeks hurt. "That sounds like a great next date, Edi, but not today. Why don't you round up Mr Moreau and head back to the Normandy. I have a weapons dealer to visit and we'll be headed out as soon as we can recall all personnel for departure. I'll swing by and explain when I get aboard."

"Thank you, Shepard. I appreciate your assistance. We will see you on the Bridge." With that, Edi turned and started walking toward the pilot.

Shepard chuckled lightly and contacted Liara though the link, letting her know she was approaching her last stop and should be back on the Normandy shortly. She hadn't gone two steps before the all-hands recall notification came across her omni-tool. As she approached the service counter Oraka had pointed her to, Kannik started speaking before she ever reached it. "Look, Commander, I don't want any trouble. I'm authorized to sell here and all my arms are legal, see?"

Kannik must have been getting harassed by C-Sec because he had his merchant's license and his inventory listing ready to display on a moment's notice. Shepard leaned on the counter and sought to reassure the Salarian that all was well. "Relax, Kannik, I'm not here to hassle you. This listing is your normal stuff. Where's your military-grade inventory?"

It had the opposite effect and Kannik's mood took an immediate downturn. "Shit. You slumming for C-Sec, too? I already dealt with the shake-down by the old Turian with the bad attitude." He pulled the unwanted inventory list and tucked it back under the counter with a huff. "Sure. I got much better stuff, but it's not for sale. Credits won't be worth anything when the galaxy goes belly-up from the Reapers."

"You're right. People will be more concerned with where their next meal comes from... and with war shortages, prices will skyrocket. A thousand of today's credits won't be worth shit if that happens." Shepard stared at Kannik. "But you can't eat guns either. What will it take for me to get access to that inventory?"

Kannik's eyes popped open wide. "My best stock only trades for hard goods and artifacts that will have barter value. I told that to the Turian and he just kept waving a credit chit in my face. I'm happy to share my top stock with you if you collect a few rare pieces for me while you're out and about; doing whatever it is you do to save the galaxy."

"Listen, Kannik. I'll get you your pieces, but we're fighting a war here and General Oraka's simply trying to get weapons to defend the Citadel for when the Reapers come knocking. The Blue Suns are intercepting C-Sec shipments so, if he can't lock in an alternate secure source for weapons, he's prepared to start interdiction runs against the mercs. You _know_ how much that would screw up the trade routes."

Realizing how bad that would be for business, Kannik frowned and his eyes narrowed to slits. "What's your point, Commander?"

"I'm just saying... you're not moving your top-shelf and sales from your regular inventory are going to get caught in the cross-fire if you're not careful." Shepard glanced over her shoulder, looking back across the shopping commons toward where the general was sitting, before returning her gaze to Kannik. "Do us all a favor and drop a couple of crates to the old guy. Tell him it's a good faith offer and that C-Sec will get the rest when I deliver the artifacts. What's a couple of crates compared to a trade route war that will completely shut off resupply to the Citadel? It will buy _me_ some time to get out there and find _you_ something good."

Kannik thought about it for a moment before responding. "Alright, Commander. But I'll need collateral. Not that I don't trust you to deliver, but it _is_ the Reapers..."

Shepard pulled a credit chit out and keyed her omni-tool. "So, what are you talking, Kannik? 20,000 credits?"

Kannik laughed. "Commander, a single crate of ten guns is worth 50,000, not including upgrades, and you want two crates?"

"Shit. Come on, Kannik. Work with me, here. I've only got 70,000 in my account and the Normandy is headed back out... I can't go out broke, and we _will_ come back with your artifacts. Can you give me two crates for 50,000 credits collateral?"

Kannik rolled his eyes. "Alright, Commander. I trust you to keep your word. The chit will be untouched for one week before it goes into my account as non-refundable."

Shepard keyed the amount on her omni-tool and transferred it to the chit. "Thanks, Kannik. You're saving a bunch of people a whole galaxy of hurt. Oraka gets his guns, Citadel trade stays alive, and I promise you'll get some good pieces."

She dropped the chit on the counter and headed back to the Normandy, updating Oraka on her way by and catching Aethyta's eye for one last wave as she headed up the steps toward the elevator to head back up to the docks and the Normandy.

* * *

**SSV Normandy**

Back aboard the Normandy, Shepard's first stop was the Bridge. She quickly explained to Jeff and Edi about the need for artifacts to barter with Kannik and asked for suggestions. Edi volunteered several options, listing off several leads they had consolidated from their various sources. Shepard was encouraged. "All of that sounds great, Edi. We'll only need a couple of pieces to start the ball rolling, but we've got a lot of shit piled up at Tuchanka that we need to get done. I need you to pass the latest consolidated list to Dr T'Soni; we'll pass that off to one of the Broker ships while we focus on tidying up the DMZ."

Shepard glanced at her chrono. "We need to head to Aralakh and run a full sweep. I don't want anybody surprising us once we're groundside. After the sweep is done, our first stop is the crash site coordinates I passed you earlier; we've got what's left of a Turian platoon to extract."

After she finished explaining exactly what she needed them to do in preparation for the mission, Shepard went immediately to the elevator and dropped down to the crew deck. She walked directly to the Broker's office, only to see Liara on a vid call, so she stopped immediately to stay off screen. Once she realized it was Livos, Shepard stepped into the picture and waved. "Don't mean to interrupt, but it's so unusual to actually _see_ you guys, I had to take advantage. Hope all is well?"

Livos smiled broadly as she spoke, "Yes. Everyone is healthy and ready for action. It is good to see you, Shepard. We have been discussing your need for relics. This arms dealer does not have a very positive outlook for our future." Livos' smile faded a bit as she spoke of Kannik.

"No, he doesn't, but he's probably dead on. As the Reapers spread out, moving supplies will get more and more difficult. Speaking of which, make sure you stock up on essentials and don't tap into them until absolutely necessary. Once our supply lines are cut, we'll need to have as much in the bank as we can." Shepard frowned. "Can't have the Reapers starve us out. That'd be a hell of way to go."

Liara cut in, "Fortunately, they are focusing on population and industrial centers. I know that sounds odd... and cruel, because of the great number of people that are suffering and dying as a result, but it means that so far the Reapers are leaving the garden worlds and our food _sources_ alone. Of course we can't count on that lasting forever. We need to end this before it gets to the point where that's all the Reapers have left to destroy... or we'll win the war only to die a long slow death of starvation anyway." Feeling the commander's dismay, she glanced at Shepard with concern as she finished, "I'd prefer to avoid such an ending, thank you very much."

Shepard tried to smile again as she joked, "No pressure," but failed miserably. "Alright. I'll let you finish up. Just wanted to check in." Shepard stepped away and moved to the upgrade terminal to see if anything worthwhile had been turned up.

As she logged in and picked up a shield upgrade and medigel effectiveness booster, Liara finished her conversation with Livos and stepped up behind and wrapped loving arms around her, whispering softly in her ear. "I'm sorry, Shepard. I know that wasn't the happiest conversation but I also hope _you_ know none of that was directed at _you_. It was merely a statement of our harsh reality." Liara squeezed her tightly. "We are in this together. You and I."

Shepard logged out and turned around within the arms that encircled her. "I know, Love." She was already focused on the next mission, so Shepard reached behind her back and clasped Liara's hands, pulling them apart and breaking the hold Liara had on her. "We need to eat some dinner. We're headed to Tuchanka. We're going to do a system sweep to make sure nothing surprises us and then we have to hit the ground running. The Primarch had a full platoon on the ground... and they got hit by Reapers, so we need to extract whoever's still alive."

Liara stepped back. "A platoon? On Tuchanka? Whatever _for_?"

"_Good question_. He won't tell me; says it's 'classified' but _essential_ to galactic peace." Shepard shook her head. "And his son is leading the platoon."

"Goddess. We need to talk to Garrus; see if he knows anything." Liara's face paled. "Wrex doesn't know, does he." Liara didn't need the answer, her intonation that of a statement, not a question.

"Bingo. The Primarch was very hush, hush about it, making sure Wrex didn't overhear. I don't know how we're going to keep it a secret from him. We're going to _Tuchanka _for Gods' sake. He'll demand to be on the ground team if he figures out where we are. I've told Joker and Edi to keep the notifications private... at the earliest, he won't know we've deployed until the shuttle has left the bay. I'm hoping to solve whatever the hell is going on and be able to brief him after the fact."

Liara's voice was both concerned and chastising, "Shepard."

"I know! Wrex _trusts_ me and this is _really_ going to stretch that. I have to hope it doesn't break." Shepard ran her hand through her hair in frustration. "I'm no politician, Liara. I _hate_ this shit. Wrex gave in on Virmire... but I don't know that he'll forgive me for keeping secrets about his own damn planet. I'm horribly tempted to tell him, but I don't know what's really going on, so what the hell would I say? I'd be opening a Pandora's Box with no way to get it closed again."

"Come on. You're right; with no information to give there is no sense in speaking with him yet. We do need to eat. This could become even more exciting than our usually frantic ground missions." Liara shook her head in bewilderment. "And what, by the Goddess, is a Pandora's Box?"

Shepard laughed lightly and a small smile managed to climb onto her face, no matter the situation. "By the Gods, actually." She took Liara's hand and started walking out to the Mess as she explained, "It's a story from Greek mythology. A woman by the name of Pandora was given a box..."

* * *

**Huerta Memorial, Citadel**

"Thank you, Commander Williams, for once again aiding me in my therapy session." Thane stood from his polite bow and smiled at Shepard's friend. She was recovering quickly and would only be in the hospital a short while longer. He had enjoyed her company and was glad that Karin Chakwas had asked him to watch out for her; they had become _friends_ and Thane had very few he would name as such.

"Shit. Thank _you_, Thane! Some of those moves you've been showing me are better than anything we _ever_ got in Alliance hand-to-hand training. No _wonder_ Shepard is so good... I mean, she always was, but stuff I saw her doing on Mars was pretty incredible. I assume you showed those to her as well, during your time on the Normandy."

Thane smiled lightly, "Very little. Her Asari training already included a large portion of what I could teach her, and we each taught the other. It was a mutually beneficial relationship. But we _all_ did the same, so our skills, as a result of being thrown together on the same ship, are now a blend of many different styles."

Ashley's brow suddenly wrinkled with concern. "Can I ask you something?"

"You may always ask," Thane lost his smile and his face became reflective as he continued, "...and I will answer so long as it does not violate a trust that anyone has placed in me."

"Shepard." Ashley wiped her face with her gym towel and tossed it into the laundry bin. "Do you _truly_ believe she is who she was... before she died?"

"I cannot answer that question." Thane saw the surprised expression on Ashley's face, so explained, "I did not know her... _before_... so have no basis for comparison."

"I guess that's not really my question..." Ashley hesitated, trying to figure out a way to phrase what she needed to know. "My religion is kind of divided on the idea of reincarnation. But most believe that if it does happen, your soul returns to Earth cleansed, in the innocence of a babe. Not as a full grown... _replacement_." She shook her head in frustration. "It's just hard for me to believe she's the same woman we saw _die_ over Alchera."

"Ah. I see." Thane steepled his hands against his chin in a contemplative posture, thinking about his response. He suddenly dropped his hands and focused his intense, big black eyes on Ashley. "I know very little about your religion, but the Drell believe the soul and the body are separate, that each can operate independently, though when the two are separated the person is... broken, no longer whole."

Thane clasped his hands behind his back as he spoke, "Shepard is... _driven_... like none I have ever met before. It is not beyond _my_ ability to believe that when her body was broken, her _soul_ remained intact." He blinked slowly, remembering her fierce determination to survive and defeat the Collectors. "_Siha_ has purpose. And I do not believe she will go easily to the afterlife until her purpose is fulfilled. When Cerberus rebuilt her body, her soul was more than ready to return to the fight. It is her nature. She is a natural protector."

"So you're saying her separated soul simply _moved into_ a new body?" Ashley's head was spinning at the implications.

"Yes." Thane's hands dropped back to his sides and he stared out into space. "If I remember correctly, your religion is very much against cloning because of that very reason... You do not believe man is _capable_ of creating a soul; that such a thing is only within the dominion of your God. So, as such, the body Cerberus created should have been a soulless husk. Yet, the body I met is very much a driven, passionate, and caring Human being; it is not some soulless Cerberus creation by any means. I _believe_ she is Commander Samantha Shepard, returned to the galaxy by _Kalahira_, who was not yet ready to accept her to the afterlife. Shepard's divine purpose has not yet been fulfilled."

"So you think she's some kind of divine messenger?" Ashley wasn't sure she was ready to accept such an explanation and frowned.

"Not at all; she is all Human." Thane threw his own towel into the laundry bin and stood next to Ash. "With imminent death looming on my doorstep, we spoke of religion. Shepard's parents were Druids so, though she rarely speaks of it, that is the faith Shepard follows. It is very _personal_ to her, so I will not reveal too many details, but you should know that Shepard feels driven by _Lugh_, her God of Revenge and War... and by _Dwyn_, the trickster. She blames _Dwyn_ for her two-year absence. She told me most of his tricks are rather mean and spiteful, meant to tease... and to test _resolve_. She did not choose the path she is on; she experienced her own death and was then forced back into a world that did not want to accept her... and her return was made all the more difficult by those who had once been closest to her."

Thane stopped there and looked at Ashley. "I have perhaps said too much and spoken of things better left for Shepard to tell. I will see you again tomorrow, Commander."

Thane dipped his head politely and walked off, leaving Ashley to stare at his back. He had left her with a lot to think about; the wheels in her head were spinning madly as she searched frantically for traction.

* * *

**A/N: ** Thanks go out to **AlsoKnownAsMatt** for a relatively in-depth discussion on the aftereffects of a galactic war... particularly regarding availability of food supplies and trade viability.


	11. Wing and a Prayer

Notes:

DMZ - DeMilitarized Zone

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

* * *

**Wing and a Prayer**

**SSV Normandy**

Shepard's mood improved only slightly as she and Liara relaxed at a table in the Mess and ate dinner together. When Shepard finished her story of Pandora, she looked at Liara sadly. "If we end up opening the box, Liara, let's make sure we leave it open long enough for _'hope'_ to come out along with all the rest."

Liara reached over and took Samantha's hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "We will, Shepard. That's what you're best at... restoring hope when everyone else thinks it's lost. As long as we breathe, hope exists."

Seeing the expression on Samantha's face lighten just a little bit, Liara smiled and she pulled her hand back so the two of them could continue eating. It had been somewhat of a stressful day and it wasn't until they were about halfway through their meal when Shepard suddenly realized why she was so hungry; she had not stopped at any time during the day to eat lunch. She mentioned it to Liara, who quietly reminded her of their conversation after the lab on Sanctum about taking better care of herself and, giving the commander a wink and a smile, finished with, "Try _harder_, Shepard."

Still working to improve Shepard's somewhat ill humor, Liara continued a light banter while they finished eating, regaling Shepard with stories of the crazy things the commandos had done on the Broker ship to keep themselves entertained in the confined space. A full stomach and Liara's unusual mealtime playfulness ultimately broke Shepard's doldrums and much to Liara's relief, the commander _finally_ smiled as her fork dropped onto a now empty plate. "Hey, Blue?" When Liara looked up, her eyes were met by deep green pools overflowing with emotion, their intensity causing Liara to catch her breath and feel a little flutter in her chest. "I don't believe I've told you today how _important_ you are to me."

Shepard's hand slid over and massaged Liara's thigh gently underneath the table. "I love you." The look Shepard gave her as those words emerged so earnestly from her mouth made Liara want to slip, naked, into those warm pools of green comfort. She had to check herself to keep from leaning over and wrapping the commander in an intimate embrace right there in the middle of the Mess.

Liara stuttered her reply, "I... I love you too, Samantha." A single tear slipped unexpectedly out of Liara's eye and she quickly wiped it away. "_Goddess_! I'm sorry. I..." Liara stopped and took a deep breath. "That caught me completely by surprise and I was not prepared for the surge of emotion that came along with it through the link."

Shepard's brow creased with confusion, "And that made you cry?"

"Tears of joy, _Siame_." The expression on Shepard's face urged her to continue. "The _love_ I felt... it... it was _overwhelming_. Like you reached straight into my chest and directly embraced my heart."

Shepard smiled endearingly and gave her thigh one more gentle squeeze and whispered tenderly, "_Good_. Because that's how I _meant_ it." She glanced at Liara's empty plate. "You done or do we need seconds?"

Liara laughed, the mood broken, and stood up. "No, I'm finished. Shall we go to the loft and get our gear?"

Shepard stood with her. "Absolutely. We're probably..." The commander stopped speaking and her face took on a quizzical look. Curious, Liara turned to follow her gaze.

"What are you looking at, Shepard?" Liara scanned the room, seeing nothing out of the ordinary.

Shepard stepped up close and whispered in her ear, her breath teasing across Liara's neck folds and sending a shiver down the Asari's spine. "Look at Riana. No, actually, watch _Traynor_."

"What..." Liara stopped speaking and smiled as she watched Traynor run her fingertips gently across the back of Riana's hand. The touch _could_ have been intimate, but it was quick and didn't last long. "Oh! Do you think?" Liara thought maybe she was reading too much into the situation, until Shepard responded to her query.

"Yeah. I _think_. It's not the first time I've seen them eating together like that." Liara felt Shepard's lips turn into a smile as the commander continued speaking against her neck. "That _would_ be fantastic. I know she and Ryati weren't actually bonded, but they were still close. It's good to see Riana at least _interested_ in someone new." Shepard chuckled quietly. "And poor Traynor is absolutely smitten. Look at her expression!"

Liara's voice picked up an edge, so Shepard knew she wasn't kidding in the least when she issued her whispered warning. "Don't you _dare_ tease either one of them about it. You have more influence than you realize and I don't want them to worry about being under your scrutiny!"

"I wouldn't _dream_ of it, Love." Shepard stepped back and picked up their plates and utensils to place them on the counter. "By the way, while we get dressed, I need to tell you about a conversation I had with _Edi_ today."

Based on Shepard's mischievous smile, Liara couldn't wait to get to the loft.

* * *

**Tuchanka, Aralakh System, Krogan DMZ**

They managed to get off the Normandy without Wrex realizing where they were and demanding to be taken along on the ground team. As it was now, Shepard dreaded the return to the ship; her only hope was to find out exactly what was happening on the planet and take care of it... to either minimize or eliminate whatever it was so Wrex wouldn't have _another_ reason to despise Turians. Knowing how much emphasis Primarch Victus had put on this mission, Shepard brought the whole crew except for Wrex, just as she had for Sanctum. After speaking with Liara as they dressed, they even brought Riana to take Wrex's place on Garrus' squad.

When they arrived, the crash site was a disaster zone, spread over an immeasurable distance with escape pods scattered everywhere. Shepard was glad to have two teams; checking all the pods and rounding up the survivors was not going to be easy and it would have been almost impossible with only one team. She glanced at Garrus. "Vakarian. I'm going deep to find Lieutenant Victus at the main crash site. I need your team to round up the stragglers scattered along the periphery. Keep your eyes peeled for a good place to rendezvous where we can work the extraction... and stay in radio contact."

"Roger that, Shepard." Garrus snorted. "For a Turian commander, what happened here is unforgivable. If this mission is really as important as the Primarch made it out to be and Tarquin Victus doesn't complete it, he'll be stonewalled and never make it past Lieutenant. _And_ it will reflect _very_ poorly on the Primarch. Promoting family without merit could be his undoing. There's a lot more at stake here than just Tarquin Victus' mission, Shepard."

Shepard spared him a quick look. "Thanks a bunch, Garrus. Just what I needed to hear."

Garrus laughed. "It _is_ what you needed to hear and you know it. We have to figure out what the hell he was supposed to be doing and get it done in the event Victus can't."

"Alright, let's move out people." Shepard flashed Garrus a grin. "I guess we're here to save the careers of two of the Victus family members as well as galactic peace. No problem."

As Shepard and her team worked their way through the rubble, Garrus was on the comms. "It's not looking good out here, Shepard. These outer pods were too exposed; looks like they survived the crash just to be blasted apart by Harvesters. Not sure how many we'll be bringing to the rendezvous point."

"Do what you can, Garrus. It's all we can do." Shepard glanced at her squad and grimaced. "Let's hope _we_ have better luck."

They continued to press forward and finally came upon a pod with survivors, pinned down by Reaper troops. Shepard could only see two Cannibals, but was sure there were more. "They're focused on the Turians, so we've got the element of surprise. Let's make it count!"

Westmoreland had figured out the commander's battle-style pretty quickly and had taken to laying down cover fire for Shepard's crash-and-blast approach, leaving Liara to be covered by James and free to launch singularities; it was a pretty deadly combo. They worked their way quickly through the Cannibals only to hear one of the Turian soldiers yell out, "Incoming Harvester!"

As the Turians dived for cover, the Normandy team let fly with everything they had in their arsenal, thinking to distract the beast and give the Turians time to evade its deadly twin cannons. They were astounded when it suddenly fell out of the sky and exploded, sending out a powerful shockwave. As the Turian troops shouted their surprised thanks, James yelled out what they were all thinking. "Holy shit! We can _kill_ those things?"

Liara stared at the spot where the Harvester had been mere seconds before. "With standard weapons, no less! That's _very_ encouraging."

Shepard glanced at Westmoreland and winked, causing the private to blush ferociously as the commander laughed. "Ah, Li. You are the master of stating the obvious!"

Liara was preparing a retort when their brief celebratory attitude was interrupted by an anxious call from Lieutenant Victus. "Commander! Where _are_ you? We're pinned by Reaper Harvesters and taking heavy casualties. Things are getting worse by the minute. My men are _dying_!"

Shepard's joviality vanished and she took off at a trot. "Alright, you heard the man. We need to keep moving and get to Victus, ASAP!"

As they moved, Garrus also heard Victus' plea and contacted them on the comm. "We've picked up a few survivors, Shepard. There aren't many... as I said earlier, the pods were too exposed. We'll rendezvous with you at the main crash site." There was a brief pause before Garrus finished out, quietly. "I feel sorry for Tarquin; being the son of someone like Adrien Victus is a lot to live up to."

Shepard felt the wave of resentment through the link before Liara even said a single word; when the Asari responded to Garrus' comment, her irritation became evident to everyone, her tone biting. "Yes, Victus is a big military name on Palaven, but children shouldn't be burdened with the successes of their parents... any more than with their failings."

The pain in her voice was palpable and Riana, Garrus and Shepard immediately realized that Liara was speaking of her mother. Shepard stopped and looked back to meet Liara's piercing gaze, but before she could say anything, the link carried Liara's resigned voice. _{Later, Shepard. Tarquin needs us.}_ Shepard gave her a quick nod of understanding and pressed on.

They worked their way methodically through the rubble, coming across two more escape pods. At both of them, they crossed paths with yet more Reapers, including the normal Cannibals and Husks as well as Marauders... and a Harvester at each location. By the time they reached the final plateau and laid eyes on the spot where Victus and his men had dug in, the Normandy squad had countless Reaper creatures and three Harvesters added to their kill tally.

Shepard quickly understood why Victus had been almost frantic; between where Shepard's team had emerged and the Turian troops' location lay a field of rubble filled with Reaper creatures. A Harvester was continuously circling, constantly dropping additional enemies into the battle. Shepard thanked the Gods that the team had worked together before and had a fairly good battle rhythm or they would have been quickly overwhelmed. It also helped that Tarquin's men seemed to rediscover their resolve when the Normandy team showed up and the Reapers suddenly had a two-front battle on their hands. Even still, Shepard was beginning to wonder how long they'd be able to keep up the pace when she heard the bark of a familiar long gun. Garrus and his team had arrived and the Turian had his sniper rifle loaded with armor piercing rounds... a couple of additional shots from his high-powered rifle and the last Harvester exploded, ending the resupply of Reaper troops.

Watching the Harvester _vaporize_ revitalized everyone and, with the full contingent of the Normandy ground crew to augment the flagging Turian soldiers, the mop-up operation proceeded smoothly and Shepard was able to finally approach the Turian position. "Lieutenant Victus?"

Victus stood up from the midst of a group of soldiers tending some of the wounded. "Commander Shepard, my men and I are in your debt. Thank you for saving so many."

Shepard glanced around at the soldiers. "What happened here?"

Suddenly, the soldier closest to Victus grabbed the lieutenant by the neck collar of his armor and shouted angrily, "He screwed up!"

Victus growled, "Stand down, soldier!"

The soldier didn't let go but he looked at Shepard. "These men are _dead_ because of him!"

Victus repeated himself, more forcefully, "I said, stand down!"

Garrus stepped forward and snarled at them both, placing a hand on each of them and shoving them apart... hard. "Hey! We just saved _all_ your asses, so calm down and show some _respect_!" He glanced back and forth between the two. "You call yourselves _Turian_?"

The soldier snapped to attention as Shepard glowered at Victus. "Lieutenant, what the _hell_ is going on here?"

Victus stood up straight and saluted the commander. "Ma'am. I made a bad call. All of this is on me. I chose caution and clever tactics over a head-on attack... and my men paid the price."

"What call was that, Lieutenant?" Shepard backed off a little with her tone, slightly mollified that Victus seemed to be taking responsibility for what had happened.

"We could see on holo that Reaper forces were blocking our intended path. I knew staying on course would _guarantee_ heavy casualties, so I tried to skirt the enemy and use these ruins as cover." Victus shook his head in disgust.

"What started out as cover soon turned into the perfect ambush and it was too narrow... we had no room to maneuver and our ship went down. Suddenly we were in a fight for our lives." Victus glanced around the field where many of his men lay dead. "A lot of my men lost that fight."

Shepard followed his gaze and sympathized. He wasn't the only lieutenant to lose soldiers under his command. She looked back and met Victus' eyes. "Owning your mistake takes guts. But you have to get over it and move on."

"Of course. It's just fresh right now... and we're down thirty men so we have to scrub the mission." Victus sighed in defeat.

Garrus stepped forward and growled, "_What_?"

Shepard glanced his way and held her hand out to stop him before turning and glaring at Victus. "That's not an option, Lieutenant. When we came down here, the Primarch told us this was a matter of galactic peace. You're finishing your mission."

Victus had started the day with forty men and was down to only a dozen; he stared at her in open rebellion. "It'd be suicide!"

Shepard frowned. "What _exactly_ did you come here to do?"

"There's a bomb on the planet. We were sent to defuse it." Victus sounded defeated.

"_Details_, Lieutenant!" Shepard's voice carried a note of concern along with her normal air of command. "What kind? How big? Where is it?"

"It's enormous and it was designed to destroy the entire Kelphic Valley... it was deployed centuries ago, after the Krogan Rebellions. It was our back-up plan should the Genophage fail. And now... Cerberus dug it up and has control of it." Victus shook his head, "There's no way we have enough soldiers left to get through and finish the mission."

"Goddess." Liara's quiet exclamation got Shepard's attention and she turned toward the Asari for an explanation. "Shepard. The Kelphic Valley is the main habitable living zone on Tuchanka. If a bomb of any _size_ went off there, it would do _irreparable_ damage to the Krogan population." Liara shook her head. "I don't know if the population could _ever_ recover, even if Mordin _does_ cure the Genophage!"

Garrus, ever the pragmatist, responded as well. "Brutal, but it makes sense. Put the Krogan down hard if they ever try anything like the Rebellions again."

"Except now Cerberus has the damn thing... you certainly won't earn trust with tactics like that. No wonder the Primarch was so adamant about not saying anything within earshot of Wrex!" Shepard looked back at Victus. "That settles it. You'll have the support of the Normandy crew and we _are_ going to get it done, Lieutenant. I understand this kind of sacrifice is the hardest to ask for, but that's what we in the military sign up for. All of us... including you and your men."

Victus looked back across his men. "They've lost hope, Commander. Even if I want to finish the mission, they don't."

"I don't have time to hold your damn hand, Lieutenant! You're in command of this mission and it's too _important_. Cerberus has _your_ bomb and it has to be defused or you'll watch Palaven _burn_, followed by the _rest_ of the galaxy. Figure out how to _make_ them want to do it!" Shepard glanced back at her Turian friend. "If you can't, I'll relieve you of command and put Garrus Vakarian in charge."

Garrus smirked, knowing Victus would never stand for it. Such an event would _ruin_ him and he might as well commit suicide right then and there; he'd never be able to show his face on the home world again. Victus, both embarrassed and angry suddenly snapped around and shouted. "Men! I own what happened here today, but we have a critical mission to finish. We are _Turian_ and Palaven needs us! We can't afford to let Cerberus succeed and we owe it to our brothers to not let their deaths be in vain. Let the heroes of the Ninth Platoon be remembered for performing their duties with _bravery_!"

The Turian soldiers had more determination than Victus had given them credit for and as soon as he made the announcement, they began to muster. Anticipating at least some success on the extraction mission, the Primarch had already arranged for transport, so the extraction shuttles arrived shortly after Shepard called in, along with Cortez and the Normandy Shuttle, to pick everyone up and move them to the Kelphic Valley. They were getting close to the bomb site when Tarquin called in. "Normandy shuttle, this is Lieutenant Victus with the Ninth Platoon. Do you copy?"

They were starting to hit resistance; the shuttles were being targeted and Tarquin was concerned about getting shot down again before arriving at the destination. Shepard didn't even have to think twice. "Then this is as close as we get, Lieutenant. Find somewhere to land and get your platoon deployed. With all this activity, the Krogan _have_ to know something's up."

Victus was frank, "Then we can't fail, Commander. It would mean all-out war between my people and the Krogan."

"And probably death to the entire galaxy, Lieutenant. We'll see you on the ground." Shepard glanced around at her squad and assigned everyone a buddy, putting Private Campbell with Garrus, Edi and James together, then surprising almost everyone by taking Westmoreland and putting Liara with Riana. When she was finished, she walked up to Cortez. "Just get us to the ground safe, Steve; then get out of the combat zone. We'll call you when we're through."

Liara stepped up to Shepard as they were making their final approach and the commander looked at her. "Sorry, Love, but I won't make anyone else responsible for a Private; they've performed well so far, but this will be like nothing they've ever seen before. As the two team leads, Garrus and I each will take on the responsibility for getting them through this." She cast the Asari a smile. "Besides, just because Riana's your buddy doesn't mean the four of us can't stay close."

"I know, Commander. I simply wanted to remind you to please be careful. For me." Liara grinned. "I sensed your apprehension through the link and immediately recognized what you were doing. Besides, I think you would have had a fight on your hands if you had separated Riana from me again like you did earlier. She _is_ still my First and takes her job seriously, especially when in combat mode."

Shepard laughed. "I'll try to remember that, but we can't load all the biotics on one team, either. Besides, even when you're not at my side, you're still my back-up." Shepard reached up and tapped the side of her head, indicating the link. As Steve yelled out the ready call, Shepard gave Liara a final nod, turned away and pulled her pistol. "Vega! Door!"

She glanced back to find Bethany; catching her eye, Private Westmoreland readied her assault rifle. "Right on your six, Ma'am."

* * *

They hit the ground running... they had no choice. They faced an onslaught of Cerberus assault troopers and centurions; all dug in with shield generators and fixed positions. Shepard thought of her Earth history and the source of her ship's name, wondering if it was what the Allied troops had felt like hitting the beaches of Normandy, France on D-Day. They didn't have much choice but to charge into the fire, ducking from cover to cover while using the flying debris and smoke from the explosions as screens for their movements. Shepard screamed into her comm, hoping everyone could hear her over the sounds of battle, "Everyone keep moving and do _not_ lose your buddy! I don't want anyone pinned down in this mess and left behind!"

The four pairs spread out as they crossed the open expanse, using bomb craters, fallen debris and Cerberus' own shields against them. Flanked by the remains of the Turian force, they managed to cross the gap with no casualties and Shepard was amazed. Westmoreland had done well in the face of such opposition, only freezing once when a shell impacted directly in front of her. Fortunately, as she had stated in the shuttle, she was right on the commander's six, so when Shepard turned back and threw herself to the ground to avoid the blast, she took the private with her. Shepard pulled up her barrier and bounced back up, glancing back with a grin for the shocked soldier. "Welcome to the real shit, Beth! You're doing fine, so get your ass up and keep doing what you've been doing. We're almost there!"

When they reached the buildings at the far end and started moving through the alleys and halls, Lieutenant Victus came on the line, "Once we reach the bomb, I'll need to reprogram the trigger mechanism."

Shepard had no time for distractions, "Save it 'til we get there, Victus. That's not yet a given."

She cut off the comm just as an assault trooper popped up in front of her, shouting, "Shepard has breached the perimeter!"

She shouted out, "James, Edi! You're with us. Liara! You and Riana form up with Garrus!"

Once more in two four-man teams, they advanced by alternating between the teams. One team would provide cover fire while the other team moved forward to the next set of barriers, quickly flanking the assault troopers and engineers in the room and blasting the two turrets that had been set up. As they advanced, centurions started moving into the room and Shepard smiled. She threw out a biotic pull, yanking the shields out of their hands and tapped Liara through the link. _{Singularity, please, Love.}_

When Liara launched the singularity, Shepard was getting ready to charge when a bolt of blue flashed across the room, sparking the biotic explosion and launching the centurion and two troopers next to him across the room. Shepard had to laugh when she heard Riana issue a whoop of victory as she polished them off with her assault rifle. Garrus chuckled over the comms, "Shepard, she only went on one mission with you, right? You'd better watch out, you may have created a monster!"

Shepard grinned, "What can I say? I'm an excellent teacher!"

Liara rolled her eyes, "Yes. And now I have _two_ people I care about who insist upon absolutely reckless behavior."

Shepard raised a hand and waved at her fellow Vanguard, shouting, "Nice one, Riana! I called it, and you beat me to it! You stole my set-up, you damn thief!"

Riana flashed her a smile and did a quick teasing bow before returning her focus to the next passageway. Liara couldn't help herself and the whole group laughed when words streamed uncensored from her mouth. "Goddess! She's even picked up the irreverent attitude!"

They regrouped and moved quickly through the next section, finding little resistance until they located a ramp and moved up to the next level within the structures. Just as they breached the top of the ramp, they ran into another small group of Cerberus troopers. As they engaged the small force, Victus called out from their flank, "Cerberus is putting up a fight, but we're advancing, Commander. They seem to be falling back!"

"Good work, Lieutenant! Keep up the pressure! Take ground as fast as they give it, but watch for another ambush!" Shepard was hoping the Lieutenant wasn't about to repeat his mistake when Victus was suddenly back on the line.

"Commander! We can see the bomb but we're taking a lot of mortar fire! Heavy casualties!" Victus paused only briefly before calling back, "We're taking an alternate route and circling to the back side of the bomb site!"

"Roger that, Lieutenant!" Shepard glanced back at her team. "Let's step it up, folks! Victus has eyes on target!"

Shepard ran through a long open space and slid around a corner to come almost face-to-face with a Centurion. He was receiving a transmission as Shepard activated and drove her omniblade through the center of his chest. "Argo Team, detonation protocol nearly complete! All available units, delay Shepard!"

Shepard yanked her blade back. "Fuck! It sounds like they're almost ready to blow the bomb!"

Westmoreland had sprinted across the room with Shepard and had stepped around the corner, drilling a couple of troopers as they attempted to board a shuttle. "Commander! It looks like they're bugging out! They're trying to get onto evac shuttles!"

Shepard got on her comms immediately, "_Move_ it, people! Cerberus is starting to evac! We've got to get to that bomb... _Now_!"

The team put on as much speed as they could and as they ran up one last ramp into the daylight, a huge structure revealed itself before them. The lieutenant's description of the bomb as monstrous didn't do it justice; it was suspended in midair by a four-legged superstructure and the explosive hanging in the center was almost as large as the Normandy's mass effect core.

Garrus was the first one to speak. "By the Spirits! Amazing no one detected it before now! How does something like that stay hidden, even in all this?"

Shepard looked around for a way forward and there was only one option; they had to climb back up a level and circle around the side, the same as what the Turian force had to do. She spoke as she climbed. "It must have been far enough underground to stay hidden. Victus _did_ say they dug it up."

Tarquin came on the comms, "Commander. We've completed our circuit and are closing on the site. Moving toward the control station now."

"Roger that. We're on our way." Glancing back at her squad one last time, she took off running; they were undoubtedly on the clock and she had no idea exactly how much time they had left.

Edi had been unusually quiet and since she didn't get 'winded' by running, she chose now to speak. "This is a high-priority target. I imagine Cerberus will commit all their reserves to keep Lieutenant Victus from disabling the trigger mechanism."

Shepard skidded to a halt at the top of a ladder that returned them to the ground level and she saw a clear path to the bomb control panel and the remains of Tarquin's platoon; Shepard winced when she realized how few Turians had survived... she only saw Tarquin plus three. She put her hands and feet on the outside of the ladder and slid quickly to the ground as Tarquin announced their arrival. "I'm at the panel, Commander. Cerberus set up a firewall around the trigger mechanism to slow us down. I can set up a bypass, but it will take time."

Shepard hustled up onto the platform and glanced around. "Cerberus can't be far, Lieutenant, but we'll make sure you have the time you need."

"Understood, Commander." Tarquin glanced back over his shoulder at Shepard as he continued. "And thank you for making sure I got this chance."

"Just don't let us down, Lieutenant..." Shepard's eyes traveled to the huge bomb suspended in the air almost directly above them. "...or we're _all_ dead."

* * *

Tarquin was not yet done with the bypass when the first of the Cerberus shuttles arrived; before they realized what was happening, one of Tarquin's men was down. Garrus' sharp eyes scanned the area rapidly, but a second man dropped before he found his target and repaid the Cerberus sniper in kind. Shepard shouted at Victus and his one remaining man, "Focus on the bomb! We'll take care of Cerberus!"

As the team scrambled for cover, Shepard shouted out, "In pairs! Set a protective perimeter. _Nobody_ reaches Tarquin!"

The team jumped off the platform and scrambled to new positions in the same pairs Shepard had assigned earlier, quickly eliminating the remaining Cerberus troops from the first drop. Three more shuttles arrived in rapid succession, each one deploying a Cerberus squad of six team members, consisting of assault troopers and centurions. With each arrival, the Normandy crew had the defensive advantage and with the tech attacks of Edi and Garrus combined with three biotics and the combined weapons fire of an eight-man squad, Cerberus never really stood a chance of getting through. After the three shuttles, an Atlas dropped in but the Normandy team had already eliminated the Cerberus ground troops, so it was solo and easily destroyed.

As a fourth shuttle arrived with yet another Cerberus team, Tarquin finally shouted out, "Commander! Firewall's down! I'm in!" After only a couple of keystrokes he cursed, "Spirits! Cerberus hacked the trigger mechanism! It's going to detonate in less than a minute!"

Shepard's had snapped around and her gaze locked on Victus, "Disarm it!"

"No time! I have to separate the trigger from the bomb!" Victus stepped back and glanced up, looking for the ladder to get to the upper controls. When he found it, he shouted out, "Cover me!" and ran to the ladder. He climbed quickly and ran out along one of the support arms to the structure's center. Shepard's team collapsed to a tight ring, maintaining a perimeter around the platform to keep any of the last few Cerberus troops from getting close to Victus.

Whatever he did must have worked because Shepard suddenly heard the groan of metal. When she looked up, she saw large clamps on each of its four sides start to separate from the trigger. Once again, Tarquin cussed. "One of them's stuck! I need to release it manually!"

As Tarquin scrambled over the side of the seized clamp, Shepard shouted encouragement to the lieutenant, "Come on, Tarquin! You can do this!"

Shepard watched as he yanked a cover panel off and dropped it. As it plummeted to the surface, he reached into the revealed cavity and pulled out some type of cylinder; Shepard had no idea what it was for but when it was removed, the clamp surged outward. It still didn't release completely, but the sudden movement almost tossed Tarquin off the structure. Seeing their very survival hanging by a single-handed Turian grip, Shepard's heart leapt to her throat as she shouted, "Lieutenant!" and ran to the edge of the chasm.

Somehow, Tarquin managed to hang on and reestablish a firm grip... and Shepard heard him whisper. She didn't know if he realized his comm was open or not but she heard what he said and the words were clear as a bell. "Victory... at any cost."

Before she understood what he was talking about, he stuck his hand back into the cavity and yanked out a second cylinder. The second time the clamp surged outward, the entire device came apart. The surge tossed Tarquin into a freefall as the clamp separated from the superstructure, immediately followed by the trigger device, all three plummeting toward the bottom of the large crater Cerberus had created by digging the device out of its underground hiding place.

Shepard was reaching out with a biotic pull to catch Tarquin when she was suddenly spun off target by a hard, painful blow to her shoulder. The sudden twist of her body threw her off balance and she teetered on the brink of the crater, almost tumbling in as she was forced to watch Tarquin fall to his death, no longer able to stop it. Private Bethany Westmoreland was still glued to her side and grabbed her armored shoulder pad, yanking her back from the edge and causing Shepard to yelp with pain as she stumbled and fell flat on her back, the weight of her armor accelerating her fall and causing her head to smack hard on the concrete. Her vision was blurred and she was seeing stars when the trigger mechanism exploded down in the crater; she barely heard a distraught youthful voice cry out, "Shit, Commander! You've been hit!"

Another shot rang out and ricocheted off the ground right next to Shepard's head, spraying the left side of her face with a dozen jagged concrete shards; Bethany cussed and grabbed the commander by the closest handhold she could find, which was still the pad of the Spectre's wounded shoulder, and dragged Shepard behind a wall to shield her from additional incoming fire. As Shepard growled in pain, Bethany looked at the commander and spoke calmly, "Commander! Activate your medigel dispenser."

Getting no intelligible response, Westmoreland patched into Shepard's suit interface and dispersed some of her own supply into the commander's suit.

At the same time, Garrus had found his target and slapped the Cerberus soldier with an overload to drop his shields. As soon as the shield dropped, Private Campbell eliminated the man from the galaxy with a double burst from her assault rifle before Garrus could even get his sniper rifle to his shoulder,. Garrus glanced at her with approval, nodding his head in appreciation. "Nice shooting, Private."

Knowing Shepard was down, Garrus immediately stepped up and took charge. He glanced over at Liara and realized she had no idea, so gave her a warning shout before calling for emergency medical extraction. "Liara! Shepard's down."

Liara's head snapped around in shock, instantly worried that she hadn't felt anything through the link. When her eyes found Shepard laid out flat on the concrete with Private Westmoreland leaning over top of her, Liara's face paled. "Oh, Goddess. Please."

She ran quickly to Shepard's side, Riana hot on her heels, and knelt down; Liara's voice trembled as she asked, "Beth, what happened?"

As Bethany explained, Liara's shaking hands undid the armor clasps on Shepard's shoulder pad. Shepard's face was pale, her eyes closed, and she groaned with discomfort as Liara manipulated her shoulder to get to the fasteners, but her eyes did not open. Liara's forehead was furrowed with concern and regret as she whispered, "I'm so sorry, Love. I don't even know if you can hear me, but I know this hurts."

While Liara gained access to the gunshot wound, Bethany was picking out the shards of concrete from the side of Shepard's face and dabbing each one with medigel. Riana quickly ran a baseline medical scan with a subroutine on her omnitool and laid her hand on Liara's shoulder. "Mistress, she also has a concussion... probably why she's unconscious."

Bethany jerked as if she had been shot. "Oh, God. I probably did that when I yanked her back from the edge." At Liara's sharp glance, she continued her explanation, telling them how she didn't realize the commander had been shot and how Shepard had been unable to keep her balance and almost fell. "When I pulled her back from the edge to keep her from falling into the pit, it was like her feet wouldn't move... and she stumbled and fell flat out on her back. I didn't think about it, but she probably hit her head! I'm so sorry!"

Liara shook her head. "Not your fault. You kept her from falling to her death with poor Tarquin. If the fall didn't kill him, the explosion of the trigger device certainly did. Had you not grabbed Shepard, she very well may have been down there with him."

Liara leaned over and moved the commander's head as smoothly as she could, turning Shepard's uninjured cheek down toward the concrete so she could get a good look at the back of the commander's head. As her hand moved tenderly through Shepard's hair, trying to feel for any large bumps or outward signs of injury, her fingers suddenly felt damp. Her eyes opened wide as she withdrew her hand to find her fingertips _covered_ in blood. Liara whispered, "Oh, Goddess!" before standing abruptly and looking at Garrus. Her voice was pitched with alarm. "Where's the damn _shuttle_?"


	12. Avenging Angels

Notes:

DMZ - DeMilitarized Zone

QEC - Quantum entanglement communicator

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

* * *

**Avenging Angels**

**SSV Normandy**

Liara had been ejected from the med bay by a very stern Dr Chakwas, saying her fretting over Shepard would only slow the process and Karin had no time to deal with a concerned Asari; she had work to do. Liara decided to take one of the more stressful discussions off of Shepard's 'to do' list and headed up to the command deck, making her way to the War Room and the QEC. Hackett was surprised when he accepted the call from the Normandy. "Liara. Nice to see you, but I expected Shepard. What's happened?"

Liara explained what they had learned from Lieutenant Tarquin Victus, how much resistance they ended up encountering, and what they ended up doing to ensure mission success. "An entire Turian platoon of forty soldiers was wiped out, Admiral... along with the Primarch's son. Shepard dropped her guard only briefly to try to catch him with a biotic pull... the instant she released her barrier, a waiting sniper took the shot." Liara closed her eyes and took a deep breath before continuing. "Tarquin Victus fell to his death and Private Bethany Westmoreland pulled Shepard back from the brink of joining him. Shepard will recover; she has an armor-piercing round lodged in her shoulder, several small lacerations on her face and a gash on the back of her head, accompanied by a moderate to severe concussion. She's in surgery now; I'm sure Dr Chakwas will provide you a full medical briefing as soon as she's able."

Hackett's face was grim. "Sounds like we owe Private Westmoreland a bit more than just a thank you; I'll see to it. So, I assume the XO, Garrus Vakarian, has temporarily taken over the mission and command of the Normandy?"

"Yes, Sir." Liara nodded. "He's debriefing the ground crew and writing the mission report as we speak. You'll have the electronic copy shortly." Liara couldn't help the light smirk that crawled across her face. "I'm sure you'll get it much faster from Garrus than you ever would have from Shepard. She should probably ask him to write all the reports... you'd certainly get them sooner, but I'm afraid Garrus would mutiny."

A light chuckle actually erupted from Hackett's normally stoic demeanor. "That right there... you being able to joke at a time like this... tells me Shepard is going to be fine. Pass on to everyone that you did some great work down there, under extremely difficult circumstances. Stopping that bomb prevented war between the Turians and the Krogan, but I imagine the situation on the Normandy is extremely tense between Urdnot Wrex and the Primarch. I don't need to tell you how essential it is that you keep the peace, Liara."

"No, Sir... you don't. I know we _need_ that treaty." Liara frowned, all joviality gone. "Nothing is going to happen, Admiral... if I have to put them _both_ in stasis until they talk it out to _my_ satisfaction."

Hackett's eyebrows raised, but he made no comment about her threat. "Make sure the Primarch doesn't take offense to the fact that the Krogan are moving in to recover the bomb. They certainly aren't going to allow Turians in to help; that bomb belongs to the Krogan now."

"I'm sure he's aware and that he probably fully understands their reasons." Liara's head was nodding slightly. "The Primarch is a decent man. He knows the score and he's... practical. More than I'm willing to say about many of the politicians I have run into since this all started."

"Good to hear." Hackett paused briefly before continuing. "Give my best to Shepard when she rejoins the conscious world. Anything else, Dr T'Soni?"

"No, Sir." Liara shook her head and as Hackett signed out and his visage disappeared from the QEC, Liara's focus shifted and she heard Wrex and the Primarch arguing out in the War Room. Her face filled with anger as she turned and stalked out of the communications center.

Wrex and the Primarch were closing fast as Victus tried to explain, "We couldn't risk another galactic war with the Krogan!"

Wrex's voice started low, "The Genophage wasn't enough?" but grew in intensity as he finished, "You had to plant a _bomb_ on my planet?"

Liara had to give him a _little_ credit; the Primarch was at least _trying_ to diffuse the situation. "The decision was made hundreds of years ago... so much has changed!"

Wrex raised a massive hand and pointed accusingly at Victus, "Not enough to tell us about the _bomb_, coward!"

Liara had heard enough and even though she was still a distance away from them, she growled out, "Stop it! _Both_ of you!"

They stopped and looked at her in surprise as she continued to walk toward them, her building anger evident in every step she took. "We cannot let the past dictate our future! We need to work together if we are to have _any_ chance at defeating the Reapers!"

The Primarch had never seen Liara angry and it had been a long time since Wrex had seen her like this as well, so they both watched her final approach in silence. Liara glared at Victus, "Primarch. You had a bomb in the _heartland_ of Tuchanka!" Her fierce stare turned quickly to Wrex, "And _you_, Wrex. I know damn well if the positions had been reversed, you would have done the _exact_ same thing! Then again, no; you would have simply blown them to smithereens and called it a good day's _work_!"

Wrex thought he had seen this side of Liara before, so he wasn't nearly as intimidated as the Primarch. He stared to speak, "Liara..."

The Asari's face suddenly went chillingly blank as her eyes drilled into the big Krogan, biotic energy starting to coalesce around her frame. Liara's voice reverberated with barely contained wrath, making even _Wrex_ reconsider his position. "The Primarch lost his _son_ to fix this, Wrex... and in case you are forgetting, my _bondmate_ and our best chance at winning this war was nearly _killed..._ and is still in surgery as we speak!" Wisps of blue floated off her fingertips as Liara veritably growled, "Do _not_ 'Liara' me!"

The Primarch wondered how close to the edge the Asari actually was and sought to alleviate the rapidly escalating tension, "Please, Dr T'Soni, it's all right."

Even Wrex took a step back, trying to remember when, or if, he had _ever_ seen Liara _this_ angry. He wisely opted not to test her limits, especially when it came to Shepard. "Yes. Fine, you're right. Sorry, Liara. You _know_ Shepard is my Krantt; she's like a sister to me. This mission is important to _all_ of us, and we owe it to Shepard... and to ourselves, to see it through."

The tension slowly faded from Liara's shoulders and the blue wisps vanished into the air. Liara took a couple of deep breaths to focus on containing her biotics before she responded. "Yes, we do. Now, don't forget it; our very survival depends on it."

Liara turned her scowl on Victus. "This is why Shepard _hates_ politicians, Primarch, and we thought you did as well. I am unequivocally disappointed that you have decided to act as one; we had sincerely hoped _you_ would be different. Unfortunately, you relearned the cost of mistrust and keeping secrets today. I _hope_ it is a lesson we do not repeat."

Victus dropped his eyes to the floor. "Yes... you're right. It was a mistake to not trust the commander. I know that now."

He glanced at the holographic representation of the Crucible project status that constantly floated above the war terminal table dominating the center of the War Room; it was a continuous reminder of both what they had already accomplished and what they had yet to achieve. He shook his head and took a few steps away before turning back. "My son... he died with the respect of his men. I owe the entire Normandy crew for that. His sacrifice will be recorded in the histories of the Ninth Platoon, something any father would be proud of."

Liara's eyes softened and her face lost its frown, turning introspective instead. "I _am_ sorry for your loss, Primarch, and sincerely wish you had the occasion to see Tarquin _alive_ to accept the accolades." Liara sighed sadly, "Shepard will appreciate the posthumous honors that Tarquin will be granted with a soldier's grace, but she will still believe her efforts fell far too short."

* * *

Liara returned to the crew deck to find the med bay shades still drawn; it hadn't been very long and she really hadn't expected anything different, but that did not keep her from feeling disappointed. She walked over to the Mess, quickly downed an energy drink and grabbed a cup of tea and two energy bars before turning and heading to the main battery to find Garrus. When she walked in, Wrex was speaking over the intercom, his voice irritated but not accusatory. "I'll assume you didn't know about this. My good friend wouldn't hide the fact that his people planted a doomsday bomb on my planet, right?"

Garrus' talons paused on the console interface as he replied, "Wrex, I was just as much in the dark as you, honest."

Wrex chuckled, "That's what I needed to hear. I'm just making you sweat, Garrus. I wasn't sure you could. You're always so calm."

Garrus started typing again as the now lighter banter continued. "I'd be happy to give the Krogan some lessons on... _relaxing_."

Wrex laughed outright. "And we'd be happy to feed you to a Thresher Maw! Wrex out."

Shaking his head, Garrus closed the program he was working on and turned to see who had entered. "Ah, Liara. You were apparently successful in your efforts to keep Wrex from killing the Primarch."

Liara blushed slightly. "I'm sure you'll hear it eventually so I'll simply tell you. It ended up more along the lines of the Primarch keeping me from attempting to give Wrex a lesson in political negotiations. Krogan style." At Garrus' surprised expression, Liara smiled and continued. "Don't worry. Wrex actually backed down and came to his senses _before_ we did any damage to the War Room."

"Well, _that's_ good. Unexpected, maybe... but good." Garrus narrowed his eyes and really _looked_ at Liara. He had known her a long time and while she appeared outwardly calm, he could easily pick out telltale signs of stress in the way she held her body and her lack of solid eye contact. "I know you're angry and frustrated, Liara... and I don't believe you've ever come in _here_ to see me. You normally call and meet me in the lounge when you want to chat, so I _know_ this isn't a social call. What's on your mind?"

Liara closed her eyes and raised a hand to pinch the bridge of her nose. "I feel..." Her hand dropped and her eyes finally met Garrus' straight on. "I feel like I'm about to explode, Garrus." She paused, contemplating exactly what she wanted to say. "That was much too close... and I am _so_ angry with Cerberus. There's another Tuchanka mission on the docket. It's an _N7_ mission for Shepard but I want to do it. Now. While we're here."

Garrus didn't need her to explain what was 'too close;' she was plainly referring to the assassin's bullet that missed its mark. Twice. However, her request to take on an N7 mission surprised him. "An _N7_ mission... without 'N7' Shepard?"

Liara nodded. "Yes. _For_ Shepard. I want to make Cerberus _pay_." At the slightly confused look on the Turian's face, Liara realized what had gone through her mind had not been passed to Garrus; she had come to depend on the direct link while working with Shepard. "Sorry. I'm used to Shepard picking up my thoughts. I did some research after I saw the mission added to the list. There's an old military installation... an ancient ground-to-space defensive cannon left over from the Krogan Rebellions... and Cerberus has taken control of it. We need to take it back before they get it operational. The cannon would severely impede our ability to get Krogan troops on and off Tuchanka."

Garrus nodded. "I'm sure Hackett will approve the mission... and I'll bet Wrex will be more than happy to help us out, seeing as Cerberus just tried to kill the majority of the Krogan population, and probably all of the breeding females."

Liara visibly relaxed and Garrus rested a hand on her shoulder. "It's going to be alright, Liara. Believe me; I understand that need for revenge. I've been there. _Twice_. Once with Dr Saleon and then with Sidonis. I won't deny you this." Garrus dropped his hand and smiled. "Matter of fact, I think I just might _enjoy_ it, nearly as much as you."

* * *

**Tuchanka, Aralakh System, Krogan DMZ**

Garrus had immediately contacted Hackett and received authorization to take on the N7 mission without Shepard; it made perfect sense to the Admiral that the Normandy crew handle it while they were there, before Cerberus had the chance to put any more reinforcements on the ground. They rounded up the entire ground team once again, minus Shepard but with Wrex back in the line-up, and headed to the surface. Since Shepard wasn't with them, Liara teamed Riana with Westmoreland. Liara directed her gaze to her First. "I know you prefer to be by my side, but Shepard would want us to do this..." Liara smiled and shifted her glance to the soldier. "I actually wanted to take Bethany with _me_ but she's used to covering a Vanguard. You two should make an _excellent_ team."

Garrus approved, but then split Edi and James to pair with the two biotics; assigning Edi with Wrex and James with Liara. As the drop shuttle made its final approach, the cannon fired into the atmosphere. Cortez whistled. "That cannon is massive... it's big enough to take down frigates, at the very least, probably a cruiser and maybe even a dreadnaught."

Wrex growled, "And I'll be forced to thank Cerberus for getting it operational for us..." Several heads turned his way in surprise before he continued, "... after I rip their heads off and use them as cannon fodder to take down their own damn ship that's been dropping all these soldiers on _my_ planet!"

Vega chuckled. "I can see why Shepard likes you, Wrex. You're a 'no messing around' kind of guy. I can respect that."

As Cortez hovered the shuttle close to the ground, Wrex just looked at James and growled, while opening the door and booting them all out. "Enough talk, ladies... we're here."

As they jumped out the door and landed on the surface, Garrus looked at Wrex. "Your planet, your rules."

Wrex grinned. "Kill them all and take back the big gun."

Garrus hesitated only for a second before responding, "Sounds simple enough."

"The old schematics show the control facility as being in that taller building in the middle of the compound." Liara pointed at the structure they were closest to. "This is the power control center."

Edi spoke up. "We should shut down the power so they cannot utilize the cannon while we are here. I would hate to take back the facility only to find they have destroyed the Normandy." As everyone stared at her, she continued. "That was a joke. The Normandy is both cloaked and out of its line-of-sight. They cannot even _target_ it, much less _hit_ it."

Liara closed her eyes. "Goddess, Edi. We _really_ need to adjust your humor heuristics when we get back on board."

James opened a panel and pulled a large lever down. "However, killing the power is a _great_ idea." After he had pushed the lever all the way down, he removed it and tucked it in a storage pocket on his equipment belt. "And now they can't just turn it back on once we move."

As the cannon fired again, Liara pointed further into the building. "Let's get moving. It's a parallel system; there should be another power control panel just like this one."

When they shut down the secondary power source, the cannon fell silent. James tossed the additional lever to Garrus. "I shouldn't have both... just in case."

Garrus caught it and tucked it away, nodding. "Agreed... and let's be ready. They're bound to investigate why they lost power."

It wasn't long before the first Cerberus engineer showed up to do just that. He walked around the corner and immediately dove back out the doorway and shouted on his comms before Wrex blasted him with a warp. "Word's out. Time to clean the vermin off my homeworld."

As the first wave rolled in and Liara caught sight of the trademark white and yellow armor, her whole body lit with biotics and she released her pent-up fury. Few Asari could manage the control and energy output necessary to maintain a full-strength barrier and hold singularities at the same time, but Liara was fueled by rage. Riana had seen this once before, when Liara was young and had come fresh from an argument with her mother... and Liara's skills and power had developed significantly since then as she had fought by Commander Shepard's side.

Liara stood out in the open, an irresistible target for the inbound assault troopers who learned of their mistake much too late. As they stormed into view thinking her an easy target, she opened a singularity, drawing a number of unshielded troops into its grasp. Before she could take the pleasure of killing them with her SMG, Wrex stole her thunder by launching a warp and igniting a biotic explosion, killing them all at once. The big Krogan avoided becoming the new target of her anger simply by laughing, "Don't even _think_ I'm going to let you have all the fun, T'Soni. You're not the only one with a bone to pick with these invaders."

Liara actually _smiled_ at Wrex but when Garrus saw her expression, the smile chilled him to the bone; it carried a promise of satisfying, absolute _annihilation_. Garrus immediately realized what was happening and gave new instructions to the Normandy team. "Protect their flanks and keep them from being blindsided! This is their fight... keep them safe and let 'em roll!"

Everyone understood and shifted to provide a defensive perimeter as the two biotics simply steamrolled through the facility. They moved, cautious but steady. Liara dropped her barrier in favor of activating her shield and creating every biotic combination she could think of with Wrex. Knowing the remainder of the Normandy team was removing any threats from the sides, Liara and Wrex concentrated solely on shredding the Cerberus defensive line that was attempting to impede their progress. Edi and Garrus contributed with overloads whenever shielded centurions showed up and, between the two of them, their tech attacks were more than sufficient to keep pace with the new arrivals.

The _only_ thing that slowed their progress was an engineer who had decided to not commit blatant suicide with a frontal assault. He had fallen back and set up two automated turrets, thinking to slow the Normandy team's approach until more reinforcements arrived. An overload from Garrus combined with an incineration burst from Edi and his plan fell apart; they easily destroyed the turrets and Liara froze the ill-fated engineer in a stasis before he was able to make good on an escape. Liara glowered as she walked purposely up to the man who could do nothing but watch her approach. He begged for his life as Liara sneered, "Don't bother," and put a bullet through his head at point blank range as a look of pure hatred flashed across her face.

James saw her expression and muttered to Garrus, "¡_Dios mio_! That's one pissed off Asari. Remind me to _never_ get on her bad side!"

Garrus looked at him and whispered back, "I think you're safe. I'm pretty sure the only thing to make her _that_ angry is you trying to kill Shepard... and somehow, I don't see you doing that."

Once the turrets were destroyed and the bothersome engineer was no longer a problem, they made their way into the command center and secured the operations console. Garrus pulled out the second power controller that James had given him and tossed it to Edi. "You four go get the power back on. Riana and Westmoreland will stay here with me and Campbell to secure operations, just in case Cerberus sends some more soldiers they want us to kill."

Liara spared a glance and a nod for Riana before turning and heading back out to the power control center. With only four team members, Liara and Wrex fell back into the standard team formations as they battled their way back through a couple more shuttles full of Cerberus reinforcements. Garrus informed them over the comms that a team of six had also moved on the ops center under the mistaken assumption it had been abandoned. He chuckled quietly. "Don't worry... they were _completely_ unsuccessful."

As James and Edi returned the levers to operation and pushed the power back up, Edi called Garrus on the comm. "The Normandy has identified a cruiser as the source of the arriving Cerberus reinforcements. The ship is currently in the process of powering weapons to begin bombardment of this facility; I have passed you its coordinates. Now that we have restored power, I would highly suggest you input the ship's coordinates into the control console and engage the cannon. I find it preferable that _we_ shoot first."

* * *

**SSV Normandy**

Back aboard the Normandy, Riana helped Liara up to the loft. In her heightened emotional state, Liara had overused her biotics and, as she came down off the rush during the return shuttle ride, her body started to shut down from pure exhaustion. She hadn't driven herself to the stage of biotic shock, but Riana wasn't taking any chances and pushed a small concentrated pure eezo cube into her mouth. Normally, Liara would happily take one of the larger sweetened and flavored cubes, but they had none left. Liara made a face and Riana pointed at her. "Do not even _think_ to spit that out. I know it is bitter, but it is your punishment for your negligence and overextending yourself when you had an entire team to back you."

"Now," Riana also handed her an energy drink. "...chew the cube and drink this to swallow it down."

Liara had little fight left in her, so did as she was told as she plopped down onto the couch. "Goddess! I _am_ tired."

"It is perfectly understandable, Mistress." Riana smiled softly as she started to unclip Liara's armor, efficiently removing the arm and shoulder guards as she spoke. "Though I must admit, I had never thought to see a performance like _that_ from you ever again. I think you _frightened_ the Alliance soldiers and I believe they have a newfound respect for your abilities."

"Shepard will be angry with me when I tell her." A look of anguish crossed Liara's face and Riana set aside the chest piece of her mistress' armor and squatted down before her.

"She will be no such thing." Riana reached up and lifted Liara's chin. "Do not look down at your feet as though you are ashamed. It was an impressive display and Shepard will understand your need to release your anger. Better _Cerberus_ than Wrex and the War Room." Riana laughed. "I honestly believe Shepard will consider that a most... _constructive_... way to vent your frustration."

Liara reached up and captured her First's hand as Riana removed it from her chin. "Thank you, Riana. You are probably correct. It's my exhaustion speaking. I should rest, but I also want to take a shower and go see Shepard."

Riana sighed. "Do you wish me to speak as your First or as your friend?"

Liara smiled weakly. "Neither is necessary. As First, you would say, 'Yes, Mistress,' and as my friend you would put me straight to bed."

"Which is _exactly_ where you need to be... for at least a couple of hours to recover your strength... before you even _begin_ to attempt anything else. You can't even bend over to take off your boots without getting _dizzy_." Riana resumed the deconstruction of Liara's protective shell by unclasping the very same boots she had just spoken of. "I will compromise with you. You rest while I check in with Dr Chakwas to confirm Shepard's status. I promise to come fetch you the _minute_ Shepard is awake and allowed visitors."

Riana paused to set Liara's boots and leggings to the side before standing to look down at her exhausted friend. "If I remember correctly, after the Collector station, Shepard slept for seven hours after her surgery... and she had suffered a similar head injury. It has been less than four since we brought her to the Normandy. You should easily be able to sneak in two or three hours without missing a single _moment_ of Shepard's waking time."

Even after the eezo cube and energy drink, she felt acute fatigue finding purchase on both her body and mind. Stopping and sitting down became Liara's downfall and she gave in, leaning resignedly against the back of the couch in defeat. "Fine. You win."

As her eyes slipped shut, she felt Riana grasp her upper arm in a vice-like grip that was not to be denied. "No you don't. Proper rest. In the bed. Up we come, Mistress, or I will lift and strip you with my biotics to get you where you should be."

Liara's eyes crept back open and a light smile slid onto her face. "I am almost tired enough to let you do it, but I'm afraid my pride is not going to let me."

With a laugh, Riana assisted Liara up off the couch, helped her undress and ensured she was snuggled cozily under the covers. Riana had barely finished tucking the blanket in before Liara's eyes were closed and her breathing became slow and regular. Riana smiled affectionately at the sleeping Asari and whispered softly, "Sleep well, Liara. It is a rest well deserved. You made us proud today."

* * *

Riana slipped out the door and returned to the med bay to speak with Dr Chakwas, who joined her in the Mess for tea. "Oh, Liara will have time enough for more than a couple of hours, that's for certain. Shepard came out of surgery only two hours ago, so she has at least five more before I even _start_ to taper off the sedatives. I know her physiology well enough to delay her full waking for another hour after _that_ so I have a chance to evaluate her pain levels without her being aware enough to mask them."

Chakwas laughed quietly at the expression on Riana's face. "Oh, believe me. I am not above trickery and deception when it comes to treating the commander. She's too damn stubborn and I know better than to think I'll ever get an honest response from her unless she's still too drugged up to remember to lie. Once I'm done with the physical exam, I can stop the remaining sedative drip and perform the concussion evaluation probably within five minutes. Her recovery time from sedation is astounding."

Karin tilted her head as she examined the expression on Riana's face. "But, I see in your eyes I have given you too much information when you wanted a simple answer. Liara will wake faster than Shepard, undoubtedly, so give her the full five hours before you rouse her. Even then, she'll still have an hour to shower and eat something before she'll be allowed to set foot inside my med bay." Dr Chakwas smiled. "Is that the answer you were looking for, Riana?"

"Five hours." Riana smiled in return. "That is _better_ than the answer I was looking for, Doctor. Thank you."

"Excellent. In that case, I have a patient to monitor. Thank you for providing me with company while I took my tea, but I must get back to the med bay." Karin stood and caught Samantha Traynor out of the corner of her eye. She looked back at Riana and whispered, "Besides, I do believe a fellow Brit has been waiting patiently to take my place." Dr Chakwas chuckled at Riana's confused expression. "Ask Specialist Traynor; I'm sure she'll be happy to explain."

Karin was correct... she may have been older but her eyes were still sharp and she knew how to read people. Within seconds, Traynor was sitting down in the seat the doctor had just vacated. "So how's the commander?"

Riana's face held a puzzled expression as she answered the question. "The surgery was successful, but Dr Chakwas will not know the final results for another five to six hours. We were actually speaking of Dr T'Soni. She exhausted herself today; she pushed too hard and was near the edge of biotic shock. I was merely trying to establish how long I could let her rest before Shepard would be awake. I will not deny her being present for the commander's return to consciousness."

"That's excellent. Oh! About the commander's surgery, I mean. Not about Liara... ah, Dr T'Soni being so knackered... uhm... exhausted, that is." Traynor noticed Riana's expression hadn't changed. "Riana? What exactly did Dr Chakwas say to you? You look a bit... off."

"Our conversation was very pleasant, but at the end, she said something that my translator did not catch. I am still trying to puzzle it out, but failing miserably. I'm pretty sure she was referring to you, and she called you something... a fellow...brit? I do not know what that is, but she said to ask you and you would be happy to explain." Riana looked at the specialist in expectation.

"Oh God. That's just... smashing." Traynor shook her head. "And you are so happily oblivious, it's disheartening."

Riana frowned in confusion. "Goddess, I do _wish_ you spoke Thessian... or at _least_ Galactic Standard. My translator is having an exceedingly difficult time with this conversation for some reason."

Traynor stopped and took a deep breath. "Riana. I'm going to say something, and I don't want you to interrupt me, because if I stop, I doubt I'll ever finish. OK?"

"Certainly, Specialist. I promise to maintain my silence until you are done." Riana leaned forward and rested her arms on the table between them, her complete attention focused on Traynor.

"Here goes nothing... or everything, depending on the point of view." Another deep breath later and Traynor started talking. "First, the doctor called me a fellow Brit. Short for someone from Britain, an island nation on Earth. It's my accent. I was actually born in the colonies, on Horizon, but my parents are from London and I somehow managed to develop what's referred to as a strong British 'Received Pronunciation.' Which means a non-native that manages to sound like one. My accent got even stronger when I attended university at Oxford. Because of that, everyone _assumes_ I'm a Brit."

She stopped and shook her head, "But that's really all beside the point. What she meant... about me being happy to explain? That's her way of saying that she knows I like you. _Really_ like you. Like happy to spend every free moment of my day with you, like you. And explaining to you why she called me a 'Brit' is an excellent excuse to do just that... spend time with you, that is."

Traynor paused to take another quick breath before rushing on, "I find you very... _attractive..._ and I'm not speaking strictly in the physical sense. I love your personality, your humor, your work ethic... pretty much everything about you. And, I would _seriously_ like to get to know you better."

After a few moments of complete silence, Traynor spoke again. "I'm done. You can speak now... please? Matter of fact, I really _need_ you to speak now or else I'll know I have just made a complete and utter fool of myself and I'll have to request a transfer, because I'll never be able to walk the Normandy again without everyone knowing what a complete prat I've just made of myself..."

Riana reached across the table and grabbed Traynor's hand to shut her up. "Specialist Traynor. Samantha. Stop." Traynor's jaw hung open, stopped in mid-rambling, for just a moment before she snapped her mouth closed and stared at Riana in shock. First, because Riana had actually spoken her first name, and Traynor never thought the commando would remember it after having heard it only once during their initial introduction; second, because Riana's warm blue hands were currently wrapped tightly... comfortingly... around her left hand in the middle of the table.

"Come." Riana slowly released Traynor's hand and stood from her chair. "Perhaps we should continue this conversation in the privacy of my... office." Riana had hesitated, realizing her 'office' was also her 'room' and while she liked the specialist... _Samantha_... she was unsure exactly what her feelings were. Nor did she know what Traynor was looking for. Riana hoped it was not the standard misconception that Asari were promiscuous. If that was the reason for her interest, Specialist Traynor was going to be _very_ disappointed.

* * *

"Sir. I wanted to provide you an update on the Tuchanka status and request guidance, since this is primarily an Alliance crew." Garrus had decided it was his turn to call Hackett, especially since it seemed Liara was down for the count.

"Garrus Vakarian. It's a pleasure. Shepard has told me a lot about you, but even if she hadn't it wouldn't matter. She trusts you enough to give you the Normandy; that's good enough for me." Hackett nodded politely. "So, what have you got?"

Garrus filled him in on the successful recapture of the cannon and how pleased Wrex was, but the Krogan forces were spread thin and he wouldn't guarantee their ability to secure the facility. "They've got Reaper scouts dirt-side and a good portion of their available troops are taken up by the new requirement to secure the... uhm... rather large bomb we so kindly installed on Wrex's planet. I was fortunate enough to be completely in the dark on that operation and Wrex isn't holding it against me." Garrus shook his head. "He didn't ask directly, but I think he was hinting at the idea of getting some Alliance help to secure the cannon facility."

Hackett's eye brows raised in surprise. "I'm sure we can get a special operations team out there. How long are you planning on sticking around, with Shepard down?"

"We can't afford to sit still, Sir. We received an assistance request from Benning. More Cerberus activity... The crew is still pretty angry about them taking that shot at Shepard... and we're willing to head out there and take care of it for you, if you're ready to authorize another N7 mission to a Normandy with her N7 down for a yet unknown period of time." Garrus fully expected an approval.

"I don't have a problem with that at all; you seemed to take care of the last one quite handily. Mission Authorized. By the time you're done with that, we should have a better grip on Shepard's status. We'll figure out what's next when the time comes. Keep me posted..." Hackett pursed his lips and thought for a moment before continuing. "How exactly am I supposed to refer to you?"

Garrus chuckled. "Sorry, Sir. Guess I should have at least introduced myself, even though it was obvious you already know who I am. As advisor to the Primarch, technically I am referred to as an Agent for the government of Palaven, but no one likes the title. Hell, even the Primarch doesn't use it and simply yells 'Vakarian' when he wants to speak to me; we're a pretty flexible bunch. So, Agent Garrus Vakarian at your service, Sir, but feel free to call me Garrus... or Vakarian. It's your choice; I'll answer to either."

Hackett stared at him for a couple of moments before letting out a light laugh. "Well. That's absolutely no help at all... so I'll stick with the Primarch's choice. Let me know what you find at Benning, Vakarian."

Garrus nodded. "You can count on it, Admiral."

* * *

**A/N**: I unintentionally named this chapter identical to a story based on Baldur's Gate by Theodur. When it was pointed out to me, I did something of a face-palm... Not sure if it was truly coincidence or my subconscious took over my fingers... but it's done, so I'm not taking it back now. That said, by all means, if you haven't read any of Theodur's stories, you should. It's great stuff!


	13. Awakenings

Notes:

_Ardat-yakshi_: "demon of the night winds"

_Kaffe_ \- equatorial Thessian vine, the seeds of which are used to produce a non-alcoholic beverage of the same name, the taste described as a mix of coffee and chocolate; blends originating in Dassus are considered among the best

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

* * *

**Awakenings**

**SSV Normandy**

As the door slid shut behind Traynor, she would have sworn her heart rate doubled. She had been in the Information Ops Office many times, but never in any 'unofficial' capacity... and never had it felt quite so _claustrophobic_.

Riana had taken a few steps in and paused; glancing quickly through the office, it suddenly dawned on her that visitors to the office had nowhere to actually _sit_ except for the two chairs in front of the Broker terminal which, even though shut down, was probably not the greatest idea. As such, she really had no other option but to walk through to her quarters at the back of the office, where she had a couple of couches and her beverage station. When she reached the privacy doors, she pushed them open as wide as they could go; at this stage of her relationship with Samantha, Riana felt the need to make the room an extension of Liara's and her _office_... and _not_ her private bedroom. Realizing the import of first impressions, Riana suddenly found she was _very_ pleased with her habit of making the bed when she rose instead of merely closing the doors to hide the mess.

Traynor followed on Riana's heels and was surprised when, after only a brief hesitation, the commando walked straight back to her private quarters and immediately opened the doors to her bedroom. Traynor had assumed they were heading to the left-hand rear corner of the office, to sit in the only _pair_ of chairs in the entire room, so her heart fluttered in her chest and she suddenly felt slightly short of breath when Riana pushed open the privacy doors to reveal her bed. Fearing she was about to have a panic attack, Traynor's feet stopped moving and she uttered, "Uhm... Riana?"

Riana turned and held her left hand out, indicating a small couch to Traynor's right. "Please, have a seat." Riana offered a small smile, but her face carried a puzzled expression. "Are you all right, Samantha?"

The specialist immediately felt like an idiot for allowing Asari stereotypes to force her to jump to conclusions. She breathed a sigh of relief and offered a shaky response. "Oh! Right. Yes, I'm fine. Thank you."

Riana stepped up next to her bed and pushed a curtain back to the side of the couch, revealing a small counter with a sound device and a beverage station. Glancing at Samantha, she asked, "Would you like something to drink? I have various teas, hot cocoa and Thessian _Kaffe_." She paused and smiled. "Though, from the look on your face, you're wishing I had something stronger... but I'm afraid for _that_ we would need to relocate to the bar in the crew lounge."

Riana laughed as Traynor's face immediately darkened and she blurted, "Oh God! I'm sorry!"

Riana's smile softened and her voice was soothing. "I see no need for you to apologize... but may I ask what has you so uneasy?"

Traynor let out a huge sigh. "I'm not very good at this. I've always been kind of a nerd..." The confused look on Riana's face made her stop and think about what she had just said. "Nerd. Someone who is not very interested in sports... more interested in intellectual pursuits, often to the detriment of their social life."

At that, Riana laughed, "You mean like Dr T'Soni?"

"NO! That's not what I meant at all! I mean... Dr T'Soni is beautiful and talented..." Traynor groaned in frustration. "I would never compare myself to her... _and_ I'm starting to think perhaps this was not such a great idea."

Traynor stood, contemplating leaving, and Riana immediately discerned her intent. Not ready to see her depart so soon, Riana placed a gentle, encouraging hand on Samantha's shoulder. "Please, do not go."

Samantha's eyes opened wide as the heat from Riana's hand penetrated quickly to her shoulder and she looked at the blue hand in surprise, almost as if she didn't know how it got there and nearly expecting to see it ringed in blue fire. Seeing the expression on her face, Riana immediately pulled it away. "I'm sorry. Asari are very... _tactile_... and I forgot Humans are not. Your... _personal space_... is rather sizeable by our standards. I apologize if I offended you."

"Absolutely not. No apology necessary." To illustrate her point, Traynor stepped closer to Riana and realized she had to look up only slightly to meet her eyes. "It... uhm... was warm. I mean it felt... _nice_. And you surprised me a little, that's all."

Riana's eyes traveled over Traynor's face, taking in her darker skin tone and her fine features, but what truly grabbed her attention was Traynor's soft brown eyes and she found herself staring into them as she whispered, "So... what would you like to drink?"

Traynor blinked. "Oh... right. I don't know what _Kaffe_ is, so... tea, I suppose. I know Dr T'Soni likes it, so you probably have some Earl Grey?"

Riana laughed gently, "Liara only drinks Earl Grey when she has no Thessian teas available, but I probably have some here, somewhere."

Traynor's breath caught in her throat when Riana turned and stretched to reach a box on the shelf above the dispenser. She was close enough to see the definition in the commando's back muscles through her skin-tight leathers and without thinking, she suddenly reached out and ran a hand down the back of Riana's muscular shoulder. "It's fine, Riana. Don't go digging. I'll have whatever _you're_ having?"

When Riana felt the _extremely_ unexpected warm fingers trace the line of her shoulder muscle, she gripped the shelf and froze as her eyes involuntarily closed. It had been a long time since anyone had touched her... _softly_. Not a clap on the shoulder for a job well done or a companionable shove after a joke... a simple, soft touch which caused her memories to flash back to the gentle hand brushes that Samantha had shared at the lunch table, setting off tiny explosions of light in her mind. She took a deep breath and brought her hand back down slowly before turning around to face the specialist. Riana swallowed and cleared her throat to make sure her power of speech had not deserted her. "I am... having _Kaffe._ It is similar to a half-and-half blend of your coffee and hot cocoa. I believe you will like it."

Not yet making any move to grab the necessary ingredients, she continued to stare into Traynor's eyes as her voice returned to a whisper, "And then, Samantha, I believe we need to talk about why we're really here."

Traynor's hand hadn't really moved as Riana had turned so, without any conscious effort on her part, Traynor's fingers were now gently wrapped around the back of Riana's upper arm. She also swallowed and slowly lowered her hand to her side. "That's probably a good idea, but I need to ask you to do something for me."

"Other than make you _Kaffe?"_ A slightly bashful smile graced Riana's features with her query.

Traynor smiled in return. "Yes. The only person who ever calls me Samantha is my mother... I always knew when I heard 'Samantha Daunton Traynor' that I was in trouble up to my eyeballs." With her words, the specialist made a quick hand gesture; her fingers were flat and level and made a slicing motion across her face at the bridge of her nose. She blushed slightly as she continued. "My friends call me Sammi... and I'd _really_ like to think you're already in that category."

"Certainly." Riana made direct eye contact again and looked deep into Traynor's eyes. "Though I believe we are talking about possibly becoming _more_ than friends... _Sammi_."

_Oh, God_. "I... uhm... yes. We are. Or we _will_ be, anyway... if we manage to actually get around to talking about it." Traynor gave her head a little shake and stepped away, returning to her sitting position on the small couch. "Sorry. I'll give you some room to work."

Traynor watched Riana make the stretch up to the top shelf again and was amazed that she had been bold enough, or crazy enough, to reach out and caress the commando's shoulder... and that Riana _hadn't_ objected. She didn't object to the light grip Traynor kept on her upper arm either, though Sammi had felt her triceps ripple and tighten at her uninvited touch. She had expected some form of protest when Riana had paused in her motion, however briefly, but it never came. Instead, the commando had taken a deep breath and turned back to Traynor _very_ slowly, having to collect herself before speaking. It gave Sammi a bit of needed confidence to know Riana was also affected by whatever it was that was happening between them.

Riana prepared their drinks and she talked while she worked to help ease her unexpected nervousness. "_Kaffe_ comes from the seeds of an equatorial Thessian vine; blends originating in Dassus are considered among the best and my Second and pilot of the _Aletheia_, Judea Voni, is from there. She is the one who taught me how to make it _properly_."

She grinned sheepishly as she handed Sammi her cup. "This, however, isn't it. I have yet to purchase an appropriate press, so this is barely an acceptable substitute. Judea would have my blue hide if she knew I was serving this to someone as their first experience with _Kaffe_."

Traynor laughed and smiled. "I promise not to tell."

Riana's face suddenly turned serious. "I would not have you sacrifice your honor on my account, Samantha Traynor, for any purpose... especially something so trivial."

"What?" Traynor's eyes went wide for a moment, realizing Riana wasn't joking. "No, no, no. I didn't mean it like that! I simply meant that if Judea didn't ask, I wouldn't volunteer the info... It's not like I'm going to _lie_ about it, no matter how inconsequential." Traynor gave Riana a troubled look. "I _do_ value my integrity, you know." Her face was clouded and she stared at the cup in her hand, finally taking her first cautious sip.

Riana sat down on the couch next to Traynor and was quiet for a moment, her eyes taking on a distressed look. "I... _apologize_; that is not what I meant. I feel our different languages and customs do not always translate correctly and we have both misunderstood one another. My statement was intended as a confirmation that I would never compromise your reputation by asking you, or expecting you, to lie for me. Friends do not do that to each other."

Traynor sighed in relief. "I wonder how Dr T'Soni and Commander Shepard navigated through all this crap at the start of their relationship. Our two races were even newer to one another and the language translators were even _worse_ then."

Riana laughed. "Do you not know?"

"Know what?" Traynor angled her head slightly, running through everything she had heard about the couple and wondering if there had been difficulties at the start of their relationship that she either hadn't heard through the ship scuttlebutt or didn't remember.

"They do not _use_ a translator." Riana smiled at Traynor's puzzled expression. "Shepard speaks at _least_ five languages, _one_ of which is Thessian."

"Bloody Hell!" Samantha's hand slapped across her mouth, surprised by her own outburst.

Riana couldn't keep herself from laughing. "What is so upsetting or shocking about that?"

"The woman's already a flipping hero with the body of a Greek goddess... and now I find out she's a smashing intellectual on top of it all?" Samantha shook her head. "No _wonder_ she's with someone like Dr T'Soni."

Riana's laughter fell away and her silence eventually got Traynor's attention. When Samantha looked at her, Riana's eyes twinkled as she smiled and spoke quietly. "You have no reason to be intimidated by Shepard, Sammi. You are quite intelligent... and beautiful in your _own_ right."

Traynor's face immediately turned red and she stuttered out a response, "I... ahhh. Thank you... Ri... Riana." She took a deep breath before continuing. "That's... uhm... not something a lot of people have said to me."

"Then it was their failure, not yours." Riana held her hand out, inviting, and Traynor took it gently after only a moment's hesitation. "I, like you said about me earlier, would like to get to know you better, Samantha Traynor. But I am unsure as to where to start."

Traynor ran her thumb gently over Riana's knuckles. "Well then, let me." Samantha smiled and began telling her story, starting with being born and growing up on the agricultural world of Horizon before ending up at Oxford University after the Alliance saw her aptitude scores and gave her a full scholarship. "There's no way my family would have been able to pay for university and I'm really not sure what I would have done otherwise; probably would have apprenticed at one of the computer repair shops."

Riana took a sip of her _Kaffe_ and leaned back on the couch. "And you do not think you would have liked that?"

Traynor shrugged. "For a couple of years, maybe, but I imagine I would have become bored rather quickly." Traynor's face took on an expression that was difficult to read and, after a moment, Sammi continued in a solemn voice. "As it turned out, I'm glad I joined the Alliance or I wouldn't have met Shepard. You do _realize_ she saved my family... and me?" Her eyes came up and met Riana's. "My parents were still on Horizon when the _Collectors_ hit the colony... and it just so happened _I_ was visiting home while on leave. We _all_ would have been turned into goo on that damn ship if the commander hadn't shown up with her team."

Riana's eyes lit up. "Then I am very glad to have helped Dr T'Soni keep Shepard from the clutches of the Collectors. I would prefer that you _not_ be... goo." She couldn't help but smile at the oddity of such a statement. "But that is all in the past and we are safely in the now... well, perhaps not safely, but still here to continue the fight."

Traynor smiled in return. "Yes, we are. But, enough about me. It's your turn."

Riana's light smile vanished less than a heartbeat after Traynor's statement. "My youth is something I have great difficulty speaking of." Riana's forehead crinkled and her eyes pinched. Sammi frowned and went to recant her statement, but Riana held up her hand, waylaying any protest. "No. It is alright. If we are to be friends, then there are at least a few basic things I should tell you, so as to avoid rather awkward conversations later."

Riana paused, took a deep breath and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, Traynor was surprised; they were clear and... _hard_. They possessed a coldness Traynor had never seen in them before and it made her wonder about the tale Riana was preparing to tell. Riana's voice was choppy when she first started but, after a few words, she fell into a rhythm... telling the story as if greatly removed from the events. She told of a once loving family that was destroyed by nothing more than a family's shame, but she would not reveal certain details other than to say it destroyed her admiration for the Justicar Order and left her alone and _personally_ lost for a long time. She was a ship adrift at sea until a concerned instructor, Huntress Elzia Trani, pulled her from her depression and provided her with both an anchor and a compass by introducing her to House T'Soni, for which Riana would be eternally grateful.

Traynor listened in abject dismay and, watching Riana tell the story completely devoid of emotion, wondered what secrets lay underneath it all that could be so terrible as to force such... _disconnectedness_... in order to be able to relay the tale. By the time Riana was done, Samantha Traynor was sure of two things; she definitely wanted to meet Elzia Trani, Judea Voni, and the rest of the House T'Soni commandos, and, deep in her soul, Traynor realized that in order to overcome her past, Riana had developed into a person of profound inner strength... who was _very_ much worth getting to know.

As she explained her revelations to Riana, the Asari's external shell broke down and she could no longer hold back the tears that demanded escape. Without thinking, Traynor reached over to wipe them away as she whispered, "I am _so_ sorry, Riana. I... I had no idea it would cause you so much pain or I would never have asked."

Riana caught Traynor's hands and gently pushed them away, proceeding to wipe her own tears. "It is... fine, Sammi." She took a deep breath and let it out slowly before continuing, "It is a story that needed to be told, so you understand that the idea of family brings _me_ little but pain."

"But what of your sister, Aresia? After all this time, certainly you've rebuilt your relationship?" Traynor refused to believe that, after given the opportunity to reconnect, Riana would let her sister slip away from her again.

Riana managed a smile as she answered, "You would be correct in that assumption... and we've had fifty years to do so; the time is finally longer than that for which my parents kept us apart... but it is still difficult. I am able to talk to her via vid-con but she is allowed to return to Thessia only once a year on a scheduled and strictly supervised visit. However, in the past half-century, I've only been able to meet her there maybe a dozen times because of everything that has been going on."

The commando shook her head. "And you must _never_ mention this in front of Mistress Liara; she feels _terrible_ that our schedules could not better accommodate the visits, because my duties _to her_ come first. She _is_ House T'Soni, no matter how much she cares to downplay her importance and the influence the House has on Thessia."

Traynor had long ago finished her drink; out of reflex, she picked up the empty cup and peered inside with disappointment at its emptiness. "You were right about the _Kaffe_. I did like it... and would love to have more, but I think we've probably done enough soul-rending for our first _real_ chat. Besides... I need to get some sleep before I have to be back on duty."

Traynor stood and glanced across the countertop with the beverage station. "What do you normally do with your dirty cups? Take them to the mess?"

"Yes. It's not like I have any way to clean them in here." Riana stood and joined Traynor by the counter, glancing around. "There isn't much sense in wasting the space by duplicating a capability that is truly only fifteen or twenty steps outside the office door."

"No, I suppose not. I'll take them out and drop them off when I leave, so you won't need to fuss with them." Traynor set her cup on the counter and turned to Riana, holding her hands out, palms up, in silent request.

Riana accepted and placed her hands gently on top; Traynor smiled and spoke softly, "I really _do_ like you, Riana Iregos. Thank you for trusting me with something so personal and don't even _begin_ to think that stories of an Ardat-yakshi in the family are enough to send me running."

Traynor blushed slightly and she half-shrugged as she continued, "Would it be ok to hug you?"

Riana dropped Traynor's hands and opened her arms in welcome. "I think I would like that very much, Sammi."

Traynor stepped into Riana's arms and was suddenly engulfed by much more than a pair of arms; she was quickly swept into a solid embrace that promised comfort and security. Riana's right arm wrapped snuggly around her waist and pulled her close while the commando's left hand gently caressed her upper back. As fingers gently kneaded her shoulder muscles, Traynor set her chin on Riana's shoulder and had to resist the temptation to snuggle in and kiss the base of the commando's neck. Even so, she couldn't stop herself from humming in pleasure, "God, I could get addicted to this. You certainly know how to hug."

Traynor once again found her hands sliding up along the line of Riana's shoulder blades and returned Riana's attentions... with interest. A soft groan inadvertently escaped Riana's lips and the commando stiffened and made a weak attempt to pull away, but Traynor didn't let go. Riana closed her eyes and whispered, "I am sorry. Such a reaction... Goddess! I'm not sure what to say! It has been a very long time since I have been touched... by _anyone_... in that way."

"It's alright, Riana. You're allowed to feel physical pleasure from simply being close to another person." Traynor's voice softened and she purred soothingly, "People are not _meant_ to be solitary creatures."

Traynor relaxed her hold to allow Riana to back away if she still desired to do so, but the knee-jerk reaction had been stifled and the commando stayed put. She pulled back just enough to meet Traynor's eyes and her words grated like course sandpaper over Traynor's heart. "It has been eight years since I have been in close contact with someone in other than commando training. My body is saying one thing while my mind is saying another."

Traynor immediately pushed away, slightly troubled, and blurted out, "Your mind is saying another? So, what? You don't want to pursue this?"

Riana squeezed her eyes shut for just a second, "That is not what I meant." Her eyes opened again, begging patience. "Please, Sammi, do not put words into my mouth that are not mine; let me finish my thought. I simply want to go slowly and do not want to have _careless_ sex with you. I want to develop a _relationship_. I want to find common ground and not rush into something before we understand one another, where we come from and what each of us wants."

Traynor's whole demeanor shifted and she stepped back up, taking Riana's hand gently in her own. "I'm sorry; that was my insecurity speaking. If you're worried about what I expect as far as sex goes... I am well aware of the common... _misinterpretations_... of Asari sexuality. I don't expect you to jump in the sack with me right away. I want it to come naturally, assuming it ever does."

"Jump in the sack?" Riana's face reflected confusion and Traynor suppressed an incredibly strong desire to reach up and smooth the wrinkles from the commando's forehead. "I am afraid that Human idiom is unknown to me."

"That's probably a good thing... it's a euphemism for having sex." Traynor couldn't hide her grin. "Sorry. You hang around with me long enough and you'll learn all kinds of things... not all of them good or proper, either."

"Samantha Traynor!" Riana's eyes opened wide in surprise. "I thought you were the bumbling, shy one!"

Traynor's mischievous grin immediately erupted into light laughter as she explained, "Only until I figure out the other person actually _is_ attracted to me and the feelings are mutual. Once _that_ happens, it puts us on equal footing and I become a lot more comfortable. You may not have intended that little groan, but I felt it rumble through your whole body... and don't you dare be embarrassed or angry that it happened. I mean... God! Eight _years_, Riana?" Traynor shook her head. "I would have exploded a long time ago!"

Hearing _that_ was more than Riana could endure and she also broke out into laughter. "Do not forget our differing lifespans, Sammi... that is like... less than a year for you."

Traynor scowled. "I don't buy it. A month is a month and a year is a year; _you_ just get _more_ of them than I do... so _eight years_ is still a damned long time, no matter _how_ you look at it. You won't convince me any differently."

Riana shook her head, still chuckling. "Did you not say something about needing sleep before it was time for your shift? Perhaps we have a topic for our next discussion?"

Traynor grinned. "Absolutely... and let's hope that it's not too far in the future, yes?"

Traynor picked up the two cups and turned to leave. Following a sudden impulse, she turned back and leaned into Riana, who canted her head thinking Sammi was going to whisper something in her ear; the commando was taken by surprise when a pair of affectionate lips softly met her cheek. Directly following the kiss, Traynor _did_ whisper, "I'll see you soon, Riana," before turning and walking out of the room.

Riana was speechless and just stared after the Human until the door slid shut behind her, cutting Traynor off from her line of sight. Her hand drifted up to the searing sensation those lips had left behind and her insides tumbled in reckless abandon. _Goddess! Perhaps she is right; eight years is a long time... no matter how you look at it._

* * *

_**Aletheia**_** SB-1**

Judea was lying face down on the bed and groaned in total contentment at the exquisite pressure that ran up each side of her spine. "By the _Goddess_, Miri. How did you get so _good_ at that?"

Basically sitting on top of Judea's butt, Miranda laughed, "Asari _musculature_ is extremely similar to ours and, trust me, after what I had to learn to rebuild Shepard, I am intimately familiar with Human muscle structure... and hence, yours. The only additional things I had to learn were the locations of your erogenous zones so I could avoid them when necessary."

Miranda leaned forward and whispered softly at the side of Judea's head, "Which you have been _very_ diligent at ensuring I know... each and _every_ one." She sat back up and splashed some more oil into her palm before rubbing her hands together to warm it; she then gently kneaded it onto Judea's sore shoulder. "Now, explain to me _exactly_ how you threw your shoulder out?"

"You were watching Sellis and I practice! What additional detail do you require Ms Lawson?" Judea grunted in discomfort as Miranda found the location of the problem. "Ai! There's a living Asari under that thumb you're digging in; one who is still trying to breathe, you know?"

Since she was face down, Judea couldn't see Miranda's cocked eyebrow as she replied, "I am well aware of that, Jude, and I know Sellis reset it for you, but you'll breathe much better..." Miranda released the pressure point and rotated Judea's arm slightly; her effort was rewarded with a gentle pop as she exclaimed, "... _after_ I do _that_!"

"Aaahhh!" Judea's shout was a mix of pain and relief as her shoulder _finally_ slid fully back into the correct position.

"It wasn't completely seated yet, but should feel _much_ better now... I'll talk to Sellis and help her improve her technique." Miranda ran her hands over Judea's shoulder to make sure everything was where it should be before leaning forward and placing a soft kiss between the shoulder blades of her 'patient' as she finished, "And this should help take your mind off of it completely."

"What is a kiss..." Judea's query fell away as she felt Miranda shift her hands down to the Asari's lower back to apply gentle soothing strokes. It was the perfect level of pressure to make Judea arch her back involuntarily as she moaned out, "That is... some... bedside... manner... you have... there, Miranda... Lawson. Terribly... unprofessional."

Miranda was about to make a cutting reply when her omnitool alarm suddenly started chirping. "Damn it!" The interruption was poorly timed, but Miranda still wiped her hands off on the towel she had slung over her shoulder and activated the notification. After reading it, she huffed and climbed off the bed carefully, so as to not jostle Judea any more than necessary. "Sorry, Jude. Business awaits."

Judea rolled over cautiously and smiled up at Miranda. "Ahhh. You're right. It _does_ feel better. _Much_ better. Thank you."

"God, Judea." Miranda stared at the bare-chested commando and couldn't help but lean over her, placing one hand down on the bed beside Judea's head while her other rested enticingly on the Asari's well-defined stomach. Leaning in, she placed a gentle kiss on each breast, listening to the hissing of Judea's quick intake of breath before looking up into Judea's shimmering golden eyes. "You. Are. Beautiful."

The fringes of her golden irises were definitely darkening as Judea cupped the back of Miranda's neck and pulled her down for a short kiss. "And _you_ are a terrible tease, Miri. What business awaits that is so urgent you have an _alarm_ set?"

Miranda grimaced. "The analysis program we had running finally collated all the information on the available planets in the Pylos Nebula." Miranda straightened and offered a hand to help Judea up off the bed. "According to our available data, Dr Ann Bryson is working on Namakli, in the Zaherin system."

Judea took the offered hand, rose and cautiously started to get dressed. "And based on the last mission report from the Normandy, Shepard's down for a few days."

"Besides which, they're already on their way to Benning on a separate mission." Miranda helped her lover pull her leathers up over her injured shoulder as she continued, "And you're not exactly in fighting shape right now, so looks like we have to let the _Rakhana_ continue to follow the trail again. But, we'll check with Liara first to be sure."

"It makes sense anyway..." Judea pulled her last zipper up, grimacing slightly at the motion. "The last note from Livos had them in the Rift and they were headed to Sheol in Hades Nexus; they had to locate some artifact on Gei Hinnon."

Miranda saw the grimace and commented, "We should have rubbed some medigel into that shoulder before buttoning up your leathers. We'll do that tonight before bed."

Judea cracked a quick smile. "I'll be sure to remind you."

* * *

**SSV Normandy**

Riana took a quick nap and was at the Broker terminal when the unexpected call came in from the _Aletheia_. She had a grin on her face as she responded to Miranda's request to speak with Dr T'Soni. "I hate to say it, but Liara is in no shape to speak with you... she's still passed out from her remarkable biotics display earlier. Until she's up and about I have no idea how she'll be, but as drained as she was, I highly doubt she'll be recovered yet. I imagine after she checks in on Shepard, she'll be sleeping right beside her _siame_ for at least another five hours or so."

Ever the doctor, Miranda frowned. "She didn't push herself to exhaustion, did she?"

Riana's smile transformed into a smirk as she answered, "Exhaustion, yes. _Biotic_ exhaustion, no. Don't worry, Miranda; I immediately gave her an eezo cube and energy drink, demanded she consume both, and put her directly to bed."

"That would have been something to see." Laughing lightly, Miranda's eyes danced with humor as she continued, "And _Shadow Broker_ T'Soni was amenable to this course of action?"

Riana threw her head back in laughter. When she regained her composure, a grin was plastered back on her face. "Oh, not at first; you should have seen the look she gave me when I stuck that unsweetened eezo in her mouth. But she had not the energy to protest too vehemently; we... made do."

Judea's head suddenly appeared over the Human's shoulder. "Hey, Ri! Liara's biotics are pretty substantial... she must have really kicked some ass to drain herself so badly."

"Oh, Jude! You should have seen her; she made us all proud! When we hit the ground, she and Wrex lit up and literally walked through two _platoons_ of Cerberus troopers, centurions and engineers." Riana's eyes lit with excitement. "Cerberus kept coming, and Liara and Wrex kept blasting while we protected their flanks and offered supporting fire. Liara was _magnificent_ and I do believe the Alliance soldiers have a newfound respect for our maiden!"

Judea's head bobbed in appreciation. "So our Little Wing showed her talons. Excellent!"

Miranda gently steered them back to the task at hand and by the time they were done with the discussion, they were sending a message off to Livos on the _Rakhana_ to head to Namakli when they completed their search at Gei Hinnon. When they were finished, Miranda closed out. "Seems we've established a pattern; you and Liara are our show of force, Livos and crew are our search and recovery and we're playing the support role, diverting anything and everything we can to the Crucible project." She paused only briefly before continuing, her expression growing a bit more serious. "Thank you, Riana, and take good care of Dr T'Soni. We need her for the fight and we need her to stay healthy to keep _Shepard's_ head on straight."

"And it's my job to take care of them both." Riana smiled and held up a hand when she saw Miranda cringe at her statement. "Relax, Miranda. That's been my job ever since I accepted my position as Liara's First. It has been my honor and privilege to do so for the last ten years; it certainly will not change now."

* * *

"Liara?" Riana sat softly on the edge of the bed and placed a hand on the soundly sleeping maiden's shoulder. When she got no response, she gently stroked Liara's upper arm. "Mistress Liara? Doctor Chakwas is beginning to rouse Shepard, so it is time to awaken... to ensure _you_ have time to shower and eat."

Liara's breathing hitched and she hummed in contentment at the gentle stroke, mumbling, "Hmmm. Feels nice..." Her eyes opened to tiny, blurry slits and a soft smile settled on her lips as she rolled to who, in her still half-asleep state, she _thought_ was her lover. Her brow furrowed, but the confusion dissipated quickly as she finished waking. She cleared her throat and focused on her very attentive friend, realizing she was being carefully observed. "Goddess, Riana. I'm sorry... I thought... you were Shepard. You interrupted a rather _pleasant_ dream."

Riana stroked her arm one last time as she apologized. "Then I am sorry to wake you, but Doctor Chakwas has begun to decrease Shepard's sedatives. You have an hour to shower and eat while she completes Shepard's evaluation. Assuming all is well, you'll be able to visit when she is done."

Liara groaned as she stretched and struggled to sit up. "I feel like I didn't move an inch all night." Her head swiveled to Riana and her eyes held a suspecting glint as she queried, "Exactly how long have I been sleeping?"

Riana laughed quietly. "Not nearly long enough if you are waking up grouchy and mistrusting that I would not do as I promised." Riana stood from the bed and went to the dresser to get Liara some underclothes. "Only five hours... and, clearly, it has not been enough if you are still so tired and achy."

Liara finally made it to her feet and moved toward the shower. As she climbed the three steps to the upper level, she groaned, "Goddess, my feet feel like they are buried in wet sand."

Riana frowned. "That is not good, Liara. You probably need to consume more eezo, but it can wait until we have Karin scan you and check your levels."

An involuntary shudder passed through her body. "Please do not let me forget to stock up on the _flavored_ cubes next time we are at the Citadel." Liara sighed, "I have a feeling this isn't going to be an isolated event."

"Of course, Mistress." Riana huffed. "I am sure the situation is made worse by the fact that I did not calculate the right volume of foodstuffs. Without our own supplies, we are not receiving the daily trace eezo we take for granted in our normal diet. I imagine with us eating Human food over extended periods of time, that deficiency adds up."

"You're right, it does." Liara smiled wistfully. "There was an adorable young food specialist by the name of Carlton Tucks on the original Normandy. He always made sure to keep some sweetened cubes on hand for me since he had no idea how to prepare Asari cuisine." Her smile faded to sorrow as she thought about him. "He was one of those lost in the Normandy's destruction."

Riana laid the clothes on the desk and stepped up to Liara when she saw a tear slip down her cheek. She wrapped consoling arms around her and quietly asked, "Liara? What about that memory can still cause such sadness?"

Liara shook her head and leaned into Riana's chest, accepting the comfort. "I never attended their memorial ceremony, Riana, and I should have."

Riana gave her a tight squeeze then gently gripped her shoulders and pushed her back, looking into her eyes as she spoke. "We were all looking for Shepard, Mistress. Think of the consequences if we had not... and know you made the right decision, no matter how difficult it may have been."

"You're right. I'm sorry. My fatigue is letting my emotions run rampant." Liara straightened her posture and her expression turned to one of resolve. "I need to shower so I can go downstairs. Don't feel the need to wait for me. I'll be down _very_ shortly."

Riana nodded and, as soon as the bathroom door closed behind Liara, headed for the elevator.


	14. Down But Not Out

Notes:

FTL - Faster than light

_I__onúin álainn_ \- beautiful beloved (Irish/Gaelic)

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

* * *

**Down But Not Out**

**SSV Normandy**

Liara felt much improved after a shower and dinner. Giving a quick nod of thanks to Riana, who gave her an encouraging smile in return, Liara placed her dishes in the cleaning bin and headed for the med bay. The door slid open when she arrived and she stepped in; Doctor Chakwas was apparently done with Shepard's evaluation or the door would have remained sealed. Liara's worried gaze traveled quickly over Samantha's inert form on the bed farthest from the doorway before she looked to Karin for an explanation.

Karin was already in motion toward the Asari, knowing Liara would want answers... but, having received advanced notice from Riana that their Shadow Broker was not at the top of her form, she pulled up her omnitool and ran a scan before speaking. "You, my dear, are still extremely out of balance. Your eezo levels remain way below the acceptable range and your blood chemistry is off."

"The last mission on Tuchanka was _very_ taxing but I, at least, am conscious; I am more concerned about _Shepard_ at the moment." Liara's face was pinched with concern; very rarely was Shepard ever so... _motionless_. "Why is she not awake?"

"She has a severe concussion... she is no longer under the sedative, but still on pain medication and that probably has a lot to do with it. I imagine she'll be drifting in and out of consciousness for a while yet." Karin shook her head, displeased with the results of the commander's evaluation. "Her pupils were slow and uneven in their responses; I'll continue to monitor her for the next twenty-four hours... at which point I _may_ release her for light duty, but she'll be off ground-mission status for at least three days."

Karin's gaze shifted and she refocused on Liara. "And, I need _you_ to eat one eezo cube now and _another_ in six hours. You are _also_ off ground-mission status for at least the next twelve hours; I'll reevaluate your status then."

"_What_?" Liara's eyes snapped from Shepard to the doctor in surprise. "We'll be at Benning in under an hour!"

Karin typed a quick message and sent it off to Garrus before responding, "And Wrex will be the ground team's biotic support. If they need a second biotic, they can take Riana... because they are _not_ taking you. Your mission-ready status _is_ suspended... until _I_ say otherwise."

Staring at Karin with disbelief, Liara opened her mouth to protest; Karin's eyebrows rose in warning as she pointed at the Asari. "Please don't, Liara. I've already seen you in my med bay twice, this makes three; that is one trait I do _not_ need you picking up from Shepard. Know your limits and know when you need to sit one out to stay healthy for the long-haul. We _need_ to adjust your eezo intake; your deficiency is such that if I didn't know better, I would diagnose you as being in recovery from biotic shock. Therefore, it must be caused by a lack of sufficient eezo in your diet. Without supplements, Humans suffer something similar; it's relatively common with the element _iron_."

Liara's mouth snapped shut and she closed her eyes for a short moment. When she opened them back up, she replied, "Of course, Karin. And, you are correct; Riana and I already discussed that and we have plans in motion to remedy the situation when we arrive at the Citadel." Liara sighed and continued, "I am not thinking clearly and it demonstrates _exactly_ how tired I am." Liara chuckled, "I have to wonder... I _know_ Shepard does not get sufficient sleep, so I am curious as to whether it is the cause of _her_ stubbornness." Looking at Karin with an impish grin, Liara finished, "I'm sorry. You have enough to worry about with Shepard, without _me_ causing you additional complications.

"Don't worry about it, Liara." Karin couldn't help but step up to her and give her a quick hug. "Besides, look at the bright side. You can pull up a chair and sit right here with me as you work... to be sure you are present when Samantha rejoins us."

A quiet, groggy voice entered the conversation from the back of the room. "It really bugs me when people talk about me like I'm not here."

Both Karin's and Liara's heads snapped around to look at the bed in the corner, and Liara's feet started moving at the same time. "Samantha!"

Karin chuckled and followed slowly in Liara's wake, giving them a moment to say hello. While Liara's expression was one of concern, her lips held a comforting smile as her left hand gripped one of Shepard's and her right reached up to brush an errant auburn lock off the commander's face and tuck it behind her ear. Her voice was low and soothing as she looked into Shepard's face and softly spoke, "Welcome back, _Siame_."

Samantha blinked a couple of times in an attempt to clear her eyes, but the blurriness wouldn't go away. She gave up and closed them with a sigh of frustration. "World's a bit fuzzy and I have a Hell of a headache. Tarquin dead?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Liara frowned and squeezed Shepard's hand. "And you almost joined him, but Bethany yanked you back from the brink; I am forever in her debt." Liara shook her head, blinked and, with her free hand, wiped away the moisture in her eyes that was trying to turn into tears. "Goddess. I hate this war."

"I'll be fine, Li." Shepard didn't need to see the Asari's face to know Liara was stressed; she could tell by the tone of her voice. She squeezed Liara's hand in return before pressing on, mostly in an attempt to change the subject and give Liara something else to focus on. "So where are we and what's happened while I've been out?" Shepard cleared her throat, but her voice was still rough as she spoke, "Speaking of which, how long _have_ I been down?" Her eyes crept back open and she looked at the somewhat out-of-focus blue face before her, her vision still refusing to cooperate.

Liara blushed slightly, hesitant to tell Shepard what she had done on Tuchanka, so Karin answered the last of the commander's questions. "Your shoulder surgery to extract the armor piercing round was relatively quick, but I kept you sedated for an additional seven hours to ensure you would stay still and _heal_. I dropped the sedative off gradually and had Riana wake Liara so she could be here when you awoke fully."

Shepard was groggy but still caught the gist of what Karin said. "_Wake_ Liara?" Even though it increased the intensity of her headache, she forced her eyes into slightly better focus and looked questioningly at her lover. "_I__onúin álainn_. What are you not telling me?"

Liara sighed and told Shepard about getting Hackett's approval to take on the N7 missions, eventually describing her and Wrex obliterating the Cerberus troops who were on Tuchanka trying to establish a foothold at the space-cannon facility. "I was extremely tired when I got back and nearing exhaustion. I didn't really have much choice _but_ to take a nice long nap."

Karin wasn't letting her off so easy and inserted what Liara failed to confess. "_And_ her eezo levels are dangerously low and her blood chemistry is off, so she's staying right here with us while Wrex goes down to the surface with the ground team on Benning. When you are up and moving again, we need to talk about the foodstuffs you bring aboard, Commander. Unique Asari dietary requirements are not being satisfactorily met."

"Got it, Doc." Shepard's eyes drifted closed again. "I thought Riana was handling it, but now that I think about it, I haven't seen any requisition orders... I'll bet she's been paying out of pocket. I'll have to reimburse her..."

"Don't worry about it, Love. Riana and I have already discussed it and I'm going to make Broker funds available to buy both short-term fresh groceries and long-term Asari emergency rations. The Broker ships are already stockpiling... we simply forgot about doing the same on the Normandy for her and me." Liara caressed Samantha's cheek. "_That_ will be remedied during the upcoming visit to the Citadel."

"Sounds like a plan." Shepard's voice was soft as she shifted a little in the bed and mumbled, "Why'm I so tired...?"

Liara cast a worried glance at Karin, who nodded. "That's to be expected, Commander. You took a good knock on the head and your little nanites are working overtime to restore your shoulder." Karin raised her omnitool and completed a new scan. "They're actually making excellent progress and it should quit aching in another couple of hours. We'll be able to stop your pain meds then and you'll feel much more alert soon after."

Karin set a gentle hand on the Asari's shoulder as she looked at Shepard and finished, "Why don't you take a nap, Sam. Liara and I will be right here when you wake again. I promise."

Liara laid her free hand atop Karin's as she squeezed Shepard's with her other. "Yes, we will. I promise as well, _Siame_." She spared Karin a flash of a smile as she broke away from her touch before leaning forward to place a gentle kiss on Shepard's forehead. "Rest, knowing how much I love you." The only response she got from Shepard was a hum of contentment with a smile as the commander drifted back to sleep.

* * *

Benning was a mess; as soon as the Normandy crew hit the ground, gunfire erupted and they saw civilians hitting the ground. "God damn it!" Vega's face turned red from anger as he shouted, "The fuckers aren't trying to _recruit_ the civilians... they're _killing_ them!"

Garrus looked at the group. "Alright people; mission parameters just changed." His glance shifted to Wrex as he spoke his next words. "Just like Tuchanka. If they're wearing Cerberus colors? Kill them all... but protect the civilians where we can so the Alliance actually still has someone to evacuate."

Garrus had Wrex and Private Campbell on his team and had assigned Edi and Private Westmoreland to Lieutenant Vega; the two teams quickly deployed and attempted to work in tandem to establish a safe zone to initiate evacuations. The city was difficult to work in... it was more urban warfare than special operations and, with all the cargo containers and various shelters seemingly placed rather randomly, it was hard to cover all the angles. To make matters worse, Cerberus was firmly entrenched.

Engineers had been working steadily, so a sea of turret fire greeted the Normandy crew at every corner and initial progress was slow. Garrus took on the personal mission of sniping every engineer that crossed their path and Cerberus eventually ran out of the folks necessary to install and repair the turrets. After that, progress was a bit easier and they soon had the Illusive Man's private army in retreat. As the evacuation shuttles started to arrive, bringing fresh Alliance troops to maintain the secured foothold, Garrus started to call the Normandy but was interrupted by Vega. "Yo, Vakarian. What are you doin', man?"

"Arranging evac for our return to the Normandy." Garrus looked puzzled. "I thought that was fairly obvious, Lieutenant."

James shook his head. "We gotta collect tags... try to find the Ambassador's son, Osoba."

"Damn, you're right. I forgot." Garrus' jaw mandibles twitched and he continued, "Sorry about that... that's not something Turians do. I mean, we do, but not the front line troops. The support guys come in after we've secured the area and they handle all that stuff."

James shrugged, "We probably would too, if it was a normal op; we'd leave it to the folks arriving to handle after they got the civilians out, but we've got a dual mission and we haven't finished the second part of it yet."

Garrus gave a sharp nod. "Alright then, let's get to it. Fan out in pairs and start looking... but we're not here for everyone. Collect what tags you find and we'll turn them over to whoever's in charge of the new arrivals, but keep Osoba's when you find them and call out on the comm. Once we find _him_, we're out of here."

* * *

Liara had no idea how much time had passed. She had started out working Broker messages on her omnitool, but found Karin's hand on her shoulder, gently shaking her awake. The ground team was back from Benning with only minor injuries and Garrus wanted to speak with her. Liara groaned and sat up from her slumped position, shaking her head gently. "How long have I been sleeping?"

Karin smiled softly as she answered, "I'm not really sure. I was busy updating medical records and asked you a question... but obviously got no response. That was an hour ago. Your position couldn't have been very comfortable, so you must still be exhausted; your body is trying to tell you something and you should listen to it."

Liara noted the raised eyebrows with Karin's last statement and smiled in return. "Message received, Doctor. I'm off to wash my face and see Garrus, then I'll be back to talk about it."

As Liara stood and stretched, Karin chuckled. "During your time away from us, you've developed a stubbornness to rival Shepard's, my dear."

"I've developed resolve, Karin, not stubbornness, though that word seems to be a common theme. Shepard said something similar to me."

Karin let out a robust laugh, "Oh! Now _that's_ the pot calling the kettle black!" At Liara's puzzled look, Karin shook her head and smiled. "You're the scholar. Look it up, Doctor T'Soni."

After a quick trip to the washroom, Liara worked her way to the Main Battery. When she entered, Garrus was working away on his terminal. He gave a quick glance over his shoulder and went back to typing as he asked, "How's Shepard doing?"

"Sleeping when I left. The surgery went well but she has a concussion... _again_. You're keeping the job for at least three days." Liara stepped up next to the big Turian. "Karin said you requested my presence, acting Captain."

"Damn, don't call me that. I want Shepard back on-line." Garrus closed out the mission report and turned to Liara. "I don't want the job; command of the Normandy belongs to Shepard. Now... how are _you_?"

"Better, but still incredibly tired. I know what you're thinking, and _don't_. It has nothing to do with the mission on Tuchanka and what you _think_ you let Wrex and I do. Karin diagnosed it as a dietary deficiency, and the timing of the mission on Tuchanka was merely a coincidence." Liara grimaced, "I'm not getting enough eezo in my diet."

Garrus flared his mandibles, "What about Riana?"

"She's fine." Liara smiled at the Turian's questioning look. "She's more disciplined than I and has been eating those disagreeably unsweetened eezo cubes to make up the difference." Liara scrunched up her nose and made a face. "I haven't been... and am now paying the price for my childish act of rebellion. Karin has me eating one every six hours until my levels are back to normal." She shook her head in disgust, "Goddess, those things are awful!"

Garrus couldn't resist letting out a low chuckle, earning a glare from the Asari. "Sorry, but you ate those dry rations when you were on digs and you can't stomach a single eezo cube with two meals a day? That's just wrong."

"I suppose you are correct." Liara smiled, "I've certainly been spoiled by the sweetened cubes and the good meals on the Normandy."

Garrus turned back to his terminal and picked up something that Liara instantly recognized. On reflex, her hand went to her chest and she traced the outline of Shepard's old dog tags which she still wore under her shirt. She shivered involuntarily as her mind jumped back to Alchera; her memories of the biting cold and the barren, snow-covered mass of irregular terrain covered in chasms and steep cliffs stole the very breath from her soul.

Garrus turned back to her and placed the tags in her hands. "We found the Ambassador's son; unfortunately he did _not_ survive the Cerberus attack. This is for someone in the Alliance to do. I put it in the mission report, so Admiral Hackett will make the notification through official channels, but when we get to the Citadel, I'm sure Shepard will want to talk to Ambassador Osoba in person and give him his son's tags."

As her fingers wrapped around Balal's tags, Liara flashed back. She remembered every step she had taken on that positively _miserable_ planet... crawling through the remains of the Normandy, staring at the gaping hole in the fuselage through which the explosion had tossed any hope of Shepard surviving the Collector attack. She remembered being on her hands and knees, digging through the snow, looking for _anything_ to bring home as a remembrance of Shepard and finding Samantha's old dog tags. As she clenched Balal's tags in her hand, Liara was suddenly _on_ Alchera and her chest tightened once more; she gasped for breath and her legs betrayed her as the memory of Shepard's death and discovering that her body was missing invaded her consciousness.

As her fingers closed over Balal's dog tags, Garrus watched Liara's face go pale just before her knees buckled. With a soldier's instincts, he lunged forward and grasped her shoulders, keeping her from pitching forward to the deck; he eased her to a squatting position and knelt down in front of her. "Liara!" He immediately activated his comm and spoke quickly, "Doctor Chakwas to the Main Battery, please."

Liara blinked slowly, more of a sluggish closing and opening than anything, and focused on the Turian kneeling with her. "Not necessary, Garrus. I'll be fine." She took a deep breath, once more able to fill her lungs, and shook her head. "The feel of those dog tags in my hand evoked an astonishingly vivid memory response."

"Too late, T'Soni. I already made the call. Do you think you can stand?" With an affirmative nod from the Asari, Garrus stood and helped Liara back to her feet. "We'll let Karin decide if you're _fine_ when she gets here."

On cue, the door slid open and Dr Chakwas walked in, med kit in hand and a technician in tow. "Garrus? What happened?"

"It was me, Karin." Liara sighed and explained what had occurred. "I assume it is related to my chemistry being so out of balance. It is playing with my moods and emotions. I've had nightmares, but not for a very long time... and I've never had _anything_ like that waking flashback. It was extremely... _disturbing_... and amazingly powerful."

"Better safe than sorry." Karin wrapped her arm around Liara's waist. "Come on. We'll head to the med bay and run a full diagnostic to be sure that's all it was."

Liara didn't even think to protest, nodding meekly. "Certainly. That's not something I care to repeat."

"I am so sorry, Liara. I should have thought about that." Garrus' mandibles twitched in agitation. "I should have waited for Shepard to get back on her feet and handed the dog tags to her directly."

"Don't be silly, Garrus." Liara glanced back over her shoulder. "_I_ had no idea something like that was going to happen. How could _you_ possibly have anticipated it?" Liara stopped and Karin allowed her to turn back to speak with Garrus. "I understand _exactly_ how important those dog tags can be to someone. I will go with Shepard and we'll make sure they get to the ambassador as soon as we get to the Citadel. It will be our first order of business."

* * *

Shepard's eyes fluttered open and she smiled, content with a warm presence snuggled up to her back. It was not the first time Liara had stayed in the med bay and slid up onto the bed to be close to her; Shepard's forehead creased as she wondered if Liara still feared for her death. _Of course she does, you idiot... you're in the middle of a damn Reaper war. You could die any time, any minute of _any_ ground mission._

Moving slowly, in an attempt to not disturb the Asari at her back, Shepard shifted slightly forward, away from the 'spoon,' and rolled back to her right to lie flat on her back. Liara murmured discontentedly in her sleep at the temporary loss of the warm contact and closed the newly formed gap, slipping her head onto Samantha's injured shoulder and draping an arm across the commander's midriff without waking. She purred as she found her little niche, a position born of their many nights spent together and finding great comfort in the familiar arrangement.

Shepard smiled softly and kissed the top of Liara's forehead, right at her crestline, and stretched her right arm out, happy that Karin had been correct in her assessment that the ache in her shoulder would soon stop. She flexed her hand a couple of times and rotated her arm, pleased with the stretch and mobility she found; as always, Karin had done an excellent job stitching her back together after a firefight. It wasn't until she drew her arm back to wrap it around Liara that she noticed the intravenous drip tubing hanging from Liara's arm. Her heart rate jumped a little and the sudden change set off a quiet alarm on Karin's omnitool, making the doctor look up from her terminal.

Shepard heard it and looked Karin's way as the doctor stood and walked over quickly. Having been unused for several hours, when she attempted to whisper, Shepard's voice came out as a concerned squeak, "Aunt Karin! What's wrong with Liara?"

Understanding as to _why_ Shepard's heart rate jumped blossomed across Karin's face and she breathed a sigh of relief. "Relax, Sam. Her blood chemistry and eezo levels weren't responding as fast as I liked, so I decided to take a more direct route than through the Asari digestive system." Karin shook her head. "It had gotten too far out of balance without me noticing. I'm adding it to my standard list of scans for anytime she comes back from a ground mission from now on."

Shepard visibly relaxed and turned her head to place another gentle kiss on Liara's head before turning back to Karin. "I trust you're not lying to me in an attempt to keep me calm, due to my current condition."

Karin almost snorted with laughter. "You were shot, Shepard; you're not _pregnant_. Neither your body nor your psyche are that delicate."

Shepard grinned, "Just checking, Doc."

Chakwas placed her hand gently on Shepard's left forearm. "You haven't called me 'Aunt Karin' in a very long time, Samantha. You really are _concerned_ about her, aren't you?"

Shepard's eyes glassed over as she answered in a choked whisper, "When Cerberus rebuilt me and gave _me_ 400 years, they gave _us_ a future. We'll have time to get married, to have kids... to have a real family." Shepard glanced at the Asari snuggled into her side. "Everything I _do_ is for that future." As her eyes came back up she continued, "Don't get me wrong; I love you and mom, but I can't lose her, Aunt Karin. I just can't. I... I don't think I would have the will to go on, because to me... if _she's_ gone, it would have all been for nothing."

Karin's grip tightened. "You don't need to worry about that, Sam... at least not over this. And you do _realize_ she feels the same about you, yes?"

"I know. And I hate the risks I have to take. Liara had it right when she stated 'I hate this war.' We all do." Shepard let out a heavy sigh. "We're going to lose a lot more before it's through."

Liara suddenly murmured, leaving her head resting on Shepard's chest, "But not from your lack of trying to save us all, Love."

"Hey you. Good morning." Shepard smiled and gave her a squeeze. "How do you feel?"

"Much better, thanks to Karin." Liara yawned and pushed herself upright, realizing where she was. "Goddess. I was lying on your injured shoulder. Does it feel alright?"

"Yeah, it does." Shepard smiled, "Thanks to Karin."

Liara gave her a light shove and slid off the bed, looking at the tube hanging from her arm. She glanced up at Karin, the unvoiced question obvious as she stated, "I need to use the facilities..."

Karin chuckled and brought up her omnitool to run a quick scan. She nodded as she spoke, "Yes. We've finally broken through the buffer that was keeping your system from being able to do this on its own. Proper diet should be sufficient to do the rest."

After she disconnected the drip and Liara left the room, she turned back to Shepard, all business. "Your turn now, Commander." Karin did a quick scan over the shoulder and smiled. "Your shoulder is as good as new, Shepard." She then pulled out a penlight and pulled Shepard's chin around. "Look straight at me, please."

Shepard did as she was told but couldn't help but ask, "So what exactly happened? I haven't stayed awake long enough for anyone to tell me."

Karin explained what she knew and mentioned that Garrus had completed the mission reports for both Tuchanka and Benning. "I'm sure he sent file copies to you, but I doubt he included how... _interesting_... it was to transit the Sol system. We'll be doing no more of that. Earth is, of course, no better than when you left it the first time and Arcturus is also gone, so there is no need for us to return to either of those systems. I hate to admit it, but even for colonial evacuations, the risk is too great."

"Damn it." Shepard shook her head and blew out a pensive breath. "I love having Liara on the ground with me, but she needs to focus on finding information on the Crucible. She's triple-tasking, with Shadow Broker shifts, the Crucible hunt _and_ ground missions."

Liara returned in time to catch her last statement and she huffed, "And you're _not_, Samantha? We're all busy and I am no exception. If anyone needs a break, it's you."

"And you may accuse us of ganging up on you if you wish, but I must concur. Thanks to your bone weaves, this last gash on your head was superficial but bled profusely. Combined with your shoulder wound, your blood pressure was crashing by the time they got you in here. It was nothing a few bags of synth didn't fix, but bouncing your head off the concrete, however, has given you another concussion... which is why you're still here; otherwise I would have let you sleep off your injury in the loft. As it was, your initial pupillary reflexes were horrible, so I've been monitoring you over the last 24-hours. You are _off_ ground duty for an additional two days, Commander, and restricted to light duty _only_."

Samantha surprised both of them by smiling and raising her hands in surrender. "Believe it or not, you won't get any argument from me. Unless something has changed, we're on the Citadel for an overnight while we resupply, and next stop is all the way out in the Ninmah Cluster... a three-relay hop and several hours of FTL travel away from the Citadel, so _everyone_ on the ground team will be getting a break." She brought her hands down and held one out to Liara, who took it willingly. "We're all overdue a breather."

"Commander?" Jeff's voice broke in over the comm. "Sorry to interrupt, but if you're available, Admiral Anderson is on the QEC for you. Garrus is speaking to him at the moment, but he'd like to talk to you."

Shepard looked to Karin, who nodded. "Yes, you can go. Just take it easy, Samantha. Please remember... light duty only. That means no workouts, hand-to-hand training or Armax. Got it?"

Shepard smiled as she slid off the bed. "Yes, Ma'am!"

* * *

After getting dressed, Shepard hurried through the War Room to the QEC in the back. Garrus quickly stepped to the side as she arrived, "Ah, here she is Admiral. I'll leave you to it."

Anderson nodded, "Thank you, Garrus. Nice to know the Normandy is in capable hands while Shepard's lazing around." A grin lit his face as Shepard pouted and exclaimed, "Hey!"

Garrus walked out, chuckling as he left, and Shepard turned to the Admiral's image. "Damn good to see you, Anderson."

"Same here, Shepard. Heard Tuchanka was a little rough on you." Anderson's smile faded slightly as he contemplated all Garrus had told him.

"Bah. Rumors of my injuries are most likely overstated, just as the reports of my death were greatly exaggerated." Shepard smiled in return watching Anderson's face light with humor.

He laughed lightly, "Leave it to you to quote Mark Twain in the middle of a damn war with the Reapers. Good to know your brain is working like it's supposed to. Still... I hear you're at the Citadel."

"Yes, Sir. We're tucked in nice and safe. _I_ heard we transited Sol while I was sleeping and things weren't looking so good. You doing ok down there? You staying safe?"

Anderson's smile faded the rest of the way as he responded, "That changes by the hour, but at the moment, yes. The Reapers are concentrating on industrial and population centers, so if we keep our heads down and stay in the countryside we can avoid them easy enough, but hiding certainly doesn't contribute much to the war effort, so we're developing hit and run tactics with diversions and misdirection to keep them from finding the camp. They'll find us again eventually though, so we have to stay on our toes."

"I'm sorry, Sir." Shepard frowned. "We're working as fast as we can to get the pieces of the Crucible put together. I hate being out here playing politics while you're wondering every day if it will be your last."

"You stop _that_ right now, Shepard." Anderson vehemently pointed at her. "Each of us is doing what we need to do to get the job done." His hand dropped as he continued, "And from what I hear, right now you need a bit of a break. Check your messages. I sent you the new access code for the Citadel apartment. I want you and Liara to use it while you're there. Not like Kahlee or I will be using it any time soon, so it's yours for the duration. It will give you someplace private; you know where it is."

"Thanks, Anderson." Shepard smiled, "Mind if I bring some of the crew along with? I imagine Riana will want to stick with Li, and I have a feeling Traynor might like to stick with Riana. And Hell, it's a nice apartment; I imagine everyone would enjoy kicking their feet up on the furniture and taking in a change of scenery."

"Hell yes. You know you don't even need to ask that. Our home has always been open to your friends. You take the Master and put whoever you want in the other two bedrooms. Your spare armor and equipment is still in the armory station there, if I remember correctly. I don't believe you ever picked it up."

Shepard laughed. "I'm a bit beefier than I was when I dropped that stuff off. I'm sure the armor won't fit anymore, but I'll pick it up and pass it down the line. _Someone_ can get good use out of it, I'm sure. And with the weapons we've got now, the rest is nothing but keepsakes anymore. I'll leave that all there, if you don't mind."

"Not at all; there's plenty of room. I've got to get going, Sam. I... I simply needed to talk to you. Make sure you were alright." Anderson waved his hands futilely in the air. "Not like I could do a damn thing about it if you weren't, but..." His voice trailed off, leaving his sentence unfinished.

"I know, Anderson. And believe me, I understand." Shepard waved at the man she should have been saluting, but knew he preferred it that way. Given everything going on, she figured it didn't hurt to give him what he wanted; she wasn't honestly sure how much longer he'd be able to survive on Earth, so she planned on making every moment count. "Take care, Anderson."

* * *

Shepard had returned to the loft to get caught up on all her messages, noting the new code for the apartment and reading the mission reports. When she was done, there was nothing left to distract her and she knew it was time to go speak to Wrex in the War Room. Liara had filled her in on her little 'chat' with him, as well as the follow-on discussion Liara had overheard between Wrex and Garrus, so Shepard knew that while Wrex might be irritated, he wasn't angry... she hoped.

After she had attempted to explain herself, which didn't sound very convincing even to her, Wrex's eyes had burned red. "You're Krantt, Shepard. You're family! You didn't _lie_ to me, but you didn't _tell_ me about it either. You withheld something you _knew_ would be important to me." Wrex growled. "There can only be one reason... you don't _trust_ me, and that's unacceptable."

"_That's_ not true, Wrex. I trust you with my _life_, and you know it." Shepard glared at the Krogan.

Though it lacked any real humor, Wrex chuckled, "Yeah, sure. You trust me with _your_ life, but you _don't_ trust me with the Primarch's. That's what this is really about." Wrex put a huge finger into Shepard's chest. "You were afraid I'd go off in a blood rage and kill the sneaky bastard."

Shepard's face turned red and Wrex huffed; he had been correct in his assumption. "I _knew_ that's what it was." He dropped his finger off Shepard's chest and she almost fell forward with the release of the pressure. Wrex scrunched up his shoulders and wiggled his shoulder plates. "Thing is, now that I've cooled down and had a chance to think about it, I realize you _might_ have been right. But you might also have been _wrong_ and you didn't even give me a chance. Things could have gone a lot smoother down there if you had given me the opportunity to lend you some Krogan support. The younger Victus might still be alive."

Wrex watched Shepard deflate and her shoulders slump at his blunt pronouncement and he backed off. "His death isn't on you, it's on the Primarch. _He's_ the one who put his progeny in a situation he wasn't ready to handle and then asked you to keep mum about it and clean up the mess; you were put in a bad spot. All I'm saying is you should have trusted me enough to talk to Victus." Wrex grunted in disgust. "And _he's_ supposed to be a damn _general_; he should _know_ better than to send a unit in blind if it can be helped, even if it _is_ led by the great Commander Shepard. That's blatant bad leadership. If I had been allowed to confront him, he wouldn't have had any reason to keep the damn thing a secret. You would've had more info going in and been able to plan better."

"Damn it. You're right, Wrex." Shepard shook her head and squared her shoulders. "Why didn't I _think_ of that angle?"

Because you've got eighteen different things going on in your head at any given moment?" Wrex laughed. "Besides, you're just a whelp, Shepard. I've been playing this game for nigh on a thousand years. What'd you expect?"

"I'd expect you to kick my ass if I make such a rookie mistake ever again." Shepard balled up her fist and punched Wrex's chest plate. "Victus isn't the only one who should have known better. Sorry, Wrex."

Wrex chuckled at the little flea swat Shepard had given him. He knew she could punch a lot harder than she did, but she wasn't wearing any gloves, much less her gauntlets. "Get out of here, Shepard. Don't you have business on the Citadel to take care of?"

Shepard grinned, knowing things were okay between them. "That I do, Wrex."


	15. Family Lost

Notes:

FTL - Faster than light

_Grá mo chroí _\- love of my heart(Gaelic)

_I__onúin álainn_ \- beautiful beloved (Irish/Gaelic)

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

* * *

**Family Lost**

_**Rakhana**_** SB-2**

"By the Goddess!" When the _Rakhana_ dropped out of FTL and penetrated into the atmosphere of Namakli, those words erupted from Livos' lips before she could stop herself. With only a quick glance out the forward viewport, she counted no fewer than five Harvesters.

As they approached the dig site, the comm came alive and a panicked voice called out, "Attention, unidentified craft! This is Dr Ann Bryson! We are under attack!"

Huntress Sella Temi snorted, "Does she think we can't see the giant flying monsters surrounding the platform?"

Livos was in no mood to jest and snapped at her, "Quiet, Sella!" Glancing at Allia, she shouted, "Vasia! Take the controls! I don't think your sniper skills are going to help us much; I need Sella's assault rifle."

As the two rapidly swapped places, Livos continued, "This is going to be a quick-in, quick-out; we grab Dr Bryson and go!"

Allia's voice reflected concern as she spoke, "Livos, this isn't a shuttle. I cannot land on the small platform closest to the doctor... and with so many Harvesters present I cannot hover in one place very long without the ship becoming nothing but scrap metal."

"Can you drop us off at least?" Livos turned her head to look at their team sniper.

"Absolutely." Allia pointed out the front viewport. "Then you'll have to work your way through the facility to that larger platform on the far end. It's large enough for me to set down and put full engine output to the shields. They'll last long enough to give you time to board. Give me a shout when you're ready and I'll rendezvous there... I don't imagine the Harvesters will make it _easy_, but if nothing else, Feron at least picked a good ship; it will be fun to avoid them in the meantime."

Livos nodded. "Got it. We'll be as quick as we can." As they approached the drop point, Livos grinned at the current pilot. "By the way, Ali. You have a very odd sense of 'fun.'

Allia hovered the ship as close as she dared to the platform and the two commandos leapt out the door, using their biotics to soften their landing. As soon as they hit the platform, Ann Bryson was on the comms, "Hello? Is anyone there? I'm coming down!"

Livos replied immediately, "Dr Bryson! Stay where you are! We'll come to you and escort you to safety. We will use our biotics to shield you!"

"Yes, okay!" Bryson sounded very relieved when she heard what seemed to be a friendly voice offering protection. "You should take the elevator up on the far side. It's the fastest way to my position."

"We're on our way, Doctor. Stay safe!" Livos forced a grin onto her face and looked at Sella, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Nothing can ever be _easy_, can it?"

Sella chuckled, "Of course not. Nothing worth doing ever is."

They managed to work their way across the various platforms, easily dispatching any Husks they came across. The Cannibals were a little tougher but still didn't slow them down much; when the Ravager hit the platform in front of them, though, Livos suddenly wished she had Allia's high-powered sniper rifle at her back. At least with her and Sella working in tandem, while the Ravager focused its twin artillery cannons on one, the other could work on destroying it.

Once they killed the Ravager and all its annoying little spider-like swarmers, they were met with disappointment. Livos got on the comm, "Dr Bryson, the elevator is jammed and will not come all the way down to us. We will need to climb to you, so will be slightly delayed."

"My assistant Hopkins panicked! I told him to stay, but he tried to make a run for it and they attacked and killed him!" Bryson was definitely stressed, but was keeping it together so far. "They're swarming everywhere up here!"

"Lock the doors and find a place to hide! We're moving as fast as we can!"

"I'll try. Please... hurry!"

Livos was impressed by the researcher's self-control under extreme conditions and gave her reassurances. "Just stay where you are, Doctor. We _will_ get to you."

It wasn't all that difficult to find a way to the upper level; all the shelters and various pieces of scaffolding provided ample avenues and the commandos made fairly rapid progress. Once they found themselves on the same level as Bryson's hiding spot, Livos got back on the comm, "We're on your level and working our way across to your lab now."

"No, no! Boyles, stay down! Oh, God!" Bryson's voice was edged with panic.

"What's happening?" Even though she knew it was a bit reckless, Livos picked up the pace in an attempt to get to the doctor faster.

"My last two lab techs tried to run for it. The Reapers got them!" Bryson stopped speaking to take a breath. "I got the door closed and relocked but I'm not sure how long it will hold. Kirkwood and Boyles gave away my position!"

"Stay put! Don't move until we get there. It should be only a few more minutes!" Livos and Sella suddenly screeched to a halt. A critical bridge they needed to cross was non-functional; the damaged control panel would not extend it to the next platform and the gap was too large to jump. Livos cut her comm and spoke directly to Sella, "We _need_ this bridge. Cover me as I repair the panel... and shout out if you need my assistance."

Sella held her own, but just as Livos finished the repairs and the bridge pieces started moving, Sella shouted a single word that struck a chord of fear in them both. "Banshee!"

Livos immediately spun and launched a warp with one hand as she undocked her assault rifle with the other. Sella was already firing away, but the Banshee teleported and covered a large distance, bringing it uncomfortably close. As Livos launched another warp, Sella redirected her sights from the Banshee to a pile of volatile fuel drums beside it; the drums exploded violently and completely destroyed the Banshee's barriers. As a result, they were finally able to bring the Reaper-twisted Asari down.

Breathing a sigh of relief, the commandos crossed the newly extended bridge and worked their way across to the main research lab where they had seen the doctor when they initially arrived. They were in the process of blasting away the last of the Cannibals outside the entrance when the door slid open to reveal a grim looking Dr Ann Bryson. "They're all dead, aren't they? My people, I mean. Not the Reapers."

Livos nodded. "I am sorry, Doctor. Had we realized it was an active attack we would have brought a larger force and come sooner. We saw nothing of this scale at Mahavid when we attempted to extract Dr Garneau."

Bryson's face paled. "What do you mean... _attempted_?"

"Leviathan had taken control of the facility long before we got there and Dr Garneau was dead before we arrived, Doctor." Livos shook her head, "_You_ are not the target. They seem to be hunting for a particular artifact, a black..."

Livos didn't get to finish; Ann Bryson cut her off and finished for her. "... round globe that seems to affect people's behavior; there's one here! _That's_ what they're after? That's what got Alex and my entire team _killed_?"

"Yes... and if possible, we must destroy it before we leave. The Reapers want them for some reason, and whatever it is, it cannot be good."

"The only place your ship can land is at the main transport dock." Bryson was nodding. "The artifact was being prepped for shipment and is near there. We can pick it up along the way."

Livos shook her head. "That object is not coming aboard my ship. It is a mind control device and we are destroying it. There is a shielded one at the Citadel for your study."

"Mind control?" Bryson's face lit with understanding. "I _knew_ it affected people's behavior, but that? Oh, God. I have to warn my father! Oh, wait... you said the one at the Citadel is shielded... so he got my message?"

"Later, Doctor!" Livos knew she was only postponing the inevitable, but didn't have time at the moment to deal with the issue of Garret Bryson being dead. "Our immediate concern is getting off this planet alive."

"Yes. Of course." Bryson looked at Livos. "I'm ready when you are."

As they emerged from the lab, Sella exclaimed, "Goddess! There are at least a dozen Harvesters! They really want this artifact!"

"All the more reason for us to make sure we destroy it before we go!" Livos growled.

As they moved from cover to cover, Bryson was speaking to Livos. "I was at another dig site when they attacked. I got back as quick as I could, but... apparently not soon enough."

Livos shook her head. "Do not blame yourself." Her glance was meant to go to Bryson but she was suddenly more interested in a huge painting on the rocks she saw over Ann's shoulder. "Goddess. Is that a _Reaper_?"

"Yes. Specifically, we think it's the Leviathan of Dis. It's old... much older than my father originally thought." She shook her head. "And the idea of mind control would certain explain why the natives in the painting seem to be worshipping it as a God."

Livos looked at her. "The Asari have heard tales of the Leviathan for nearly 3,000 years."

Bryson actually laughed. "When I say old, I'm talking eons, not millennia."

Sella's head snapped around at that. "Goddess! We knew it was old but... eons?"

Livos grimaced. "Not so difficult to believe if you consider Dr T'Soni's theory on the cycles of extinction. The time frame for that is in 50,000-year segments and she says there have been multiple cycles."

"Huh. I guess I hadn't really thought about it." Sella frowned. "Still. It must be immensely powerful. What are we doing trying to find something that has lived so long and avoided the Reapers all this time?"

Now it was Livos' turn to laugh. "I do not believe how it _avoided_ them is the point. It _killed_ another Reaper, most likely due to its desire to stay apart from the rest. Shepard wants to know how... and why it segregated itself. The whole idea insinuates that, as an individual, it does not agree with their mass extinction policy and lends itself to the possibility that it _may_ be willing to help us."

"That's what my father is investigating. Why is it acting alone? It doesn't fit the Reaper myth."

They had continued to move as they talked, but Livos came to an abrupt halt and spun on the young Dr Bryson. "The Reapers are no myth! They are in the process of destroying everything we know as we speak!"

"You're right. I'm sorry... that was an _extremely_ poor choice of words." Bryson's face turned deep red. "I've simply been working in the world of myth and conjecture for so _long_, it's hard to think of it as _reality_ now." She pointed a short distance ahead. "That's the trans-loading dock. The artifact should be there."

As they came around one last rock outcropping, Ann couldn't help but blurt out, "They've activated it somehow! I've never managed anything..."

She didn't get to finish her statement. Her face suddenly went blank and her voice changed as she started to walk toward the artifact, speaking as she went, "They've learned too well. The darkness must not be breached."

Realizing it was exactly the same thing as what had happened with the Garneau impersonator, Livos tackled her to the ground as she shouted back to Sella to destroy the globe. Sella growled, "Gladly!" as she blasted it apart, causing the artifact to explode and kill the three Marauders that had surrounded it.

Livos felt Bryson go limp beneath her and she rolled off and knelt at her side, turning her over onto her back. "Dr Bryson. Can you hear me?"

The doctor's eyes fluttered open and she blinked a couple of times, her face riddled with confusion. "I'm... sorry? I think I blacked out. What happened?"

Livos frowned. "I believe Leviathan just took control of your mind through the artifact. Sella destroyed it and you lost consciousness for a moment. Are you alright?"

Ann sat up slowly and answered, "I think so. I _feel_ ok... Leviathan itself took control? That's incredible!"

"Incredible to you, perhaps, but frightening for us, watching you lose yourself. We need to move. Our ship is just ahead." She offered a hand to Ann and helped her stand. "Hopefully we are done fighting Reaper creatures for a while."

Ann looked around and suddenly realized why Livos had said what she did. "Why are they leaving?"

"The Reapers do not care about the facility or the people; they want the _artifacts_." Livos' face carried a puzzled expression. "The same thing happened on Mahavid. Once we destroyed the orb, the Reapers _abandoned_ the attack."

Ann Bryson mumbled under her breath, "Thank God for small favors."

Sella laughed, "I think I am happy to agree with that sentiment, be it your God or our Goddess. Either deity will suffice; our path to the _Rakhana_ is clear."

* * *

Once Allia landed and they were all safely aboard and en route to the Citadel, Livos broke the news of the elder Bryson's death. Ann sat in stunned silence for a few moments as she absorbed the news. Her voice trembled only slightly when she spoke. "So he did _not_ get my message... or if he did, he didn't act on it."

"No he did not. Perhaps Hadley was already under Leviathan's control and intercepted it, but Hadley is also dead so we will most likely never know." Livos knelt before the emotionally struggling researcher. "Doctor, Commander Shepard will be meeting you at the lab on the Citadel. She can tell you exactly what happened, should you desire details."

Ann took a deep breath and roughly brushed the tears off her cheeks. "Yes. Of course." She blinked and sighed before continuing. "The work obviously has even more importance than we realized, so I will keep the project active and offer her whatever assistance I am able to provide."

* * *

**Citadel, Widow System, Apien Crest**

When Shepard and Liara walked into the Task Force Aurora Research Center, Ann Bryson was nowhere to be seen, but Liara frowned and reached for Shepard's hand when they both heard sniffling coming from upstairs. Shepard gave her a quick glance as she queried, "You want to stay down here for this?"

Liara shook her head before replying softly, "No, _Siame_. I... I will stay by your side through this."

Shepard graced her lover with a troubled, yet thankful, small smile and squeezed her hand gently. As she let go, she started her way up the stairs and called out, "Dr Bryson? Ann? Is that you?"

As they topped the steps, Ann Bryson stood quickly from her position on the bed. She had been sitting, leaning against the headboard hugging her knees to her chest as tears trickled down her face. "Oh, Commander Shepard. Yes... I'm sorry. I didn't hear you come in."

Shepard stopped and felt Liara's hand rest gently on her lower back in support. "Please, no apology is necessary. Are you alright?"

"Yes. No." Ann frowned and dropped her chin momentarily to her chest. "I don't know. This is hard." She let out a troubled sigh and raised her eyes to meet those of the commander. "My father and I didn't leave things in a great state. Just before I left for Namakli, we had an argument over some trivial little specimen cataloging issue. It all seems so stupid now."

"Don't beat yourself up over it." Shepard spoke gently, "All you need to do is look around and you can tell your father was proud of you. He wasn't about to let some minor argument change that."

"Thank you, Commander." Ann shook herself and straightened her posture. "That's a kind thing to say and most likely very true. _He_ probably didn't give it a second thought." Ann glanced over the loft bedroom balcony railing and smiled lightly. "Seeing all this again? He was so obsessed. Crazy sometimes. He wouldn't be bothered by something so inconsequential."

"I regret that I didn't get a chance to know him." Shepard frowned. "We had only talked for maybe fifteen minutes before Hadley..." The commander stopped and stared at the floor, not sure Ann wanted her to continue.

"It's alright, Commander. I've already read the C-Sec report on the incident... and don't feel bad. Sometimes I felt the same way... about not knowing him, that is." Ann's eyes again made contact. "He was a great man, but he could be very distant when he was working. I felt almost like an... _inconvenience_... growing up."

Shepard's eyes flared wide at Ann's tone. "You sound... angry."

"I was angry. Still am, I guess. It's a lost childhood I can never get back... especially now he's gone. But sometimes? Sometimes he told the _greatest_ stories about his various digs and research findings... and I _loved_ that part of him." Ann huffed and stared out into space as she continued. "That's why I got my doctorate and came to work for him. It all seemed so... fascinating. I can't believe he's _gone_! I never _dreamed_ it would get either one of us _killed_."

"I am so sorry I wasn't faster, Ann." Shepard stared at the floor again and felt a flow of comfort through the link. She glanced to the side and saw the concerned expression on Liara's face. Shepard nodded in acceptance and put a more neutral expression on her face to replace the one of guilt.

"Not your fault, Commander." Ann suddenly focused intently on Shepard as she spoke. "I want to help you figure this out... to find this... _Leviathan_. I need to know what's on the other end of that artifact, what my father _died_ for, what he was trying to find."

Shepard sighed heavily. "Ann. I'll understand if you need to take some time..."

"No." Ann shook her head vehemently. "I need to _know_, Commander. It's the only way I'll get past this."

"Believe her, Shepard." Liara spoke for the first time in the conversation and her focus shifted to Bryson. "Trust me; I understand that _need_ and how _not_ knowing isn't even on the list of acceptable outcomes."

Shepard looked at Liara and, with a little push from Liara through the link, remembered how the young maiden had felt after they had found Benezia. Shepard hadn't needed to guess back then... literally a lifetime ago; even though her mother did not survive their meeting, Liara had shared feelings of _relief_ through the meld. Relief that her mother had been accounted for, even if it did not end the way they had hoped. Shepard swallowed and looked back at Ann Bryson. "If you're _sure_, Ann. We can certainly use your help. I don't like asking it of you, but you're most likely our last chance to find it."

Ann shrugged in dismissal. "I know... and I wouldn't have offered my services if I didn't mean it. I'll dig through my father's notes and see what I can put together for you. Give me some time and I'll let you know what I find. My father was always very organized and timely with his filing. It shouldn't take long."

Shepard nodded. "Take your time, Ann. We've got to pay a visit to the Human Ambassador and visit a friend in the hospital anyway. We'll get those done and then head back this way."

* * *

The visit with Ambassador Osoba was relatively quick; the man already knew his son was dead and he accepted the dog tags from the commander with resigned dignity. "I will remember this, Commander. You were willing to help me when everyone else either turned their backs, were too busy to be bothered or simply _ignored_ my pleas for assistance." Osoba held out his hand to her as he finished, "If you ever need _anything_, I would be honored to lend whatever influence I have toward your goal."

After that, the commander and Liara made a quick trip over to Huerta Memorial and were both surprised to find Ashley up on her feet, in uniform and filing the final paperwork for release. "Ash! It's great to see you up!" Shepard shook her hand with enthusiasm. "You ready to rejoin the Normandy?"

"Not yet, Commander." Ashley grinned at the invitation, even if she wasn't able to act on it. "I have at least two weeks, if not a month, of light duty and Udina has some projects lined up for me here." She shook her head. "I _hate_ the thought of doing that man's grunt work, but until I'm cleared for combat, I don't have much of a choice. But don't you worry, Skipper. The _minute_ I'm given a green light you'll have a message sitting on your terminal telling you to get back here to pick me up!"

Shepard's grin went from ear to ear. "Good to hear, Ash. I'll be watching for it."

Shepard had felt better about the whole deal after Ashley's last message to her, which she had promptly shared with Liara. Oraka had paid Ash his promised visit and they had spoken at length about a soldier's responsibilities and the trust one needed to have in those who made the decisions, especially in the heat of battle. As he left, he had asked Ashley one last question. "Don't answer me, Commander, but ask yourself this _one_ question and you'll have your truth. Since she came back, from what you have _personally_ witnessed, has Commander Shepard done _anything_ that would give you cause to doubt her loyalties or convictions?"

After her conversation with Thane, Ashley had thought that perhaps it was solely her choice; a simple _choice_ as to whether or not she wanted to _believe_. As she considered her more recent conversation with the old Turian general, she realized the answer to _Oraka's_ question was no. _Everything_ she had seen Shepard do had been typical of the skipper she knew and loved, forcing her to admit to herself that Shepard had done nothing out of character to give Ashley cause to doubt her. Once again it came back around to a basic question of _belief_ and if there was one thing Ashley Williams was never short on, it was faith... and she had decided to have _faith_ that Shepard had somehow been returned to her... to them. Ashley plainly wanted her skipper, her commander, and her _friend _back. She had explained it all in a rather long message and Shepard had felt a great deal of tension released from her shoulders when she had read the communiqué.

It had been in the pile of messages awaiting her when she woke after Tuchanka, which she read in the loft as she and Liara had changed and packed an overnight bag to go ashore. When she had shown it to Liara, the Asari had smiled a wistful smile and hugged the commander, giving her a gentle peck on the cheek. "Thank the Goddess. I honestly was not looking forward to the confrontation when she rejoined the crew of the Normandy." At Shepard's surprised expression, Liara let out a quick huff of laughter. "Did you think I would keep you from your sister-in-arms? I wouldn't think of it... but I was _certainly_ planning on having a rather pointed discussion with her about not trusting you and the hurt she has caused by it. I am relieved such a chat is no longer required."

Shepard had laughed with glee. "Oh, my dearest _i__onúin álain__n_, always protecting me."

As Samantha engulfed her in a loving embrace, Liara smirked, "I do believe it's in my job description."

"Speaking of 'chats,' I had one I haven't yet... divulged... to you. I haven't been _purposely_ avoiding it; it's merely that Tuchanka, concussions and unconsciousness have waylaid me at every turn."

Shepard smiled as Liara frowned. "Those are not things to joke about, Samantha." The Asari's forehead wrinkled as she continued, "I worry about you so would appreciate if you do not make light of my concern."

"You know damn well that wasn't my intent, T'Soni, so you can wipe that frown off your face." Shepard raised her hand and softly caressed Liara's cheek before gently cupping the back of her neck and pulling the Asari into a tender kiss. "I would never dismiss your concerns for my well-being, Liara. I _know_ how important we are to one another... it is never far from my _foremost_ thoughts."

Shepard kissed her again, a bit more thoroughly the second time around, and when they broke Liara whispered breathily, "If you are trying to sidetrack me, Samantha, it is most definitely working."

"Hmmm. Hold that thought." Shepard reluctantly released her and stepped back. "I actually wasn't. I need to tell you who I saw, and _spoke_ with, on the Citadel last trip. I'm sorry I didn't say something sooner, I simply didn't have the time to concentrate on it and neither of us could afford the distraction."

Liara cocked one brow marking as she spoke. "It would be much easier on _me_ if you'd just spit it out instead of talking in evasive statements."

Samantha drew up short. "Oh. Right. I... uhm... talked to your father. She's on the Citadel and wants to _meet_ you."

Shock registered on Liara's face and she was speechless. As the silence stretched out and Shepard got no indications through the link what was running through Liara's head, she stepped back up to her lover and gently placed a hand on her forearm. "Li?"

Liara opened her mouth once and closed it again, a myriad of emotions scrambling across her face as she tried to decide how she felt about such a request. "Why? Why _now_?"

"Because the three of us have been going in radically different directions for some time now and this is the first real chance we've had?" Shepard watched Liara's reaction closely.

"We're in the middle of the damn _Reaper_ war! I've got other things I need to focus on!" The blue of Liara's face deepened in anger. "It's not exactly the best time for a family reunion!"

"Liara. Love." Shepard's voice was calm and soothing and it drew Liara's eyes to her face. When their eyes met, Shepard continued. "I know you're angry... and I believe it's actually because you're frightened." Shepard kissed the protest off Liara's lips. "She is as well, Blue. She's scared to death that she'll say something stupid and you'll reject her... blowing her one and only chance to get her foot in the door of knowing her daughter."

Liara's eyes reflected the tormented conflict running amok in her mind. "Goddess, Samantha... I..." She simply stopped speaking and shook her head, snuggling against Shepard's chest and seeking the solid confidence of the commander's arms, which Samantha quickly provided.

As she wrapped her arms around Liara, she gently kissed her temple and passed a single phrase through the link, along with a wave of protectiveness and love. _{Meld with me, please?}_

Liara did so without hesitation and Shepard showed her the entire conversation she had with the matriarch. Liara was so shocked, she had to ask Sam to mentally repeat it so she could absorb more of the details. After the second 'play through,' Liara let out a deep sigh. _{You want me to do this, don't you?}_

"What _I_ want is immaterial. What _is_ important is that you've wondered about your father your entire life and the chance to finally meet her is within your grasp." Shepard's voice was deep and smooth and while one arm was wrapped snugly around Liara's waist, her free hand was busy gently rubbing the Asari's back and massaging slowly up and down the spine. "Aren't you at least curious?"

Liara drew in a shaky breath and let it out slowly. "Curious, yes. And you are correct; I'm scared to death... that she'll be a complete ass and I'll hate her, or that she'll not like _me_ and all my worst nightmares about her will come true..."

"Or that you'll actually like her and the Reapers will keep you from ever getting to know her, ending the relationship before it's ever had a chance to really begin. I know, Li, I can sense your doubts." Shepard squeezed her tight. "But on the flip side, if nothing else, she can answer some questions that no one else can. And who knows; you might actually like one another and we might all live through the war, get to know one another better and all live happily ever after on Thessia together. Isn't the possibility worth a shot?"

Liara clung tight to her commander and buried her face in Samantha's neck. _{Goddess, yes, but how can we make it work? I'm certainly not going to talk to her over the bar at the Presidium Commons Eatery!}_

"Easy. We've got Anderson's apartment." Shepard pushed Liara away enough so she could look at her flushed blue face. "We'll invite her to dinner tonight. We'll have plenty of privacy and you can speak as long as you need to. Alright?"

"That's... a remarkably good idea, Samantha." Liara's forehead wrinkled up with worry as she thought about the evening. "But dinner?"

Sam laughed. "No fear. We'll order in from the Asari restaurant. You need to eat real Thessian food... Dr Chakwas' orders... with eezo, to maintain your biochemistry where it's supposed to be." Shepard cupped Liara's chin gently. "And now that I know it's an issue, I'm going to do everything I can to make sure you stay healthy, _Grá mo chroí._"

When she ended her statement with a gentle kiss on Liara's lips, the Asari's eyes drifted closed. "I love you, Samantha Shepard. How can I say no to you? I know you want this for me, so I will try... and pray to the Goddess it doesn't all explode in our faces." Liara opened her eyes and her blue eyes were awash in a sea of loving devotion for the Human woman before her.

Shepard's heart melted and she gave Liara one last quick kiss. "Come on, Love. We've got people to see and an apartment to show you." She smiled and turned to pick up her overnight bag, slinging it over her shoulder. Liara did the same and they had exited the loft, hand-in-hand.

* * *

"Shepard!" Samantha suddenly jerked her attention back to the present, wondering how long Liara had been trying to get her attention. "What in the world were you thinking about so hard?"

Shepard smiled, "Sorry, Love. My mind drifted to our conversation earlier about meeting your father tonight."

"Goddess, you had to remind me, didn't you?" Liara groaned as she got out of the car. "I simply hope that after Osoba and Bryson, the evening does not end on a sour note. There is only so much death and sadness I can stand in a single day."

Shepard's brow pinched in distress. "Hey. That's enough of that. She loves you, Li, and she's scared to death _you're_ going to reject _her_... no sense in you worrying about it being the other way around."

"Samantha Shepard, eternal optimist." Liara smiled. "One of the reasons I love you."

"Ha. That's better." Shepard climbed out of the skycar only to be met at the door of the research center by Edi and James Vega. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Since Edi was here for the first round, she thought her memory recall might be of some help and since it's not really cool for an AI to be wandering around on her own, I figured I'd give her an escort." Vega shrugged. "I read all the mission reports and the one from Livos was pretty damn interesting. To have that many Harvesters on Namakli, those orbs have got to be something special, so thought I'd check it out... if it's ok with you, that is."

Shepard pursed her lips. "You can come in, check out the orb so you know what it looks like and know enough to destroy one if you see it, but anything after that depends on Ann. I'm not sure how comfortable she'll be with a crowd... and I don't know if she's even found anything yet."

"Fair enough, Commander." Vega crossed his arms across his chest and nodded.

As soon as they entered, they heard Ann call out, "I'm in the main lab!'

The group moved through the display area and Vega whistled at the collection of items. "Holy Hell! Is that a chunk of _Sovereign_?"

Shepard laughed in response and Liara raised her brow markings as she spoke, "Yes, Lieutenant, it is. Most of the material mysteriously vanished... at least _one_ of the pieces actually got into the hands of someone who could do some good with it. The dampening field surrounding it was developed by Garret Bryson and was a huge factor in Garneau being able to devise the current shield technology that is protecting us from the artifact here."

Vega grinned; Liara's response included even more scientific mumbo jumbo than he had expected. He simply thought it cool that he was looking at a chunk of dead Reaper. "I'll take your word for it, Doc. It would have been a hell of a battle to be a part of."

Liara grimaced. "Not so much for those of us who almost died fighting it."

With that comment, James' grin faded significantly. "Yeah. I suppose so. Sorry."

"Think nothing of it, Lieutenant." Liara was speaking to James, but her glance and her hand rested on Shepard. "With what's going on now, everything surrounding Sovereign and the Battle of the Citadel may as well be ancient history."

While they had stood still discussing the remains of Sovereign, Ann had walked in and observed the group in silence. When it appeared as though they were done and ready to start walking again, she announced her presence. "My father was a brilliant man and went to great lengths to ensure _that_ shielding was effective... all to prevent indoctrination." She shook her head in disgust. "Now, thanks to the artifact, it seems I'm indoctrinated anyway."

Edi chimed in quickly, "That is an invalid conclusion, Dr Bryson. Indoctrination is a lasting effect, even when out of range of direct Reaper control. This phenomenon, however, is limited in range and ends the moment the specific artifact in the vicinity is destroyed. It is simply a control device and is not capable of indoctrination."

Ann cocked her head and looked at what she _had_ thought was a mech standing before her. Her eyes lit up with realization. "And _you_ are the Normandy AI mobile chassis!" She paused briefly as she studied the construct, which stood calmly under her scrutiny. "Fascinating!"

"Ann?" Shepard glanced between them nervously, realizing that perhaps having Edi along hadn't been the best idea. "Edi is an essential member of my crew, so I'd appreciate you keeping mum about the fact that she's an AI... and how do you even _know_ that?"

"Relax, Commander." Ann ended her visual study of the AI and turned to Shepard. "My father and I have some of the highest security clearances within the Alliance and we knew our mission was going to have some, shall we say, _unique_ requirements?"

She waved them over to a work station as she continued. "When my father put in his support request, Admiral Hackett came here _in person_ and explained about the Normandy and her rather _distinctive_ crew, assuring us that whatever our operation would require, you'd have someone who could handle the missions. Admittedly, I never contemplated actually getting to work directly with any of you, especially the mobile AI, but know that you have nothing to fear from me on the issue."

She looked around at the group. "Now, if it's ok by you, I'd like to get started."

"I appreciate your candor and your discretion, Ann." Shepard visibly relaxed as she spoke. "So... anyway. What have you found?"

Ann pulled up her first display as she started to speak. "I wrote my dissertation on the Rachni. My father thought it was a waste of time, but I discovered that the Rachni's long-range communication is very similar to the principles behind our QEC."

Shepard stared at the schematic before her and it meant nothing. Edi immediately leaned forward to get a better view of the screen and spoke. "The Illusive Man failed to attribute the data to the author, but I recognize this dissertation. There is a reason the methods of communication appear similar; Cerberus used your data and proposed methodology to develop the QEC device."

"Whatever Leviathan does is also similar; entangling particles to stimulate neural activity." Ann shut down the display and waved a hand, indicating they should follow her as she moved to the main lab, where the artifact was housed. "It uses the artifact to establish the connection and then controls the minds of anyone within range."

Liara spoke, curious as to what true relevance the discussion had. "But QEC communications are non-traceable, so the very fact it's like our QEC makes the artifact useless to us, does it not?"

Ann smiled, "Very true about _our_ QEC communications, but the artifact does not generate a natural QEC. Leviathan has to send a pulse through the artifact to alter the target's mind enough to create a _quasi_-QEC effect... and the pulse _is_ traceable."

Liara's eyes widened in stunned surprise. "What you are suggesting requires Leviathan to make a connection with someone on this end!"

Shepard's head snapped around to Liara, "What?" Her gaze moved instantly back to Ann Bryson. "No way! It's too risky! Hadley _died_ after Leviathan forced his hand and I refuse to let that happen to you!"

Ann scowled at Shepard. "You say that as if you have a say in the matter, Commander. You're the one that said I'm your last chance to track Leviathan down, and this is the only way it's going to happen. When Leviathan took control of me on Namakli, I remember being somewhere cold and dark." Ann's gaze fell to the floor as she continued, "... But my father taught me to never be afraid of the dark." Her eyes came back up to meet those of the commander. "I want to do this, Shepard. For Hadley, for Garneau, and for my father."

"That's what the Marauders were doing!" Liara grabbed Shepard's upper arm to get her attention. "In the mission report, Livos said they had activated the artifact... they were tracing the signal!"

"Then it's a good thing they destroyed it and broke the connection." Shepard frowned. "I still don't like it, Ann, but you're right. I don't see any alternative."

Ann nodded. "Agreed. But that's where your AI, Edi, comes in. She can be the unassailable mind that can act as a monitor. Leviathan has proven to be able to control multiple minds at the same time... but an AI doesn't have an organic mind to alter. Edi can watch us and if she sees _any_ indication we are failing or that it is taking over more than me, she can bring the shield back up and terminate the connection."

"That is a reasonable precaution, Shepard," Edi agreed. "I will ensure that all of you, except Dr Bryson of course, remain safe and free from Leviathan's influence."

"You're looking for something to fight the Reapers, Commander." Ann made one final point. "I'm looking for the monster that murdered my father."


	16. Don't Blink

Notes:

_Grá mo chroí _\- love of my heart(Irish/Gaelic)

_I__onúin álainn_ \- beautiful beloved (Irish/Gaelic)

_T__á tú go hálainn_ \- You are beautiful (Irish/Gaelic)

* * *

**Don't Blink**

**Citadel, ****Task Force Aurora Research Center**

They all realized the inherent danger and the risk Ann Bryson was willing to take, but having no other options, Shepard finally acquiesced. Edi dropped the containment shield surrounding the artifact and it wasn't long before Ann was under Leviathan's control. Liara worked on the trace as Shepard egged Leviathan on, keeping the connection active, and James restrained Ann Bryson, keeping her seated and unable to physically attack anyone as Hadley had done. Edi was standing next to the shield control device, ready to bring the shield back on-line at the first hint of trouble.

Liara gave Shepard continuous tracking updates through their link, hoping that lack of verbal communication would keep Leviathan from figuring out what they were doing and cut the connection. _{Sigurd's Cradle.}_

Shepard looked at Ann as she spoke, "Listen to me! I found you and the Reapers are right behind me!"

Ann's voice was unnatural as she growled out, "You have brought them! You are a threat!"

Shepard growled back, "So are _you_! You killed a _Reaper_ and we need your help for the war!"

"There is no war," Ann was struggling and, even with _James_ trying to keep her seated, she almost surged out of his grasp. "There is only the Harvest!"

_{I have narrowed it to either the Lenal or Psi Tophet system, Shepard.}_

"I refuse to believe that. This _is_ a war and it can be won!" Shepard gave a worried glance back at Liara as Ann continued her struggle to get free of Vega's grasp.

Liara didn't look up to see Shepard, but could sense her anxiety as she relayed her lack of any more progress._ {I don't have a lock yet, Shepard.}_

Suddenly Ann's nose started to bleed and her eyes fluttered as they appeared to lose their focus. Shepard shouted, "Shit! Edi! Bring up the shield!"

Shepard surged forward and slid to her knees in front of Ann as the researcher's struggling ceased; whether they had the location or not, the connection to Leviathan was broken. "Ann! Ann? Can you hear me? Are you alright?"

James muttered, "Oh, man!" under his breath and kept Ann from slumping forward and falling out of the chair until she seemed to regain some awareness of her surroundings. Ann raised her hand slowly and pressed her fingertips into her temple. "Yes... yes, I think so."

A concerned Liara stepped up and immediately ran a full bio-scan with her omnitool. "Shepard, we should get her to Huerta as a precaution. She is exhibiting symptoms of _mild_ trauma and should be looked at by a medical professional to be sure she is alright."

"Good idea." She looked to her team. "James, Edi... can you ensure she gets taken care of? Liara and I have another appointment we need to get ready for."

Edi and James both answered to the affirmative, but Ann paused and reached out toward Shepard. "Commander? Before we go, I have to tell you... I _sensed_ something while under Leviathan's control. _Anger_." Ann looked up to meet Shepard's eyes, her concern obvious in both her expression and her tone. "I think it wants to _kill_ you."

Shepard sighed. "It knows we're getting close."

"What_ever_ you do with this information, please be careful, Commander Shepard." Ann rubbed her temples one more time. "I don't want your death on my conscience."

"I'll do my best, Ann." Shepard felt _concern_ as Liara stepped up behind her. "Now, please let James and Edi take you to Huerta for a thorough physical. Simply tell James if you need _anything_. Anything at all."

"Certainly." Ann nodded, "I have a massive headache. A visit to Huerta is not a bad idea."

As James and Edi escorted Ann out, Liara reached around Shepard's waist and pulled her back tight. She didn't need to say a word; Shepard could feel her mounting anxiety... _knowing_ Shepard would pursue this lead to the end frightened her considerably. The commander turned in her grasp and returned the embrace. "Don't worry, Love. You go where I go. You'll be right by my side _if and when_ we find Leviathan."

* * *

Shepard and Liara went to the apartment via the residential shopping district and grabbed some essentials; basically, that included snacks and drinks for the evening, as well as what they both wanted for breakfast the next morning. Liara purchased a bit extra, on the unlikely chance that they all spoke so late into the night that it would be more prudent for Aethyta to sleep at the apartment than to walk home alone in the wee hours of the morning. Liara thought it highly improbable, but it was better to have the food available in case Aethyta happened to be there for breakfast; she could always bring any leftovers to the Normandy and add them to the stores.

When they got into the taxi and Shepard said, "Tiberius Towers," Liara's brow markings rose in surprise, but she said nothing. After the taxi dropped them off and they entered the building, Shepard went straight to the penthouse elevator and Liara couldn't stand it anymore. "Shepard... I realize you must know where you are going, but apartments here are _extremely_ expensive. How did a career military man afford such a place?" Her face flushed in embarrassment and she continued, "Goddess. That sounded awful. Even to me."

"Don't worry. I asked him the _exact_ same thing when he told _me_. And I wasn't _near_ as polite!" Shepard laughed and leaned in to plant a quick kiss on Liara's cheek. "He and a fellow officer went in on it together. Remember Kahlee Sanders?"

"Yes, I do. Grissom Academy." Liara smiled warmly. "I _thought_ you two seemed to know one another, but you stayed so professional it was hard to tell... and our link was nonfunctional then, so I couldn't exactly _cheat_ and peek."

Shepard glowered, "Yeah. And then you got strafed by that damn turret and forgot all about it, didn't you?"

The elevator doors opened and Liara fell silent until they stepped out and she realized it was a private entry hall. When she did speak, her voice was terse, her words clipped. "Shepard? You sound like you are _angry _with me... for getting shot. It's not like I did it on_ purpose_."

Shepard's eyes flew wide in surprise; she stopped where she was, standing in the middle of the hall, and placed her bags on the floor. She turned quickly to the Asari and cupped her cheeks, making direct eye contact. "Absolutely not. Don't even _think_ it. I _was_ angry... am angry... but certainly not at _you_. Because you got _hurt_ and I couldn't tell how badly." Her eyes drifted downward and she dropped her hands to her side with a feeling of helplessness. "I heard you cry out and I didn't even know where you _were_. I wasn't there to _protect_ you, Blue, and it scared the living Hell out of me. I was frightened and angry at _myself_."

Liara's face pinched with contrition. "I'm sorry, Shepard. I know better than to think such a thing of you, of all people." She let out a heavy sigh. "I don't know what I'm saying. This... _thing_... this... _meeting_ with my father... has me terribly on edge. Forgive me?"

"There's nothing to forgive you for, _I__onúin álainn__._" Shepard picked her bags back up and continued down the hall with a heavy sigh of her own. "Anyway. Two relatively high-ranking individuals with specialty and hazardous duty pay added in and no family or kids to support... They _both_ did great as individuals and when they got together and _pooled_ their resources, it was a pretty significant sum. Plus, Anderson had an old family home in London that he sold and turned a good profit on." Shepard stopped in front of the door and keyed in the entry code.

Liara was preparing to comment, but her words fell away to an astonished silence as the door before her opened, revealing a gorgeous apartment. Her eyes were wide with wonder as they took in the beautiful tile flooring, vast area rugs, a huge wraparound fireplace and a grand piano. A mix of cut stone columns and a black metal railing running up the stairs and across a loft balcony gave it a classic, yet modern, look. There were even a couple of indoor gardens, the first of which was immediately inside the front door on the right hand side. "It's _beautiful_, Shepard!"

Shepard smiled indulgently. "Come on. The kitchen's right up here. Once we get this stuff in the refrigerator, I'll give you the quick tour and we can drop our personal bags in the master bedroom."

As the tour commenced, Liara quickly realized the apartment was well appointed, open and airy. "What did they plan to do with all this space? Just the two of them and they have _three_ bedrooms, two _sitting_ rooms, a huge den and office... and two _bars_, for Goddess' sake!" Liara was astounded at the size. Her eyes traveled upward to the high ceilings and realized it was a custom penthouse, with only two levels utilizing a three-story space; the cathedral effect was stunning and allowed room even for small trees in the in-home gardens. Liara thought it a magnificent and _welcoming_ living space.

"You have to realize the kind of people they are. Their house has always been open to me... the second bedroom upstairs is kinda-sorta the Shepard suite. If either of us is in town, that room is reserved for me... or my mom. The third one, downstairs, is the true guest room... and as you saw, it doubles as the workout room." Shepard shrugged. "They frequently held parties for all their military friends and if someone couldn't get home for the holidays, they were always welcome to come here for a home-cooked meal and a comfy bed someplace other than their military bunk. We were all one big family."

Liara nodded. "I can understand that. Before... everything... happened, my mother was that way with all the House commandos. Sometimes the _House_ bonds were stronger than the family ones."

Liara had meant her last statement to be in reference to the commandos, but once it escaped her lips, she recognized the double meaning and frowned. "I didn't mean that... in reference to my mother and me, but I suppose it probably applies all the same."

"Hey." Shepard pulled her around to face her. "Your mother got caught up in something much bigger than she realized. I _know_ she loved you and that you two were _well_ on the way to reconciliation. I'm sorry I couldn't manage to give that to you, but _none_ of us counted on something like Sovereign and the Reapers."

Liara smiled gently at the considerate Human before her. "You are absolutely correct. We couldn't, and therefore _you_ have nothing to be sorry about. We all did the best we could... and in the end we beat Sovereign." Liara dropped her smile and her expression became resolute as she finished, "Exactly like what we're going to do with Harbinger and his horde."

"Alright. Enough business talk." Shepard's lips picked up a mischievous smile and her eyes twinkled with merriment. "We have two hours before Aethyta shows. What do you want to do?"

Liara looked at her suspiciously. "Why do I get the feeling you already have a suggestion?"

"Ha! Because I do... But only if there isn't something else you'd _rather_ do." Shepard took a step back from her lover and started inching toward the stairs.

"Shepard?" Liara watched the commander's movements, knowing through the link that she was headed up to the master bedroom... and the gigantic hot tub in the corner. "We only have two hours..."

"Then we'd better hurry." Shepard suddenly stopped and turned back toward the kitchen. Liara watched her, puzzled at the change of direction until she watched Samantha pick up two glasses and a bottle of Thessian Red. "And I think we probably need to get you relaxed a bit more so you don't warp Aethyta into the next century when she gets here."

Liara chuckled and shook her head in wonder. "Fine. You seem convinced that the only feeling I harbor toward my father is antipathy, but that is hardly the case."

"Oh, so _not_ true, Dr T'Soni." Shepard wiggled the glasses suspended between her fingers and continued to walk as she talked, up the stairs and into the master. "I am merely commenting on my observation that you are wound tighter than _any_ of the wires in that grand piano in the main living room. But I get it; a life-long dream coming to fruition and all _you're_ hoping is that it's not a nightmare. I don't believe I've ever seen you so pessimistic about the potential outcomes of an upcoming meeting."

They had reached the bathroom and Shepard placed the glasses and the wine bottle on the vanity as she kicked off her shoes. She dug a couple of towels out of the cabinet and hung them on the towel bar before turning back to Liara, who was still standing in the doorway, lost in thought. Shepard smiled softly and padded silently across the floor to pull Liara into her arms, realizing the Asari was trembling lightly. Samantha felt a pang of trepidation through the link and she whispered softly in Liara's ear, her warm breath flowing delicately across the folds on Liara's neck. "You definitely need a little distraction, Li... and I'm more than happy to provide it."

Shepard's hand slid up to the back of Liara's neck and found the zipper for her dress; her fingers gripped the pull, but she didn't do anything with it. "Li?"

"Yes, please." Liara shivered with anticipation as Shepard slid the zipper slowly down her back. "You're absolutely correct. I don't understand exactly why, but I _am_ scared to death, Sam."

"You're over thinking it, Love. She's your father. You're 109 and you've never really met. _I'd_ be nervous as all get out and I wouldn't know _what_ to feel. I'd be panicked, scared, confused, frustrated and angry... probably all at the same time. But, most of all, I'd like to think I would be _hopeful_." Shepard's hands were warm and gentle as she pushed the Asari's gown off her shoulders and slid it down her body so Liara could step out. She straightened from her kneeling position and hung the gown on one of the robe hooks by the doorway.

As Liara stood nude before her, Shepard's radiant green eyes appreciatively drank in the lovely sight. "Gods... _T__á tú go hálainn_, Li." She moistened her lips and swallowed, her eyes coming back up and meeting Liara's blue ones, still somewhat clouded with worry. "It won't matter how this turns out... I'll still love you and you'll still love me and that's all that matters in the end." Shepard started to unbutton her own shirt, enticing Liara to become an active participant and undo her lover's belt.

Liara smiled softly as she worked. "_T__á tú go hálainn_? Sounds remarkably like your nickname for me, 'beautiful beloved,' so is it safe to assume you just told me I'm beautiful?"

"Excellent deduction, my sexy scholar." Shepard finished undoing her buttons and peeled her shirt off as Liara pushed Samantha's pants down to her ankles so she could step out of them. "If the Aethyta thing works out, as far as I'm concerned, it's merely a bonus to an already awesome relationship with my _grá mo chroí_."

Shepard peeled her underwear off under the watchful eyes of her lover and when they both stood naked, Liara sighed happily and took Shepard's hands. "_Thank_ you, Love. How is it you always know what I need to hear?"

Shepard reached up and tapped her temple, laughing lightly. "Because, when the link is working and active, you're in my head and I'm in yours. I sense your thoughts and your fears. It takes away most of the guesswork. Besides which, all I'm telling you is the truth; that it's what you want or need to hear is merely coincidence." She took a step toward the tub and gave Liara's hand a soft tug. "Now. Come on. We can soak for a good half-hour or so before we need to shower and dress. In you go... and I'll get the wine."

* * *

**Citadel, ****Presidium Commons, Apollo's Cafe**

Aethyta stared at the message on her omnitool and her palms began to sweat. _What the fuck? A little warning would have been nice!_ Advance warning or not, she knew she had to go. She refused to miss the opportunity and it wasn't like she hadn't been thinking about it since Shepard had told her she would talk to Liara. Matter of fact, it took an effort of amazing proportions to _not_ think about it and be able to focus on anything else at all. Considering they were in the middle of the Reaper war, Aethyta realized it was also extremely unfair of her to expect Shepard to know much in advance when the Normandy would be back at the Citadel. Besides, it was only mid-morning and the invitation was for dinner. In the Tiberius Towers none the less. _I wonder if I have to dress the fuck up._

Aethyta looked at her boss, "Hey, Toby?" When he glanced up at her, she continued, "I need to take the afternoon off. I'm not feeling so great." Aethyta knew it was a lame excuse, but given how she was sweating and how her nerves were making her nauseous, it wasn't really _that_ far from the truth.

Toby looked at her; since she had started, Aethyta had become his most reliable employee and the customers really liked her, but her normally violet skin was looking a shade more pink than purple and she had an uncharacteristic sheen of sweat glistening on her forehead. "Get the hell outta here. I don't need you making the patrons sick and bringing the health inspector down on my ass."

"Thanks, Boss-man." Aethyta finished cleaning up the bar and tossed her towel in the laundry bin. "I'll drop a message to you; let you know what's going on."

Toby shrugged, "Whatever, Thyta. You're the best I got, so I hope it's done quick."

"Damn," Aethyta mumbled under her breath. If she hadn't already felt a bit off, she would have after _that_; he actually was a pretty decent boss and now she felt bad about skipping out on the guy. The feeling didn't last long; as she walked back to her apartment, her thoughts drifted back to why she was taking the time off in the first place.

As her door slid shut behind her, Aethyta sighed and walked to her bedroom, looking to the picture she kept on her nightstand. She shook her head and huffed, "Damn, Nezzie. For all of your tremendous ability to make treaties work and bring about peace when nobody else thought it was possible, you sure did leave your own life a mess when you left us."

She walked over and picked up the picture, tracing her finger along the voluptuous curves. "Your Little Wing looks a lot like you, Babe. Wish you could see her now. She's still a maiden, but with all the shit she's seen? She's developed a confidence and grace that's hard to imagine for our little dirt digger." Aethyta chuckled softly to herself and relaxed back on the bed, clutching the picture to her chest. Her mind wandered back...

* * *

**Thessia, Summer 1961, Planetary Defense Forum**

Aethyta watched, enraptured, as one of the most beautiful Asari she had ever met stood up; it was Matriarch Benezia of House T'Soni, representing the Armali Republic. As such, she held one of the eight seats on the Defense Council, one for each of the eight primary Asari Republics. She was _very_ well respected and the room fell silent as soon as people began to realize who rose to speak. She was dressed in a relatively plain yellow gown with blue accents and she glanced around the room, perfectly as ease in front of the large group... and the _only_ reason Aethyta was in attendance. They had been dating fairly regularly for the past three years and while not truly interested in politics, Benezia said she wanted to look out and see her in the audience, so Aethyta accompanied her to the session.

While there were only eight chairs for the members of the Forum, as with any other aspect of Thessian government, every Republic, no matter the size, still had a voice and a designated representative who sat in what they called the 'lesser house.' Any vote or decision made by the eight still needed to pass the majority before it could be put to the people of Thessia. If the Forum managed to build a consensus, the issue would then go to public debate via the open forums, moderated by specially-programmed virtual intelligences. No vote on Thessia would be considered final until at least ninety percent of the eligible populace had rendered their decision.

Aethyta smiled, knowing full well that almost anything Benezia proposed would easily pass through to open forum and be validated within a few months. It was an amazing feat for such a young matriarch; Benezia was only 760 years of age and had been a member of the forum for barely a decade... but was a teacher of religion and philosophy and had a following bordering on zealotry within the numerous small Republics surrounding Armali. By itself, the Armali Republic wasn't exactly small and Matriarch Benezia's popularity with the people granted her significant influence; she was a force the older matriarchs dared not ignore.

That _particular_ session had come to Aethyta's mind for a couple of reasons. Other than it being the first session Aethyta ever attended, the main topic involved a new race that had entered their space-faring era; a small blue-green world in the Sol system. Benezia spoke against making any sort of contact yet, citing the discovery of the Rachni relay, the Krogan uplifting, and the development of the Geth as examples of the best intentions gone wrong. Instead, she begged they take a longer view, to watch from a distance, avoid contact and evaluate the new race's potential... all while maintaining a strict policy of noninterference. At _least_ until these new intrepid bipeds managed to find their way out of their own system. With the Geth War not even a century past in the history books, her motion passed easily to the open forum. Aethyta rolled her eyes as she thought back to that seemingly insignificant little planet. _Little did we know how important one single Human from Earth would eventually become to all of us._

Aethyta sat back up and returned the picture to the nightstand. Shaking her head, she stripped and walked into the bathroom to step into the shower. But try as she might to concentrate on the upcoming discussion with _Liara_, Aethyta's thoughts refused to be corralled and she quickly found her mind focused back on Nezzie again. They had bonded after forty-three years, in the summer of 2004, and gotten along fabulously for another sixty years after _that_ before things had started to get rocky.

Early on, Benezia had loved the way Aethyta challenged convention and questioned the way things had always been done but, eventually, her course language and constant disagreements with the other matriarchs began to have negative consequences on Benezia's political career. As Benezia gained nearly a century of experience, both her influence and visibility increased... unfortunately, so did Aethyta's... but, with her constantly challenging the other Matriarchs to change their ways, it wasn't the kind of attention Benezia wanted to attract and she and Aethyta had more than one fight over the issue.

Aethyta's blatant disrespect and disregard for custom made her rather unpopular among the others, particularly when she talked about younger Asari getting jobs and making societal contributions instead of 'wasting' their maiden years by becoming strippers and mercenaries. Many of the matriarchs she was speaking to had _been_ one or the other, stripper or mercenary, in their maiden years and took great offense to being told in no uncertain terms that they had _wasted_ their youth. Such talk threatened to upset the matriarchal structure of Asari society as they knew it and erode their existing power base. No one was willing to take that step and Aethyta quickly fell out of favor at the forums. The beginning of the end was the day Benezia asked Aethyta to _not_ go to the quarterly meeting with her.

Aethyta had stared at her, dumbfounded. "What do you mean, you don't want me to go?"

"Simply that." Benezia sighed. "All you do is fight with the other matriarchs. It's become very disruptive and everything takes twice as long when you're there."

"Well, excuse _me_ for having a fucking dissenting opinion." Aethyta growled. "It's not _my_ fault most of the old bags have been around so long they've developed tunnel vision. We need to be _prepared_! The galaxy is _not_ a nice place! It seems we can't go a single Asari lifetime without a major galactic war... I simply think we need to be proactive and be _ready_ for the next one."

Benezia looked at her with condescending blue eyes. "Aethyta..."

"What? Just think about it. We had the Rachni wars. Seven hundred years later were the Krogan Rebellions. A thousand years after _they_ end, we had the Geth War." Aethyta shook with frustration. "I realize we're not even 200 years past that yet, but it's going to take time to change people's minds. We need to be talking about it _now_, not later when war is on top of us. _Then_, it's too fucking late! Who's going to save us next? We've already used up our favors with the Krogan... and _they_ had to be put down hard... who's going to put down the Turians when _they_ get it in their head to take over? Certainly not our _commando_ squads."

"I think about it all the time! It's not _what_ you say; it's how you _say_ it. You have a _talent_ for causing irritation!" Benezia's hand went to her forehead. "I do _not_ have time to talk about this now; I'm going to be late."

"_You're_ going to be late. Not _we're_ going to be late." Aethyta shook her head and looked away. "Why even bother _asking_ me not to go, when you've obviously already made up your mind."

"Thyta." Benezia's face pinched with regret, knowing she'd pushed too far, too fast.

"No. Go, Nezzie." Aethyta huffed. "I was never interested in politics until I met you anyway, and now I remember _why_. It has nothing to do with actual _governing_... it's simply legitimizing a system of _control_." Aethyta threw her hands up in disgust and started to walk away. "I'll see you later."

Aethyta walked out and the door closed behind her before Benezia had been able to formulate a reply.

When Benezia returned to the townhome that evening, she found Aethyta in the bedroom, sitting on the end of their bed, a small bag at her side. She held her bonding bracelet in her hands and was flipping it between her fingers. Benezia's feet froze in place at the doorway and no level of will could make her take another step forward; seeing the bracelet _not_ on her bondmate's wrist was terrifying enough, but it looked as though Aethyta had also packed a weekend bag. Benezia's normally confident voice trembled as she forced the question out between her lips. "Thyta? Wh-What are you doing?"

A strained violet face lifted to look at the recent arrival, tracks from now-dry tears littered her cheeks and her normally soft brown eyes were sullen and streaked with blue. It broke Benezia's heart to see it. "I, uh... I don't _know_, Nezzie." Aethyta cleared her throat, but the gravelly tone wouldn't go away. "You tell _me_. What the fuck _am_ I doing, Nezzie?"

Confusion reigned on Benezia's face. "I... don't know. What do you mean?"

"Goddess, Nezzie! You want to rule my thoughts. You want to control what I talk about at the forums; you want me to shut up about our maidens being more than sex objects and gangsters. It feels like you've been wishing I was someone _else_!" Aethyta stood, her bonding bracelet clutched tightly in her right fist. "So since you want to rule my fucking _life_, you tell _me_. What the fuck am I _supposed_ to be doing?"

"_Thyta_! I never..." Benezia suddenly stopped talking as realization hit her. "Goddess. I have."

She closed her eyes as tears ran down her cheeks. "Thyta... I never meant..." She didn't finish her sentence, just hung her head and let the tears fall, making no effort to stop them or wipe them away.

Aethyta stood and stared, waiting for Benezia to do _something_ other than stand there and weep in silence. After the moment looked as if it would stretch to eternity, Aethyta growled, "Oh, for fuck's sake!" and strode over to Benezia, wrapping her in a tight embrace. Her voice was low and grief-stricken. "You know I can't stand it when you cry."

* * *

Aethyta finished her shower and dried off in a haze. The next five years of the relationship were a blurry cycle of fights, bouts of drunkenness and lengthy separations, apologies and make-up sex. _I do miss those make-up days... Goddess be damned, but __**fuck**__ how I miss burying my face in that __**rack**__!_

She stood in front of her closet and stared at her clothes, sighing with the realization that she wasn't exactly in the best position. _I guess I do need to be presentable. Fuck, I feel like I'm 100 and going to my first damn job interview!_

She pulled out one of her nicer gowns, avoiding the full formal wear, and tried to think of the last time she had needed to dress up for anything. It slapped her like a Justicar's warp when she realized it was the night Benezia had told her she wanted to get pregnant. Aethyta remembered exactly how sweetly Benezia had smiled and how sexy her voice was as she huskily whispered, "House T'Soni needs an heir and I can think of no one better than _you_ to help me with that, Thyta." Benezia smiled endearingly. "You are, after all, my bondmate... and however crass you may be in your mode of expression, there is no doubt you have a sharp intellect and keen wit, with more than a dash of determination thrown on top."

Aethyta huffed at the memory that immediately followed; within a month, Aethyta had begun to wonder if it had all been an act to get her in the mood to say yes. She had naively hoped perhaps a child was what they needed to get their relationship back on track. Someone they could raise collectively and divert some of the attention away from their flagging bond. A child they could love together and maybe remember how to love each other in the process.

Benezia was roughly two-thirds of the way through her year-long pregnancy when she dropped the bomb. "I thought I could do it, Thyta, but I can't. It's what I _do_ and I can't give it up. It's who I am." Benezia shook her head sadly. "I _won't_ give it up. I've made a name for myself in the Forums and House T'Soni has gained significant influence _because_ of it!"

"Huh," Aethyta grunted. "Yeah, well. This is who I am and I can't change _it_ either. You used to _love_ that part of me... until I became a _detriment_ to your damn political career."

"That is not fair." A defensive fire lit in Benezia's heart. "It's not solely about us anymore; we have a _daughter_ on the way! We have to make sure we can provide a secure future... and even _you_ must admit you've been rather irresponsible of late. With your drinking and your bar fights, you haven't exactly been the epitome of a good role model for a child." Aethyta glared at her as Benezia finished, "I will have neither my daughter nor the T'Soni heir growing up _cussing_ like a mercenary or _head-butting_ like a Krogan!"

Aethyta scoffed, "Well, perhaps _I_ want my daughter to grow up _knowing_ she's one-quarter Krogan!"

On reflex, Benezia snapped, "Then go have one of your own!"

Dead silence instantly filled the room. Aethyta's jaw worked hard, but she kept her teeth clenched together to keep herself from saying _anything_ in response, because she knew that whatever came out of her mouth at that moment would definitely _not_ be good. She took a deep breath and walked to the dressing room, grabbed her travel bag and quickly stuffed two days' worth of clothes in on top of her commando leathers.

When she stepped back out into the main bedroom, Benezia looked at her and pleaded, "Aethyta, please. You know I didn't mean that... I didn't think about what I was saying; it simply... came out." When she finished, she ran an aggravated hand over her crests in a flustered motion.

Aethyta remained mute, walking out of the bedroom, down the hall and down the stairs to the foyer. Benezia caught up to her there, pleading, "Thyta! Wait! _Please_."

Aethyta stopped, but remained facing the door, her back to her bondmate. "No. I think, with that impulsive response, you said precisely what you've _truly_ felt for a while now." Aethyta sighed sadly and shook her head. "Don't call me. I need a few days to think about exactly where I fit in with _Matriarch Benezia_ and the coming House T'Soni heir."

While Benezia stood in stunned silence from the use of her formal title instead of her name, Aethyta took three long strides and was out the door, not really caring what anyone thought as she slammed the door behind her.

* * *

Even a century later, the memory of the days that followed remained painful. Aethyta had returned to the townhome three days later with the intent to apologize for her drinking and to swear off alcohol any time she was around the baby, only to find Benezia unwilling to talk about it. While Aethyta had been deciding the relationship was worth saving and was willing to work on her rough edges, Benezia had decided she didn't want the crass, sometimes uncontrollable Aethyta near her daughter.

Aethyta had been completely blown away. She had collapsed into a chair, begging Nezzie to change her mind, that she was the child's father and had every right to help raise her. Benezia had pierced her heart without hesitation. She quickly reminded Aethyta of Asari _maternal_ privilege... all rights and dispensations flowed _from_ and _through_ the matriarchal side; birthright, inheritance... right of parentage. _Everything_.

She remembered the next words out of her mouth like she had said them yesterday... she had accepted _her_ defeat, but wasn't about to let it compromise her as yet unborn _daughter_. She stood and stared Benezia down as she growled out the words that tore her own heart from her chest. "So if I don't go along with your plan, you'll fuck me twice as hard by going to a Quorum and getting our bond dissolved, pretending the last hundred years meant nothing. I'll play your stupid political game and I'll stay away... on _one_ condition."

Benezia glared at her, not really believing Aethyta had any leverage in the matter whatsoever. "And what, pray tell, could that _possibly_ be?"

"For being so damn smart, you sure can be an ass sometimes, Nezzie." Aethyta huffed and shook her head. "You don't get that I still fucking _love_ you... like there's no tomorrow. You won't accept my apology. You don't believe I can change or that I can be trusted to help raise our daughter. That's all fine. But let me tell you this... When she's old enough to make her own decisions, you're gonna _let_ her. I'll stay out of _your_ way and out of _her_ life, just like you ask. I'll trust you to raise her _right_. But don't you keep her in a cage like some little baby bird. Don't you _dare_ cage her like you _tried_ to cage me. With your smarts and my determination? You try to cage _her_ and she's going to raise one _Hell_ of a storm with those little wings."


	17. Family Found

Notes:

_Amantia_ \- lover (Thessian)

FTL - Faster than light

_I__onúin álainn_ \- beautiful beloved (Irish/Gaelic)

_Leannán_ \- Lover (Irish/Gaelic)

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

* * *

**Family Found**

**Citadel, Tiberius Towers Penthouse**

Liara slid smoothly into the tub and groaned with pleasure as she felt the warmth penetrate into her bones. Shepard knew the Asari body temperature was lower than that of a human by a half-degree, being 36.5° instead of 37° Celsius; for that reason, she had lowered the tub from 40° to 39°. It wasn't much, but it was enough to keep the water from being _uncomfortably_ hot against the Asari's skin. Shepard poured the wine and set the glasses on the edge of the tub as she slid in next to Liara.

Shepard wasn't exactly 'listening in,' but could still feel the tumult of Liara's thoughts. She smiled softly and straddled Liara's lap, setting her forehead gently against that of her lover as she cupped the Asari's face in her hands and looked into a pair of anxious blue eyes. She stroked Liara's cheeks tenderly with her thumbs and whispered, "It's going to be fine, Love. I will be _whoever_ and _wherever_ you need me to be for this. I _promise_."

Shepard felt Liara's thoughts calming and was surprised when Liara responded by wrapping her arms around Samantha's shoulders and, without saying a word, kissed her passionately. A sharp pang instantly shot through Shepard's core as she moaned into the kiss, instantly reflected by a sharp exhale from her lover when she felt the response through the link. Completely ignoring the two glasses of wine sitting on the floor beside the tub, Liara pushed away from the wall, dropped an arm down to surround Shepard's torso and drew their bodies tightly together as the Asari's hips jerked uncontrollably forward with sudden desire.

Shepard grunted with surprise at the intensity of the embrace but dropped her hands from Liara's face to wrap one arm around the Asari's shoulders in response to the unexpected intimacy; Liara had been the one to comment on their limited time. Samantha's other hand drifted downward and settled into the small of Liara's back as she whispered hesitantly, "Li?"

"Samantha." Liara's voice was a little higher in pitch than normal, filled with a nervous energy. "I need your _strength_. I... I need to _feel_ your love for me."

"Oh, Blue..." Shepard's voice rang with tender compassion as she slid off Liara's lap to a squeak of protest... which quickly died as Samantha pulled Liara around, merely reversing their positions. Now, _Liara_ was higher, granting the commander easier access to the side of Liara's neck with her mouth. Her lips and tongue immediately got busy, caressing the ridges and valleys, as her left hand slipped once more to Liara's lower back and her right slid down between their legs.

Liara cried out and her whole body quivered in euphoria when Shepard hit four zones at the same time; her teeth found gentle purchase on a ridge, her breasts pressed into Liara's, her left-hand fingers slid in and softly kneaded the tender folds in the Asari's lower back and the fingers of Samantha's right hand slid through an already slick azure as her thumb tweaked a needy nub, its hood eagerly drawn back as it begged for attention. Samantha had learned early in their relationship that the Asari erogenous zones opened much more freely in water and Liara's sensitivity increased significantly, so her touch was purposefully light as she whispered provocatively across the folds on Liara's neck, "What do you need from me,_ I__onúin álainn_?"

"I need to not _think_, Sam... even if only for a few moments." Her head rolled back and to the side, baring her throat to Shepard in ultimate surrender. Liara whispered pleadingly through the meld, _{Please, Siame. Make me come undone.}_

With the warm water and what little foreplay they had already completed, Liara's body was wide open to her, so Shepard wasted no time, immediately sinking two fingers into her lover's moist heat, only to realize it wasn't enough. As Liara rocked her hips in a desperate attempt to find _more_, Shepard withdrew to a whine of displeasure. The sound was quickly overtaken by a much happier groan of satisfaction as Sam immediately returned with three, finally causing a bit of stretch as she curled her fingers and drew them across Liara's sensitive front wall.

Liara practically growled through the link in animalistic pleasure at the firm contact. _{Oh, Goddess. Yes!}_ Her hips set a feverish pace and her inner walls fluttered rapidly in her frantic search for oblivion. Shepard used the link to push absolute love and yearning desire as her own body started to react. She slowly began to call on her biotics and glow softly with controlled power.

Even in her frenzied state, Liara must have felt the energy building; in answer, her body also started to glow blue, even as her eyes slipped to black. Shepard felt the change and sent out micro-pulses through her fingertips. Liara's mind slipped into full union with Samantha's just before the Asari's voice exploded outward. Her insides clamped tight, drawing on Samantha's presence within to grant Liara her desired release and she managed one last cry before her world exploded into a million stars as her body and emotions surfed together with Samantha's upon wave after wave of euphoria.

Samantha released her own muffled scream into the ridges and valleys on the side of Liara's neck, pulled willingly along by the shared sensation of her lover's orgasm even though the Asari hadn't touched her in any way other than to pull their bodies tightly together. Sam dutifully nursed Liara through the waves of bliss, removing her left hand from the lower back folds in order to embrace and support her lover's body, trembling in exhaustion.

Liara slumped forward into Samantha's arms, breathing heavily and resting her head on Shepard's shoulder. Her eyes were closed and Shepard couldn't see her face, but she felt the outpouring of love as Liara whispered through the link. _{Thank you, Siame. That was... perfectly wonderful.}_

"Hold tight, Blue." Liara's query as to why was cut off by her surprise as Shepard gripped the Asari's legs around her thighs and hoisted her out of the water, Liara's grasp tightened in reflex to keep from tipping over backwards as Shepard stood up and sat her on the edge of the hot tub. Shepard quickly reached to the side and handed Liara her wine glass. "Have a sip and catch your breath, _Leannán._"

Liara blinked as her sluggish mind struggled to catch up with Shepard's actions, she hadn't really come out of her euphoric fog... mostly because she had absolutely no _desire_ to trade her temporary bliss for the reality she knew awaited her. With a resigned sigh, she reached out and took the glass from Shepard, but proof the euphoria was still present came in the form of a tingle across her fingers when they brushed against Samantha's as the glass transferred from one hand to the other. Liara smiled indulgently as a beautifully naked Samantha Shepard popped athletically out of the tub right beside her, grabbed a towel off the bar and wrapped it lovingly around the Asari's shoulders.

Shepard caressed her crests and whispered softly, "I'll start the shower so the water's nice and warm for you. Samantha picked up her own glass and took a long sip, savoring the wine's flavor as it drizzled across her tongue. She turned on the shower and took another sip of her wine before setting her glass on the vanity to retrieve a dry towel for Liara. Hanging _that_ one on the bar next to her own, still dry, towel, Shepard gave Liara a playful push. "Come on, pokey. Only ten minutes before your Dad is ringing the access chime."

Liara drew a deep breath and blew it out, handing her wine glass up to Samantha. She pulled her feet from the tub, stood and graced Samantha with a light smirk. "I suppose it's too late to cancel _now_, so I might as well prepare to face the inevitable."

Shepard smiled back at her and removed the towel from around Liara's shoulders. "Come on. Like I said; I'll be with you the whole time. And I do believe you'll be pleasantly surprised."

* * *

They barely had time to rinse off and get dressed before the chime rang; every fiber in Liara's body tensed at the sound. Shepard gave her a sympathetic smile and activated the camera to find a very nervous looking matriarch standing at the penthouse elevator. "Hey, Aethyta. Good to see you." Shepard's hand shifted on the panel to authorize the transit and the elevator started to rise.

"Guess I'm in the right place then." Aethyta's voice seemed even rougher than usual as she ground out, "This uhm... this one of _Nezzie's_ apartments?" Aethyta didn't think it was, but Benezia had done a lot of odd and unexpected things after she had gotten mixed up with Saren, so Aethyta wasn't really sure about anything anymore and it added to her anxiety concerning the looming visit.

Liara's breath hitched at the mention of her mother and Shepard gave her hand a comforting squeeze as she answered, "Nah. Belongs to a man I think of as an uncle. Been coming here for years. He's currently on Earth so we have the run of the place."

"_Earth_?" Aethyta caught the downcast tone to the commander's voice and sympathized. "Shit. Sorry, Shepard. That's a tough one."

Shepard's head dropped and she stared at the floor as Liara repaid the favor and took her turn at giving Samantha's hand a reassuring squeeze. "Yeah. We'll talk when you get up here, Matriarch."

Under the circumstances, introductions were a formality but done anyway as a kind of 'ice breaker' to get the dialogue started. Aethyta had brought a bottle of Elasa and Shepard quickly pointed her to the main bar. "I'm sure you can find your way around. We'll grab the snacks and be right in."

As soon as Aethyta disappeared around the corner, Shepard gave Liara a wink and pulled the snack trays out of the fridge. They quickly removed the covers and, with a deep calming breath for Liara, joined the matriarch at the bar.

"Your uncle has good taste, Shepard. Nice digs." It seemed natural that Aethyta be behind the bar, so Shepard and Liara took a seat at the counter as she slid their glasses of Elasa across to them.

"Not sure how much of it was him and how much of it was Kahlee." Shepard smiled. "I'd venture most of it was done by Kay."

Aethyta paused for a quick moment before deciding on her course of action. She nodded to herself and raised her glass. "To those who have fought the good fight. Those that are still fighting..." She paused again and cleared her throat before finishing, "... and those we've lost along the way."

Her eyes locked with Liara's and Shepard suddenly felt very much like a third-wheel. Liara sensed her disquiet and a blue hand immediately settled on the commander's thigh as Liara spoke softly through the link. _{Don't you dare think that, Siame. I need you by my side.}_

Shepard didn't respond to _that_ statement verbally, but laid her hand atop Liara's as she addressed the real issue at hand. "So. No sense beating around the bush. We all know why we're here." Her gaze travelled back and forth between Liara and Aethyta. "Benezia T'Soni. Matriarch, bondmate, mother."

Liara had an inkling through the link what was coming but Aethyta practically choked on her Elasa, coughing and staring at the commander. "Damn, Shepard. You really don't mess around do you?"

Shepard shook her head. "Not when it's important and we've got limited time, Matriarch."

"Shit. I'm not sitting here calling you Commander. Stick to Aethyta." Her gaze turned to Liara as she spoke. "Not sure yet how popular the notion is but we're practically family. I'm pretty sure it's simply a matter of time... and surviving this Goddess be damned war."

"Yes. Well, I guess you've realized we're Promised; the bracelets make it rather obvious." Liara's voice was cool and her gaze hard as she focused on the Asari before her. "But before I'm willing to accept your statement at more than face value, you need to explain to me _precisely_ how you became my father... and why you left me behind, acting as if I didn't even exist."

Aethyta's face paled slightly and she dumped what remained of her Elasa unceremoniously down her throat before pouring herself another glass and setting the bottle in the middle of the bar between the three of them; if she was talking, she was done pouring. She began her story with the first time she saw Benezia and brazenly asked her out to dinner, having absolutely no idea who she was or that she had lost her mother and risen to the position of the supreme matriarch of House T'Soni only seven years prior. They had laughed about it later; Benezia had been so surprised, she accepted the invitation without taking time to think about the implications.

"Leader of a top House going to dinner at a random middle-class street cafe with some unknown commando." Aethyta shook her head. "So many things should have gotten in the way of that dinner _ever_ happening; we figured it _had_ to be fate. That we were _supposed_ to be together." A soft smile lit her face. "We ate and then went out dancing that same night. She had so much fun, she decided right then and there we absolutely _had_ to do it again. After three years of _that_, she decided it would be easier if her _amantia_ just plain moved in."

She happily told stories about the next 100 years of cohabitation and, eventually, bonded bliss. The tone of Aethyta's voice turned hesitant as she started to talk about the politics and the ensuing arguments, finally pushing Benezia to toss her out for the 'good of the child.' Aethyta fell silent and stared at her drink, lost in the bitter memories of that day. Even Shepard's eyes teared at the sad tale as she turned her glistening eyes to Liara. Pain etched the maiden's face as she stammered, "Y-you were _bonded_? And she simply threw you _out_?"

Aethyta slammed her glass down hard enough to slosh the contents out onto the bar. "There wasn't a Goddess be damned thing _simple_ about it! She tore my fucking heart out!"

At the unexpected, _palpable,_ rush of anger, Liara jerked back in surprise and Shepard surged up off her stool, ready to serve as protector, but it proved to be unnecessary; Aethyta immediately looked at the mess she had made and cussed. "Fuck. Sorry about that." She let out a deep sigh and everyone took a deep breath, returning to their positions as Aethyta found a bar towel and cleaned up the spill. "I've been going over this shit in my head all day since I got your invite... thought I was over it but obviously not."

"So you truly _loved_ her?" Liara's voice reflected a mix of sadness and wonderment.

"Of _course_ I loved her. She was so damn smart; always thinking. Nice, too... Hell of a lot nicer than I am. And damn, that _rack_. Goddess, did I love burying my face in her tits!" A smirk appeared on Aethyta's face with the memory and she let out a whistle of appreciation.

Liara's face darkened and she stared at her drink to avoid looking at her father. "You don't need to tell me _everything_. I could have done without _that_ visual."

Aethyta let out a chuckle. "Turned out, she still loved _me_, too. We still talked on occasion." Her face took on a wistful smile. "We'd talk at least once a quarter, if not monthly, and she'd always have some story about you. I heard more than once about you digging up her rose garden." She sighed heavily. "But just 'cuz she still loved me, didn't mean she wanted my cussing mercenary ass in the same house as _you_. She didn't even want me in the same _Republic_!"

Liara's brow markings rose in surprise. "Mercenary?"

"Well, yeah." The matriarch shook her head sadly. "Word got out about our... _disagreement_. Our so called _mutual_ friends all took Benezia's side... turned out they were all a bunch of political sycophants who wanted nothing more than to get into Nezzie's inner circle. Tossed _me _out with the trash. No House would hire me as a commando after that, so I ended up running with some Eclipse girls..." She sighed. "Didn't do anything bad though. Limited our work to private security and such. No desire to get into thieving, drugs or the slave trade. We ended up with a pretty solid group and all of us became pretty good friends."

Liara was silent for a few moments as Aethyta refilled all the glasses and everyone sipped at their drinks. Her brow pinched and her voice had a definite 'hurt' tone when she asked her next question. "So why did you never contact me?"

That question seemed to completely deflate Aethyta's spirit and she leaned onto the bar with her forearms, her head hanging in defeat. "Your _mother_, damn her. Worst thing she ever did to me. She threatened to dissolve our _bond_ and take away _any_ connection I had to you. Promised me if I stayed away, I'd get to talk to you after you turned 100. She even had the records of me being your father expunged and placed under her Matriarchal _Seal_. She was supposed to tell you and release the seal at your century mark, but she never did. She was already under the influence of that Turian _bastard_ by then."

Liara shook her head. "That doesn't explain why you didn't come to me after she died." Her pained blue eyes rose to look at her father. "Why didn't you? Why didn't you tell me who you _were_... especially on Illium. You had plenty of opportunities."

"Because I was there on assignment. Watching you. And despite what some people may tell you, I'm not _suicidal_." Aethyta's jaw tightened as she gritted her teeth, hating to admit to what she'd done, but not wanting to hide anything more from her daughter. She'd hidden long enough. "You're a damn good broker, so I figured you knew what I was doing there... and if I'd told you I was your father? With all the records still under Seal, you would have warped me into the next century, thinking it was a lame attempt to get close to you."

Liara sighed. "You're right. I _did_ know that the Matriarchs sent you to watch me... and I probably _would_ have drawn that conclusion. _Why_ they sent you, I never figured out. I never threatened _them_ in any way." Liara's brow furrowed in confusion.

Aethyta frowned and her disbelief reflected in her voice. "Come _on_! You can't blame the matriarchs for keeping an eye on you. With what your mother did... and then your girlfriend starts working for Cerberus?"

Liara bristled and her fists clenched in anger. "I am _not_ my mother and you _know_ why Shepard was with _Cerberus_." Her last word was practically spit out of her mouth with disgust.

Aethyta grinned at Liara's fire. "Well, you _did_ threaten to flay someone alive with your _mind_."

Liara's anger vanished in her surprise. "I had to make that client take me _seriously_. I wasn't going to actually _do_ it. And... _you're_ the one who bugged my office on Illium!" Liara glanced at Shepard as their thoughts crossed. They had _both_ assumed it had been the Observer. Without realizing it, Aethyta had tipped Liara off that someone was spying on her... and probably saved Liara's life from Nyxeris, however inadvertently.

Oblivious to their private exchange, Aethyta drawled, "That'd be the logical conclusion, yeah. But don't you worry about the matriarchs. They aren't gonna do anything to you, _especially_ in the middle of this damn war."

Liara growled, "I don't know why not; they seem to have plenty of time on their hands. My reports don't show much activity from the Asari concerning the _Reapers_."

Aethyta frowned. "That's because they all chose to ignore me. I told them we needed to have a real military, but no. They stayed with the tried and true; infiltration and sabotage."

Liara frowned with her. "Yes, and against Reaper forces that's almost completely worthless."

"I know. Even with Tevos and Lidanya backing me, they're not budging. It's a good thing Shepard here has rounded up the Turians and the Krogan to do the heavy lifting. Our people just aren't built for the front ranks." Aethyta's mood lifted and she grinned, "Though I hear _you've_ racked up quite a body count. But then, you _are_ a quarter Krogan."

"What?" Liara's head snapped back up and she stared at the matriarch like she was crazy.

"Yeah. You're smart like your mother and you dish up a good fight... like me. That's your Krogan heritage shining through." Aethyta chuckled, "My dad was Krogan, so that makes _you_ a _quarter_ Krogan.

Liara huffed, "That's... not how it works."

"I'm a thousand years old and had a kid with a Hanar. Don't tell me that's not how it works. Why is it Ardat-Yakshi only come from pure Asari pairings? If the DNA only comes from the mother, then who the mate is shouldn't have anything to do with it. As much as we don't want to admit it, it's obvious we pull more than just a 'map' from our partner. Don't ask me how... but don't ask me how a mass relay tears apart our atoms, folds space and reassembles us halfway across the galaxy either. It just happens." Aethyta chuckled. "For all we know, that's why _we_ need eezo. Maybe we have a little mass relay in our bodies that imports the DNA."

Liara stared at her father, contemplating what she had just said, before blurting out, "Wait...I have a half-sister who's part Hanar?"

"All that, and _that's_ what you focus on?" Aethyta laughed and shook her head. "Besides, I thought that wasn't how it _worked_." Aethyta continued to chuckle as she finished. "All I'm saying is that if you feel the urge to head-butt everyone on the damn Council, it's _genetic_."

"I have never desired to _head_-butt _anyone_." Liara actually sounded offended, causing Shepard to raise her eyebrows.

Aethyta saw the expression on Shepard's face and misinterpreted it, thinking Liara was fibbing. "Really? Not even a _little_ bit? Come _on_."

Liara huffed angrily, "I do _not_ head-butt people!"

Aethyta couldn't figure out what was going through Shepard's head but the commander suddenly sat back and crossed her arms, looking at Liara with mild annoyance. Liara followed her father's gaze and looked at Shepard; she had been so distracted by her father's comments she hadn't heard Shepard through the link... but she heard her now, plain as the scowl on Shepard's face. _{So, what? Head-butting is beneath you? Is it too uncivilized for you? What's that make me?}_

Liara suddenly blushed, realizing what her tone insinuated... and glanced back at her father, speaking hurriedly, "I leave the head-butting to Shepard; _she's_ the one with the reinforced skull."

At that, Aethyta couldn't help but to burst out laughing, realizing why the commander was so perturbed. "Too late, kid. You've already gone and pissed her off."

Liara's face went an even darker blue as she tried to force an apologetic grin onto her face, only half succeeding. "I'm sorry, Shepard. Truly."

Liara's forehead pinched with worry until Shepard sighed heavily and rolled her eyes. "I forgive you. Besides, you _were_ being taunted by an evil matriarch." Shepard changed her focus and glared playfully at Aethyta.

"Guilty as charged." The matriarch raised her hands in surrender and smiled. "Though I hear you're a Vanguard, so I imagine you do less 'head-butting' and more 'whole body' smashing."

Shepard chuckled. "You're definitely onto something _there_, Aethyta. I reserve the head-butts for Wrex and Grunt."

The conversation was interrupted by the elevator chime. Shepard stood and walked toward the closed-circuit comm unit. "I've got it. It's probably our food."

As she walked away, Aethyta looked back at Liara and nodded in approval. "She seems to be treating you right."

"Not that _you_ are in _any_ position to judge how I should be treated." Liara frowned and her voice turned cool again. "I still can't believe you tried to keep your existence a secret from me all this time. Why?"

Aethyta hung her head. "I fought it best I could when it first happened. That's why your mother threatened the disbondment. Bad enough she threw me out and wouldn't let me see you... but the threat of having the records _permanently_ removed? I couldn't accept that."

The matriarch sighed and glanced up at Shepard as she paid the bill and sent the delivery guy on his way. "I wanted to tell you. But, after a hundred years, I couldn't imagine just walking up to you and saying, 'Hey, kid. I'm your dad.' Sha'ira, Tevos and Lidanya were after me to fix it, but I... I didn't know _how_. "

"Wait." Liara practically growled, "They _all_ knew? And none of _them_ told me, either? Goddess be damned!" Liara jumped off her barstool and stood at the bar clenching and unclenching her fists. "Was it a whole damned Asari _conspiracy_ to keep me in the dark about the identity of my father? Who _else_ knew?" Liara's voice was starting to climb.

Aethyta shook her head. "Not gonna tell you that, kiddo. If you're gonna be mad, be mad at _me_. It's called matriarchal privilege. If a parent is still living, they're the only ones with the right to tell you. _They_ were all telling me to get off my ass... so don't blame them."

"All? So there's _more_ who knew who you were... and that you were _alive_." Liara stopped to think. "I imagine Mozia..." Liara stopped and her face went pale. "Goddess. _Both_ House Stewards... _all_ the older commandos..." Liara collapsed back into her chair. "They all _knew_... and _no_ one told me who my _father_ was because of some damn eons-old Asari rule of _protocol_?"

Just as tears of frustration started to slip down Liara's cheeks, a pair of strong arms slipped around her waist from the back. Shepard pulled her close and whispered softly in her ear. "Hey now. I've got you, Love."

Liara wriggled off the chair, stood and turned in Shepard's arms to seek the comfort and security of her embrace. Shepard held her tight and whispered through the link, _{__I'm here for you, Blue. Whatever your choices and wherever your path may take you. You know that.}_

"Oh for fuck's sake." Aethyta's face paled and it looked like she was about to throw up. "I couldn't stand it when Nezzie cried, either." Her face pinched with regret. "I'm so sorry, Liara. I'm sorry I'm not the father you wanted me to be. I'm sorry I wasn't there when you were growing up and that I wasn't brave enough to just walk up and tell you who I was." She shook her head and stood there, eyes down and shoulders slumped, once again feeling as though she had fallen short against the measure of House T'Soni.

_{You know... She reminds me of __**you**__ on Illium. Afraid to talk to me? So afraid to take the risk of telling me the truth__**, **__the opportunity __was almost lost to us?}_ Shepard's whispered thoughts were a quick reality check and Liara took a deep breath and started to wipe away her tears as she realized Shepard was correct. Liara had been in a similar spot with Shepard and had almost thrown away a chance of a lifetime; she had no desire to tempt fate again and she certainly wasn't going to let Aethyta make the same mistake she herself had so narrowly dodged.

"You know what? I uhm... I'm just going to leave you two alone." Aethyta's hands ran nervously over her crests. "I know dinner just got here, but I'm going to take off." She turned away and took a couple steps away from the bar before pausing. She didn't turn back as she spoke, but her gravelly voice still carried a little bit of hope as she swallowed hard and finished, "I hope, maybe, we can try this again sometime..."

When Liara stepped out of Shepard's arms, her voice was steady; confident. "Don't. you. dare."

Aethyta spun in place, suddenly feeling like she was supposed to snap to attention or something based on the tone of _command_ that Liara's voiced carried. She quickly blinked away the moisture clouding her vision. "Don't I dare... what?"

"Walk _out_ on me. _Again_." Liara shook her head sadly. "I've wanted to know for a _hundred_ _years_ who my father was. Is. Now I know... and I do _not_ want to spend the _next_ hundred wondering why I was such an idiot that I didn't get to know her when I had the chance... Dad."

Aethyta stood there in shock, the 'moisture' she had blinked away back as full-fledged tears. "Well I'll be damned. A thousand years old and I still don't understand shit."

Shepard smiled softly and wrapped her arm around Liara's waist. "Food's getting cold. I think it's time to sit and eat."

Aethyta spent dinner trying to explain the concept of matriarchal privilege and why no one would talk to Liara about her once Benezia had sworn them to secrecy. Finally, Liara called a halt. "Dad. Stop. Please. It doesn't matter _what_ you say; _nothing_ is going to convince me it's a good idea. Same as the concept that maidens shouldn't do anything productive, because our maiden years are supposed to be all about 'self-discovery.' It's ridiculous!"

"I agree with you, kid! I'm simply trying to explain that not everyone feels that way. Most _like_ the old traditions and getting them to change will be nigh on impossible." Aethyta huffed. "You know, Nezzie was the only one who ever _listened_ to me when I said the Asari were stuck in the past. Only difference was, I wanted us to stand on our own and she wanted _alliances_ with the other species. That's how she ended up with that damn _Saren_... but Sha'ira told me what happened. Never thought Benezia would ever meet an end like that..." Her words tapered off and she wiped a few more tears away.

Liara looked at her father. "You _know_ we can do a memory meld."

Aethyta's eyes flew wide for only the briefest of moments before she shook her head. "No. I can't ask you to live that over again merely to satisfy my curiosity."

"_Curiosity_? She was your _bondmate_ for Goddess' sake!" Liara closed her eyes. "When Shepard... When the Normandy was destroyed, I couldn't rest until I knew what happened to Samantha." Liara's eyes opened and she reached her hand across the table and laid it out, palm up in invitation. "_You_ don't need to suffer though that... _emptiness_. We can show it to you and maybe fill some of the void that I _know_ exists."

"You... are so much like your mother, it... hurts sometimes." Aethyta smiled softly as she took Liara's hand. "But I have to admit, I love seeing her in you. Knowing in a way that she lives on. Through you." She gave Liara's hand a quick squeeze. "You sure about this, kid?"

Liara nodded. "Absolutely." She glanced at Samantha. "Please don't go anywhere, Sam. I'd... I'd actually like us to relocate to the couch. It will be more comfortable and I could nestle back into you, so you can hold me through this?"

Shepard bent over and kissed her gently on the temple. "If that's what you need, Blue, that's what you'll get." Her attention shifted to Aethyta. "That ok with you?"

"I can't believe she's even willing to do this. She's got her mother's courage, that's for sure." Aethyta stood. "More than a hundred damn years and I still miss her, so I suppose I _do_ need the closure. If that's how Liara wants it to go, that's how we do it."

Shepard sat down first and slid back into a corner of the sectional couch. She spread her legs and Liara scooted in between and leaned back against her chest as Shepard wrapped supportive arms around her and kissed her gently on the cheek. Liara queried softly, "We could be here a while... you comfortable, Samantha?"

Shepard gave her a quick squeeze. "You don't worry about me. I'm fine. You just do what you need to do." She shifted slightly and leaned against the back of the couch, closing her eyes and simply opening herself to Liara's presence as her lover entered into the meld with Aethyta. She eventually lost track of time as the meld extended on and Shepard began to wonder what all Liara was showing her father.

Just as she started to worry about the length of the meld, she felt tendrils of Liara's thoughts start to weave through her own. _{Siame? Can you join with us?}_ Sensing Shepard's surprise, Liara explained. _{Matriarchs can easily create bridge melds for more than two people, assuming it is a superficial meld of some kind and not a union meld. Well, even those can be done in a triad, but __**that**__ is a discussion for another time.}_

Shepard found it easy to slip into the meld; she joined with Liara, who then guided her easily into the _discussion_ with Aethyta. Shepard immediately realized why it was taking so long; they were sharing each other's lifetimes of independent memories of Benezia. Shepard recognized some of the places, even some of the faces, though much younger than she remembered them being. Liara had drawn Shepard in because she was preparing to share her time on the Normandy with her father. _{I needed you here with me, Love. Knowing you were sitting right behind me still wasn't... enough.}_

As Shepard pushed love and affection toward her lover, she was surprised when a 'voice' she recognized as Aethyta joined them. _{Thanks, Shepard. Liara showed me a little blip about you taking care of Nezzie's crazy kid, __Rylis Iressi. You're alright. You did what you needed to do to protect my girl. I appreciate that.}_

Shepard felt Liara grin in the meld and the Asari's chuckle rumbled through the commander's chest like it was her own laughter. _{Actually, the commandos did that; Shepard supposedly only tagged along to evaluate Riana. But anyway... we're here for Noveria.}_

The mere _mention_ of the planet brought an unpleasant chill to the meld as the story began...

* * *

Aethyta did end up sleeping in the guest room; after supporting such a lengthy bridge meld, she was exhausted. They all awoke to the smell of breakfast and were surprised to find Riana and Traynor chatting and happily cooking in the kitchen. After Shepard wished them good morning and thanked them for breakfast, Riana had nodded. "Certainly, Shepard. We decided it was the best way to get you all moving this morning. The Normandy resupply is complete and we are awaiting her commander so that we may set sail once more."

Shepard smiled, "Good. So we're on time for our noon departure... assuming we can get Liara out of bed and moving." Her smile faded only a bit. "Last night's meld was taxing, but very fruitful." Her eyes came up and met Riana's. "Liara has her father back. There's still a lot to discuss, but for the short term... I'll just say there were a couple of rough spots, but it turned out better than I had hoped."

"You're telling me?" A gravelly voice chimed in, "I'm happy I didn't get a warp upside my head for being so stupid. I'm still not sure what made me so frightened of my own damn daughter."

"Because it wasn't _me_ you were afraid of." Liara stepped up behind Shepard, placed her chin on the commander's shoulder and wrapped her arms around her lover's waist. "It was all the decisions made by others along the way that kept us apart. _Neither_ of us knew what to expect... and the _unknown_ was the scariest part of it all." Liara briefly tightened her grip around Sam and spoke through the link. _{I missed you when I woke. I didn't like that you got up without me.}_

_{You needed to sleep, Li. We're headed back out into the fight soon.}_ Shepard smiled and spoke aloud, "Good morning, Doctor. Riana's been busy. Ready for breakfast?"

Since they were now five, they actually sat at the table for breakfast and chatted easily until Liara cleared her throat and her tone turned serious. "I'm sorry, but we need to talk business for a bit."

The chatter immediately stopped and all eyes turned to her expectantly. Liara nodded. "Thank you." She sighed and looked at Riana. "We've been monitoring Reaper activity and they are definitely focusing on population and industrial centers, making those regions _extremely_ difficult to survive in once the Reapers arrive." Her gaze shifted to Aethyta. "I know it's a lot to ask, because I know you accepted the job at the bar simply to get close to _me_. However, the reality of our situation dictates that I not be _here_ that frequently... and I very much doubt you'll appreciate the timing of my request, but I need you to _leave_ the Citadel."

Aethyta's brow lifted in surprise but she did not object. "Why? And to go _where_, exactly?"

Liara's face was grim. "Back to Thessia. It's only a matter of time before the Reapers show up on the Asari doorstep. If you are willing, I need you to go to Armali and close down the house. Move _all_ the supplies and personnel, including Matriarch Mozia, to the Country Estate." She shook her head. "If the pattern stays true, for all practical purposes Armali will be _destroyed_ when the Reapers arrive... and I see no reason to put our people in harm's way unnecessarily. We _can't_ fight the Reapers conventionally; _we_ are building a massive weapon for _that..._ so I need _you_ to help keep everyone alive until we finish it."

"So you want us to bunker down at the Estate." Aethyta sat up straight; this was something she knew how to do and if Liara wanted her to do it, she would. "Use all that Asari expertise at covert ops to make the Estate go dark for the duration. If they can't see us, they won't attack us."

"Exactly. I'm sure it's our best chance. And we'll certainly need people there to help rebuild Thessia after the fact." Her gaze floated across Riana and Traynor and finally settled on Shepard again. "_We'll_ fight the good fight and get back to Thessia as soon as we can... _after_."

Shepard's hand came up onto the table and Liara reached over to grip it tightly as she looked back at Aethyta. "I just _found_ you. I don't plan on losing you to this damn _war_... not before I ever get a chance to _know_ you."

"Damn straight." Aethyta's face reflected resolve and her eyes picked up a fire Shepard hadn't seen in them since their initial talk at the bar on Illium. "And you _won't_ lose me. Not if _I_ can help it. I'll go to Thessia for you, Liara. You can rest assured I'll do all I can to keep everyone there safe."

Liara sighed in relief; she had convinced herself that Aethyta would absolutely _hate_ the idea of hiding and want to go down fighting. "Thank you... Dad."

Aethyta huffed and smiled. "Sounds weird, doesn't it?"

Liara smiled in return. "Yes, it does, but I'm sure it's something I can get used to."

A light, growly laugh escaped before Aethyta turned serious. "Just take care of yourself out there, okay kid?"

"I will, Dad." Her gaze traveled the table. "And I have a lot of friends watching out for me. We all watch out for one another."

"Speaking of watching out for one another... I mentioned the ex-Eclipse girls I used to run with. We keep in touch and they still owe me some favors. I'm sure they'd love to have some way to get into the fight." Aethyta's face broke into a wide grin at Liara's surprised expression. "I'll drop them a line and they'll be all yours. Just tell 'em where you need 'em."

Liara practically stuttered, "You're giving me... Eclipse commandos for the war effort?"

"We'll, you're too _old_ for me to buy you a damn _pony_!" Aethyta laughed and shook her head. "Besides... _ex_-Eclipse, and they've got nothing more _worthwhile_ to do, that's for damn sure."

Liara's forehead crinkled in confusion. "Can't you use them on Thessia?"

Aethyta scowled at the very idea. "They'd be bored to _death_ and probably drink the entire liquor stock in a _week_. Can't have _that_!"

Liara's face lit with pure joy. "You're the best father I could have wished for."


	18. Back in the Game

Notes:

FTL - Faster than light

_I__onúin álainn_ \- beautiful beloved (Irish/Gaelic)

VI - Virtual Intelligence

* * *

**Back in the Game**

**SSV Normandy**

Shepard was tense; she stood, arms crossed, shoulders squared, staring out the forward viewport as Joker pushed back from the gate. Edi reported, "It is approximately an 8-hour transit to Utukku, Commander. As you requested, it will be early morning, local, upon our arrival."

"Thanks, Edi."

Shepard's speech was unusually abrupt and it caught Joker's attention. His voice reflected concern as he queried, "Everything go okay down on the Citadel, Commander?"

"It was great, actually... other than having to give Ambassador Osoba his son's dog tags. Pinned Leviathan down to one of two systems in Sigurd's Cradle and Dr Ann Bryson is headed to the Crucible project, talked to Ash and _she's_ actually come to her senses _and_..." At this point a huge smile erupted on Shepard's face as she continued, "...Liara met her dad and we all came out alive... _maybe_ even friends."

"Whoa. That _is_ news. The way she's been stomping around here lately, I was convinced _nobody_ better cross her." Joker glanced back over his shoulder at the commander to make sure she wasn't preparing to kill _him_. When he saw she hadn't even blinked, he decided it was safe to continue. "I'm surprised we didn't have to lay in for repairs to the War Room. _Never_ thought I'd see _Wrex_ back down."

Instead of being angry, Shepard actually grinned. "No. You're right. We're all under a lot of pressure and her blood chemistry was off, affecting her ability to control her emotions. My getting hurt was the proverbial straw and it literally _did_ push her over the edge. Doc Chakwas got her back to her normal levels and, while we were at the Citadel, we picked up the different foods we needed. We are now fully stocked on the necessary nutrients to keep _all_ the friendlies healthy."

Joker understood exactly why the commander was so on edge when she continued, "But none of those things will keep me from having to go _begging_ to Karin; I need to talk her into letting me off the light duty restriction when we get to Utukku." The commander let out a big sigh. "Nice push out, Joker. Give me an hour-out call for arrival."

"Can do, Commander." Joker glanced back over his shoulder again. "And Shepard? It's damn good to see you back on your feet. The ship doesn't feel right when you're down in Medical."

Shepard smiled and clapped the pilot on the back. "Thanks, Jeff. I'll talk to you later."

* * *

"And for what purpose, exactly, would I _ever_ consent to that, Commander?" Dr Chakwas cocked her head and lifted one eyebrow in complete disbelief.

"Because it's Wrex. And Grunt. And the Rachni queen _I_ let go on Noveria." Shepard huffed. "This one is _completely_ on me, Karin. If I don't go _with_ them, you _have_ to realize that the Rachni... the entire _race_... will be _extinct_ in approximately eight hours. The Krogan did it once; Wrex _will_ do it again."

Chakwas closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "You. Up here, on the table. Now."

Shepard blinked and immediately followed her direction, hopping up onto the exam table as instructed. "Yes, Ma'am."

Karin focused on her omnitool and proceeded to scan the commander from head to toe. Shepard realized the doc was running a _complete_ diagnostic and figured if she had as much as a _hangnail_ she'd probably remain grounded. She had actually gotten a great night's sleep and hoped her little nanites had taken advantage of the resting body to work some overtime. Karin's expression was completely stoic; she wasn't giving away any hints.

The omnitool dropped and Karin pulled out her penlight. Knowing what was coming, Shepard lifted her chin and looked directly ahead. Karin let out a chuckle. "You really _do_ want this, Samantha. You're on your _best_ behavior."

"It's not a matter of _want_." Shepard's forehead creased with worry. "The continued existence of an entire race depends on your answer, Doctor. I have no room to maneuver. Not this time."

Karin shut the light off without even testing Shepard's pupillary reactions and sighed. Given the delicate situation, she preferred to _not_ find anything that would force her to keep the commander grounded, so she simply wouldn't look. "You're right. The scan came back clean, so I'm going to let you go." Her hand came forward and rested on Shepard's thigh. "But please, Samantha. Be careful. Let the Krogan teams do the heavy lifting and keep your head down, would you?" She huffed and shook her head. "And if not for Dr Chakwas, then do it for your Aunt Karin." The corners of her eyes wrinkled in concern. "Please."

Shepard slid off the table and wrapped Karin up in a tight hug. "Thank you... and I _will_ be careful. I promise." Shepard pushed back and smiled at the woman before her. "I wasn't kidding when I said I'm in this one for the long haul. I have every intention of playing by the rules and coming out the other end of this one." Her smile turned into a full-fledged grin. "Well. _Mostly_ by the rules, anyway."

"Go on. Get out of here." Her fears slightly placated, Karin chuckled lightly. "I'll rescind your suspension and post you on the full active roster as soon as you get out of my med bay."

Shepard snapped to attention and issued the doctor a crisp reply, "Ma'am, yes, Ma'am!" She relaxed and looked to the doctor once more. "Seriously, Aunt Karin. Thank you... and not for putting me back on full duty. For caring... and for loving me."

Karin swallowed and tears came to her eyes. "Damn it, Commander. Get out of my med bay. Now you've gone and made an old woman cry."

Shepard stepped up to her and kissed her gently on the cheek, whispering, "I'm sorry," before she stepped out the door to head across the deck in the direction of Liara's office. Karin wiped her eyes and watched Shepard traverse to the port side of the Normandy. She smiled lightly as she spoke to herself, "I hope whatever Gods she believes in will protect her... otherwise I fear that child _and_ this war will be the death of me."

As Shepard walked through the Mess, she noticed James and Garrus standing apart, staring at one another, each with their arms crossed in somewhat of a defensive posture. Shepard relaxed and chuckled as soon as she realized they were involved in a game of one-upmanship, each trying to outdo the other with stories of heroics and scars to prove their battle prowess. She smiled and kept moving without saying a word; their voices were ultimately silenced as the Broker's office door slid closed behind her.

"Good to see you, Shepard." Liara glanced over her shoulder with a strained smile on her face. "Give me a moment to finish this and we can chat."

Shepard nodded and stepped up to the research terminal, perusing all they had collected and deciding what mods and upgrades she wanted to employ from what they had found so far. She had gone through a few pages of research and selected some armor and ammo upgrades before she finally heard an exasperated sigh behind her. She turned to see Liara, eyes closed and pinching the bridge of her nose. Quickly covering the distance between them, Shepard clasped Liara softly on the underside of her upper arm and spoke softly, "You okay, Blue?"

Liara dropped her hand, closed her eyes and rolled her head around in an obvious attempt to loosen her stiff neck. "Yes, Shepard, I'm fine." She shook her head. "It is simply _appalling _to me how the galaxy can be on the brink of destruction, Reapers hitting every major relay and closing fast on the remaining prime home worlds, and _still_ the politicians do nothing but bicker and seek to improve their own situations, in seemingly complete _ignorance_ to the truth that none of their posturing will matter if the Reapers succeed!"

Shepard moved her hands to hold Liara gently by the waist. "Not ignorance, Liara. Denial." She shook her head. "They can't face the reality of the Reapers; they realize it equates to their own mortality... along with everyone else's. You have to admit, it _is_ a rather scary proposition."

"Ahhhg." Liara spit out a disgusted sigh. "Of _course_ I realize it's frightening... but the whole idea of staying the course and doing _nothing_ to affect the outcome... merely _waiting_ for it all to come to an end? It's _baffling_ to me!"

Shepard couldn't help but smile, earning a glare from her mate. "And what could you _possibly_ think is entertaining about that statement, Shepard?"

The commander smirked and pulled a reluctant Liara closer to her as she answered, "They aren't waiting for the _end_. They're waiting just like they did with Saren and with the Collectors. They're waiting for the Normandy and crew... _us_... to save their asses... exactly like we have before.

Liara grumped, "Yes. Well. A little _help_ this time would _not_ go unappreciated."

Shepard gave a weak shrug and replied, "Yes, more help _would_ be nice, but don't drive yourself crazy over this, Liara. We're still in the fight."

Liara's brow marking rose in disbelief. "Only because _you're_ still driving it _forward_! At least we have _some_ of the leaders on our side this time, but it's still not _enough_. With the rest being so resistant, by the time we gather everything we need, there may not be a galaxy left to save!"

"Hey!" Shepard's forehead furrowed. "_I_ am not doing this alone... _We're_ driving it forward... and we'll _get_ the forces we need, Liara... even if I _do_ have to go to each and every one myself and drag them, kicking and screaming, to the fight."

Liara listened to the absolute _conviction_ in Shepard's words and couldn't keep her lips from curling up at the edges as she let out a little laugh. "You are always so confident... and _positive_. Sometimes I wonder how you do it, Samantha."

Liara was surprised when an unexpected _serenity_ suddenly seemed to settle on Shepard's entire body. The commander looked her square in the eyes and she whispered, "It's all for you, of course. Every time the world's about to end, I think about how _mad_ you'd get if I didn't stop it." Her lips twitched into a near-smile that only lasted a second before her expression turned serious as she finished. "I don't know if I could do this without you, Liara."

Liara blinked and absorbed what Shepard said, but her lover's tone was so solemn, she was momentarily at a loss for an appropriate response. All traces of disbelief, frustration and reluctance finally slipped off her face and she slipped willingly into Shepard's embrace. "You won't need to find out, Samantha. I'll be at your side for the entire journey..." She gave Shepard a quick kiss on the cheek and whispered into the commander's ear. "I _know_ better than to doubt your abilities, so I am flattered that you would even _think_ you need me to accomplish this."

Shepard held her tight. "Oh, Li. Do you honestly have no idea how much I depend on you?" Shepard backed off a step and trailed the back of her fingers gently across Liara's cheek. "You _are_ my heart and soul, _I__onúin álainn__..._ and I refuse to consider a life without you."

Liara closed her eyes and the link flooded with love and devotion as she pulled them back together in a comforting hug. "And you are my strength and my hope, Samantha Shepard." Liara whispered softly, "Every time I begin to think all is lost, you manage to restore my faith."

"Now. As much as I love doing so, I didn't come in here to extol upon your virtues as the love of my life." Shepard smiled affectionately and once again stepped back. "I wanted to tell you Karin cleared me for the Utukku ground mission... and seeing as they are _Krogan_ scout teams that are disappearing, I want to take the entire ground squad, including both you and Riana."

Liara nodded in agreement. "Absolutely. If whatever's down there is nasty enough to make every member of a Krogan fire team go missing, we will most likely need all the help we can get. I assume we'll be taking heavy weapons?"

"Absolutely." Shepard smiled and dodged, completely ineffectively, as Liara reached out and smacked her on the shoulder for imitating her. "Ha. I think I'll have Beth and Sarah each pack an Arc Projector, James _always_ carries grenades and I'm tempted to give Edi a Hydra, but that might be overkill."

Laughter lit Liara's face. "_Might_ be overkill? You think?"

Shepard grinned, happy to distract Liara from the tribulations of the war, even if for just a moment. "Oh, alright. Fine. We'll leave the Hydra behind."

"I'm going to change the subject on you." Liara let out a light chuckle and gave Shepard a smile as she spoke through the link. _{Don't __**even**__ think I don't know what you're doing... but thank you. I needed the diversion.}_ "I spoke with Miranda and they are going to swing by the Citadel to give my father a ride to Thessia. She says they've been hearing some disturbing rumors about Reaper presence out in the Nimbus Cluster, so they were headed in that direction anyway. The Salarian gray box you gave me on Illium is also on the _Aletheia_; since _we_ no longer require it, with the Broker network, I instructed Miranda to pass it to Matriarch Aethyta. It will allow us to keep in touch on a secure network without giving away her location." Liara frowned as she continued, "Of course, if the Reapers completely take down communications... unless someone gets the buoys back up, it will be a worthless gesture anyway. The entire concept is dependent upon the Asari fleet keeping the comm buoy system operational."

Shepard pursed her lips. "You know what? That's actually something to consider. I mean... you're working on our contingency plan... right? The modified 'beacons,' for lack of a better name, as of yet. They are going to have the history of the war and schematics for _everything_ we think is essential, either in the event we fail or for post-war recovery if we win." Shepard paused and her expression hardened. "No. For post-war recover _when_ we win. You have Aethyta bunkering in on Thessia. Why should we rely solely on the Asari fleet? _We_ should think about stashing specialty teams _throughout_ the major nodes."

Liara's eyes lit up. "Goddess! That's an excellent idea! We could have small teams of engineers and communications specialists tucked away... who could then repair relays and launch new comm buoys!" All of Liara's fears and reservations temporarily vanished in a surge of optimism and the Asari crashed into Shepard. She spoke rapidly, her stream of words interrupted with multiple enthusiastic kisses. "Commander... Shepard... Sometimes you... have flashes... of absolute... _genius_!"

It was a good thing Liara was doing all the kissing, because her antics got Shepard laughing so hard the commander was unable to pucker her lips to kiss her back. Still laughing, Shepard struggled to talk between kisses. "Li! What?... It's... just an... idea. You would... have... thought of... it... eventually. Nothing... genius... about... it."

Liara was out of breath when she finally regained control of herself. "Shepard! That's what _makes_ it so brilliant... its _simplicity_!"

"Fine. So I'm a genius. You must be rubbing off on me, Dr T'Soni." Shepard shook her head in acquiescence, but couldn't get the grin off her face. "This genius' next suggestion is that we eat dinner and get some rest. We only have seven hours of FTL time remaining before we enter the Mulla Xul system and it will be morning on Utukku when we get there, so we'll be going straight in."

Mentioning the upcoming mission brought Liara immediately back to ground. "I _would_ say I have too much to do, but given my recent bout with eezo deficiency, skipping a meal is not at the top of my list of things to do at the moment. Let me close down my terminal."

Liara quickly finished out the summary report she had started and locked the Broker terminal, telling Glyph to wake Riana if she was still sleeping when the one-hour-out call came in. Upon receiving an acknowledgement from the Broker VI, Liara turned back to Shepard and looped her arm through the crook of the commander's elbow. "So, Samantha. Any interesting news from the war front?"

Shepard smiled lightly as they stepped out into the main crew deck. "As a matter of fact, yes. We received a new N7 mission... seems Cerberus is busy again, this time a raid on Eden Prime; not sure exactly what they're after. We're headed straight there, immediately following the mission on Utukku, and we'll get an enroute update."

"Eden Prime?" Liara's brow raised and she stopped, turning herself and Shepard so they faced one another. "That's where all this _started_! Where the Prothean beacon gave you the vision that warned us about the Reapers. If they've turned up another relic and _Cerberus_ is after it..."

Shepard nodded knowingly. "I know. That's why we're not going to delay... and why you'll be on the ground team with us again. I need _you_ in particular, healthy and rested, more so for _that_ mission than _this_ one. We have no idea what we'll find, and I want my Prothean expert at my side."

"Certainly, Commander. I'll be ready." Liara smiled softly, a hint of a smirk playing on her lips. "We can't deprive you of your Prothean expert now, can we?"

* * *

When Shepard briefed the mission, she got mixed reactions to the announcement they were meeting up with Aralakh Company, a group of Krogan commandos led by none other than Urdnot Grunt. No one was truly _opposed_; they had each worked with either Grunt or Wrex before, but the idea of an entire _company_ of Krogan was a bit intimidating to the two privates, Westmoreland and Campbell.

During the shuttle ride to the surface, Edi mentioned Aralakh was made famous by the Krogan's decisive action liberating a colony from Batarian pirates. Liara watched Sarah Campbell's face visibly pale, so she smiled and comforted the young troop. "Don't worry, Sarah; it's not really _all_ that impressive." As a number of heads turned toward her in astonishment, Liara continued, "After all, _Shepard_ doesn't frighten you... and _she_ saved an entire colony on Elysium from the same fate..." Liara smirked and glanced at the commander. "And _she_ was alone; there was no company of Krogan commandos at her back."

Shepard was about to protest that she wasn't alone until the very end, but Wrex let out a raucous laugh and clapped Shepard hard on the back, sending her stumbling. With the full squad aboard, the shuttle was crowded so she didn't go far before coming to an abrupt stop against Garrus' shoulder, but it was too late to make a retort; Wrex was already speaking, entertainment ringing in his voice. "Nice, Liara! I want to hear you say that to _Grunt_ when we get groundside!"

Even amidst the ensuing laughter, Wrex's tone immediately shifted to one of displeasure and he addressed the commander, "You know, Shepard. If this _is_ the Rachni, it's on you. The Krogan eradicated 'em once already... until _you_ released that damn newly hatched queen on Noveria."

Shepard kept her face impassive as she replied, "I know, Wrex. I can't believe she would have risked annihilation by starting a war; that's why I'm here..." Shepard shook her head in dismay and Liara could see pain in the commander's eyes from merely having to contemplate the consequences if the queen had chosen to do so; Shepard had no desire to be responsible for genocide but, as with Bahak, Liara knew Shepard would do what was necessary, no matter the cost to her own soul.

Shepard huffed and continued, "You were there; you know I told her _then_ if she violated our agreement I would hunt them all down _myself_. But on the flip side, if it's the fault of the _Reapers_, then we do what we can to _help_ the Rachni, exactly like we would any other race. Clear?"

Wrex growled and his lip curled for a couple of seconds before he ground out, "Crystal. I followed you then; I'll follow you now. Not a good idea to change your Kakliosaur mid-battle."

* * *

**Utukku, Mulla Xul System, Ninmah Cluster**

On the ground, Grunt heard the firing of maneuvering thrusters. He glared at his team. "Shuttle just arrived. Team Three... get moving and let me know if you see anything."

As Grunt's attention turned to the approaching shuttle, a rare smile creased his face. The doors opened and Grunt shouted out, "Shepard!" followed by a happy laugh as he smacked her lightly on both shoulders. "Good to see you! Heard those idiots locked you up!"

Shepard laughed in return, soaking up the joy of Grunt's greeting. "They did. Put me under house arrest to keep the Batarians off me and try to keep the peace while we prepared for war. But the situation changed."

Grunt laughed again. "Sure did. You're like the Krogan... kept on a chain until monsters come knocking on the door. Then they unleash you and expect you to save 'em!"

"Yeah, they certainly have bigger things to worry about now." Shepard growled, "They _still_ put off my release until the damn Reapers actually _attacked_ Earth. We barely slipped out with the Normandy... My participation in the war almost ended before it began, but they knew they needed me, so here I am."

"That's why _I'm_ out here running Aralakh Company. Wrex needed a leader who represented the future of our species. Thanks to you, I completed the Rite of Passage and became a legitimate member of Clan Urdnot..." Grunt gestured at the commandos behind him. "So now, all these elite commandos of Aralakh answer to _me_. They're tough; think they're invincible. Reckless, but effective."

Liara smirked at the young Krogan. "I have to tell you, Grunt. I said something on the shuttle that Wrex dared me to repeat to you once we arrived."

When Liara explained what she said, Grunt stared at her for a moment before surprising everyone by bursting out in laughter. His company was growling in anger at the perceived insult, but Grunt turned to those not yet out on patrol and shouted out, "Hear that, you Pyjaks? That's why Shepard's my Battlemaster! I've learned from the best!"

Wrex stepped up and growled, "You're a pain in the ass, Grunt. But if your Krogan are half the soldier Shepard taught _you_ to be, we'll celebrate a glorious victory at the end of the day!" At that comment, the entire complement of Krogan shouted with eagerness to begin the fight.

Grunt narrowed his eyes at Wrex, "I'm glad _Shepard's_ here to crack some heads with us; wouldn't want to over stress _you_ at your advanced age, Clan Leader."

"We'll see about that, you whelp! We'll compare our kills at the end of the day!" Wrex chuckled, "Now, let's quit yapping and get this mission started!"

"Agreed." Shepard nodded and looked to Grunt, "How are you organized?"

All joviality disappeared and Grunt got straight to business. "Three platoons, twenty-four each, divided into three patrols of eight. First three teams are already out, so I've got six remaining. How about you, Shepard?"

"Three teams of three, including Wrex." Shepard glanced at her squad, "Wrex, Garrus and I are the team leads on this one."

Grunt nodded, "There's two entrances up top and one down in the pit. So I say we divide into three groups." Grunt let out a little chuckle as he continued, "But none of these Pyjaks will respect a Turian they don't know, so they won't follow Garrus. But you're Urdnot, so you wouldn't have a problem."

Shepard's eyebrows rose with that statement and Grunt laughed. "Didn't know that, did ya? You're the Clan Leader's _Krantt_. You passed the _Rite_ with me, even killed a Thresher Maw. You're _Urdnot_ Shepard. No different than any of these chumps... except _better_."

"Well, damn. I'm honored... but we'll talk about that later." Shepard smiled and looked to her young protégée. After explaining about the Rachni queen from Noveria and the possible Reaper involvement, Shepard asked, "So, how do you want to do this?"

Grunt looked at her with mild surprise, "You're letting _me_ dictate tactics?"

"You have the bulk of the forces and have done the scouting." Shepard smiled and shrugged, "I'd be stupid to not take advantage of your knowledge. Told you before, Grunt. Fight smarter."

"Got it, Shepard." Grunt let out a little chuckle. "I say we take two heavy teams in up top, because that's where they'd expect us. Once we raise a ruckus, you take a light team in low, through the back door."

"Krogan have 'light' teams?" Shepard's voice reflected her surprise.

"Yeah. The smaller, faster guys. Used normally as advanced scouts and spies. Not _all_ Krogan are the same _size_, Shepard."

Grunt sounded disappointed in her and Shepard laughed. "You do realize that your idea of _small_ is still more than _twice_ my size, right? Once you're that big, the difference between 150 kilos and 175 doesn't really matter to me."

Grunt smiled, "Heh. Guess that's true, unless you're talking about _Maws_. Matters to us, though, but that's not what I meant. By _heavy_, I meant two Krogan teams and you keep all _your_ guys together for the light team. Better that way; no one's fighting beside someone they don't know or trust. I can take one platoon, Wrex the other, for two groups of twenty-five. You'll only have eight... but according to Liara, you're worth all of Aralakh Company by yourself, so that shouldn't be a problem. Right?"

"Right." Shepard's voice was tinged slightly with amusement and she glanced at Liara. _{We'll talk about __**that**__ later, Blue.} _Looking to the rest of her ground team, she queried, "Sound okay to everyone?"

It was no surprise when both Westmoreland and Campbell nodded emphatically in agreement. When no one voiced any dissention, Shepard nodded. "Alright. We'll start out together, but if we need to split, we'll have two fire-teams of four. Garrus has Team 2 with Campbell, Riana and Edi. The rest of you are with me." She looked up at Grunt and Wrex. "You guys go ahead and get started. You ought to be able to attract all the attention you need by the time we find our way down into the pit."

"Sounds good, Shepard. Be careful down there..." Grunt's face twisted in displeasure. "This place _smells_ wrong; like a bad wound. The tunnels all lead to a large central point, we'll rendezvous there. If we're _lucky_, it's the nest."

Garrus finally stepped forward, "Sounds like fun. Just like old times, Grunt."

Grunt bared his teeth in a wide smile and chuckled his evil little chuckle, knowing he was about to do some massive damage. He jerked his thumb up, pointing back over his own shoulder. "Even though these Pyjaks wouldn't follow you, Vakarian, _I'm_ glad you've come along for the ride... you're damn good with that rifle of yours. We'll compare notes... later."

Grunt suddenly wheeled around and shouted out, "Aralakh Company! Alpha Platoon, with me. Bravo... you're with the clan leader. You'll regret it if you embarrass me!" He then pointed to the path that climbed up the hill. "Now, move out!"

As the Krogan started to move off, Garrus sounded off, "Not surprised Grunt found his way into the action. Little guy's all grown up."

Liara replied, somehow managing to sound proud and anxious at the same time, "Yes, well. He had an excellent instructor, didn't he?"

Shepard glanced at Liara, knowing she was the source of the Asari's anxiety. "I'm just glad he's here; while there's a lot of power in that Krogan body, there's also a keen intellect and great battle sense too. We may need _all_ of that today."

James was the first to the lip of the 'pit' Grunt kept talking about and as he glanced down he exclaimed, "Holy Hell! Hope nobody's afraid of heights!"

Shepard walked to the edge and looked down. "Yikes. I did _not_ get the impression from Grunt that it was quite so deep."

Liara stepped up beside her. "It's not a problem, Shepard. The three of us go first, carrying the heavy weapons down using our biotics. Then, everyone else follows and we catch _anyone_ who happens to slip."

"Good idea, T'Soni." Shepard turned to the team. "Everyone hear that?"

James looked skeptical. "I'm pretty heavy with all this gear on, you sure... Whoa! Hey!"

He didn't have a chance to finish the question before Riana reached out and lifted him. "You want to go first, Lieutenant? I _can_ simply lower you down."

"Seriously?" James face lit with excitement at the prospect. "Hell yeah! That way I can watch all your backs so nothing comes up behind you while you're watching everyone else _climb_ down."

Riana glanced at Shepard who shrugged and answered, "Why not? Using biotics will get us to the bottom faster, so Grunt and Wrex may not have penetrated deep enough yet to create a good diversion. Having James cover our six is actually not a bad idea."

Once everyone was safely down, they formed up and started moving toward the lower tunnel. They immediately caught sight of an inert form lying outside the entrance. Shepard took one look and got on her comm, "Grunt. We've got a dead scout here. Been dead a few days, so must have been from the original team you guys sent out here."

"Yeah? He still have his weapon?" Grunt didn't sound pleased that one of the earlier arrivals was killed before he even got inside.

Shepard motioned at James as she spoke, "Yes, a Firestorm. We'll pick it up. Might come in handy."

"_He_ certainly doesn't need it anymore." Grunt gave a command to one of his platoons and came back to Shepard. "Every one of them who came should have one. We found flame throwers very effective at burning out the nests. You should pick up every single one you find until you can't carry any more."

Shepard acknowledged him as they turned a corner, only to be obstructed by some kind of net, made of an unidentifiable substance. Garrus' mandibles twitched, his voice hinting at both annoyance and humor. "Is that... webbing? Damn good thing Tali isn't here."

He chuckled and Shepard grinned and glanced at Liara. "Remember the first time she saw one of those little Rachni spider things? Tali screeched like a little girl and blasted it with her shotgun."

"Shepard!" Liara fought her own desire to laugh and choked out, "We shouldn't laugh at Tali's expense! We didn't know _what_ they were at the time." Liara blushed profusely as her laughter erupted. "Oh, Goddess forgive me, but I can't help myself... it _was_ funny..." Liara's tone suddenly changed, "Of course with everything that happened _afterward_, none of our joviality lasted for very long at the time."

"Oh, fuck." Shepard stopped short and looked apologetically at her bondmate. "I'm _so_ sorry, Li. I didn't think before I said that."

"It's alright, Shepard." Liara smiled lightly as she continued, "With all that's happened since, those memories aren't quite so painful anymore. Besides, we have a mission to focus on. Let's do what needs to be done."

With that as a cue, James opened up with the Firestorm he had picked up and the group watched as the webbing crumbled to dust before their eyes. Shepard hummed in appreciation. "Nice. Works great... and quiet, too. It won't attract undue attention to us like weapons' fire or biotics would."

They moved forward and turned a corner that cut off the light from outside, pitching them into near total darkness. Out of reflex, Shepard reached forward and turned on the weapon light on her Locust SMG and swept across the darkness. Immediately, other lights joined her own as Garrus spoke from somewhere behind her. "This darkness is going to make it a little harder, Shepard."

"Agreed. Everyone stay tight and be ready. Watch friendly fire." Shepard cursed their luck and silently prayed it didn't stay dark the entire time.

Vega suddenly swept his rifle light swiftly to the side. "Movement. Whatever they are, they're fast little buggers."

Edi chimed in. "I accessed the Krogan accounts of the Rachni Wars. The small, extremely fast creatures are most likely what was referred to as 'Tenders.' They care for the eggs once the Rachni Queen has laid them. They are harmless."

The multiple lights from behind her illuminated her back as Shepard nodded. "Thanks, Edi. Good to know. Don't waste ammo or give away our position trying to shoot them."

They entered into their first open space and saw a floor littered with what appeared to be clusters of eggs. Edi again volunteered information. "These new objects appear to be spore pods. Careful where you step. They explode if you get within a certain proximity."

"Exactly how close before they blow?" Shepard was curious as to how much of a threat the pods would pose.

Edi responded quickly. "Unknown, Shepard. The Krogan failed to record that detail. They followed what Humans refer to as a 'scorched Earth' policy. When they fought the war, they left nothing to chance; they simply burned and killed... _everything_ that was Rachni related."

"Jesus." James slid over beside Shepard. "You want to do the same thing here, Commander? At least until we know what the hell is going on?"

"Just the opposite, James." Shepard looked around warily. "Until we know otherwise, treat them as friendly or non-combatants. Clear just enough to get us through safely."

"You got it, Commander." James adjusted his aim and stepped out. "Taking point."

James did as Shepard asked and cleared only when necessary to create a path for the team to move through. As they came around the next corner, James stopped short and queried, "What the Hell are _those_ things?"

Shepard took a few more steps to the side of the hulking frame of Vega so she could see where he was looking. "Shit. Reaper tech. Edi? Can you confirm?"

"You are correct, Commander. The wires and cabling are most definitely Reaper technology."

"Roger that." Shepard got on her comm again and passed the information to Grunt and Wrex.

Wrex came back, "Damn it, Shepard. I guess that means no killing Rachni?"

"Only as required to reach the queen, Wrex. Depending on what we find, that may change, but we'll make the call then." Shepard kicked one of the cables, almost expecting it to whip around and attack her, but nothing happened.

Wrex growled. "Alright, Shepard, but I still think you're crazy."

Shepard smiled, "I'm friends with _you_, aren't I?"

"Heh. Suppose you're right, there. Not many would have worried about a random Krogan merc, back in the day. Wrex out."

The team kept moving and eliminating pods as required, halting only when they came to a sudden drop off. It wasn't terribly far, but enough to be a challenge in the event of a rapid retreat. Shepard called a halt and knelt down, her squad following suit. The room was lit to a dull twilight, but at least they could see without their weapons' lights.

Garrus pointed out an odd shaped object in the center of the cave. "That thing? It's a Barrier Engine. We ran into them on Palaven. We'll destroy that thing from here, just before we drop into the cavern."

"No '_we_' to it Garrus, at least not yet." Shepard shook her head and continued before her XO could protest. "I want you and Sarah to stay up here on over-watch. I'm counting on you being deadly from up here with your sniper rifle... and Sarah has proven herself to be a pretty damn good shot as well, so she can keep you covered and get in a few good shots herself. The rest of us will sweep the room. I don't want you dropping off this ledge until we either call the room secure or we step around a corner where you can no longer see us before we locate the exit." She turned and looked directly at him. "Even then, I expect you to stay back and cover us. You read Livos' report on the Rachni Ravagers. If one of those things pops up, I want you busting its sac and blowing its insides to bits... preferably _before_ it shoots those massive cannons at us."

Once Garrus understood why the commander wanted him to stay back, he grinned. "You've got it, Shepard." His attention shifted to the lieutenant as he continued, "What was that phrase you said on Menae, James?"

James grinned ear-to-ear as he replied, "Like shooting fish in a barrel, Garrus. Nothing but fish in a barrel."


	19. Fish in a Barrel

Notes:

_Nara_ \- literally "bearer"; one who shoulders another's burden, aids others (Thessian)

XO - Executive Officer

* * *

**Fish in a Barrel**

**Utukku, Mulla Xul System, Ninmah Cluster**

Shepard glanced across her squad one last time, noting the looks of determination in all their faces, before dropping off the shelf. Their boots had barely kicked up the dust on the floor of the cavern before a Ravager emerged and Husks started crawling out of every nook and cranny. True to form, Garrus pegged the Ravager a couple of times and Sarah finished it off with incendiary rounds before it fired even a single shot. Garrus' voice came over the comms, "I hardly recognize them. Reapers made some modifications."

Shepard acknowledged his comment and passed the info to Wrex and Grunt. "Per Livos' report from Namakli, they've definitely been modified... these are no longer Rachni. Weapons free on _everything_ Reaper modded!"

Grunt was pleased, his approval echoing in his voice as he muttered, "Finally! Something to kill! Nothing up top yet except a sinkhole, Shepard. Lost our point man in its discovery. Bad way to go."

The rest of the team quickly eliminated the Husk threat, Liara and Riana combining talents to create singularities and biotic explosions; since the team's presence was obviously no longer a secret, they ceased their efforts to minimize the noise of their progress. Sadly, they found more scouts and the team picked up more Firestorms as they progressed across the room, collecting the weapons and the Krogan identification tags as they moved through.

James and Edi concentrated on removing any spore pods they came across. Since they knew for sure the Reapers were modifying the Rachni, the teams weren't taking any chances that more could potentially hatch after the mission was complete and they all left the planet. Once the forward team swept the cavern and climbed to the far side, Shepard flagged Garrus and Campbell to rejoin the group.

The twosome had just caught up when Edi called back, "Shepard. A barrier of some sort is blocking our path. There seems to be some type of Reaper control device."

As the team assembled near the device, Garrus groused, "Looks important, but how the Hell does it work? There are no levers or buttons."

Shepard stepped up and looked at it, then glanced at Edi. "Suggestions? Anything in the database regarding barriers and their control interfaces?"

Edi paused only momentarily before responding. "Very little, Shepard. There is one reference regarding the Barrier Engines on Palaven. The soldiers there treated them like everything else 'Reaper.' I do believe they are suggesting to simply... destroy... the interface."

Shepard frowned and pulled her SMG. "Everyone out, in case this thing explodes."

Instead of leaving, both Liara and Riana stepped up on either side of Shepard. As the commander started to protest, the two Asari lit up with a combined barrier, adding considerable strength to Shepard's, to protect the three of them. Liara growled, "Don't even _think_ you are doing this alone, Shepard. You might as well shoot the damned thing and get it over with, because _nothing_ you say is going to convince us to leave you."

If the conviction in Liara's tone wasn't enough to convince Shepard, the wave of irritation she felt coming from her bondmate certainly would have; Liara was _not_ pleased that Shepard was willing to potentially sacrifice herself for what the Asari felt was a reckless experiment. Anyone on the team could be standing in this spot... but it was Shepard's nature to always put herself at risk before she would ever endanger any of her team.

Liara hated the dichotomy of emotions that came with such decisions, as they made her both angry because of the risks and endeared the commander to her for her compassion at the same time. It was typical Shepard but Liara had never been able to disregard the dangers the commander faced on a routine basis; the thought of losing Samantha before the war was over was a constant nagging fear that stalked her, day and night.

Fortunately, it all turned out to be an unnecessary precaution as Shepard fired her weapon; the circular panel on the front of the device simply shattered and the barrier doors slid open without protest. Liara relaxed a bit, knowing it was only a temporary reprieve, and smiled when Shepard's thoughts came through the link. _{Sorry, Love. I know you hate that... and thank you for thinking about the barrier. A combined barrier didn't even cross my mind; I was counting solely on my own.}_

Liara said nothing in response, but cast her lover a knowing, sad smile. They were on a mission and had no time to discuss what had just transpired, especially after James flamed through the webbing on the other side of the doorway, only to be met with a deep rumble of shifting rock. Having spent many long hours underground, Liara's chest tightened in fear as she sprinted forward and shouted at the team. "Everyone move! Get through and clear of the door!"

They all lunged forward as the passageway behind them collapsed in on itself; many of the team were pelted by smaller rocks, tripped and fell over debris, and all of them ended up choking and coated by the dust. Shepard coughed a couple of times and wheezed out, "Everybody make it?"

"Everyone's here, Shepard." Garrus glanced back at the wall of rock behind them. "Looks like we're finding another way out of here, though."

"Roger that, Garrus." Shepard looked at the unstable pile as small rocks continued to bounce down the face nearest them. "Even if we could dig through, I don't know if the rest would hold. We need to move before the whole thing comes down on our heads."

Wrex cut in over the comms, "Shepard. Thought you said you left the Hydra behind? What the Hell was _that_?"

"Cave-in, Wrex." Shepard coughed one last time as she continued. "Looks like we'll be using your route as our exit, because we're certainly not leaving the way _we_ came in."

"Should be easy enough. We're not leaving anything alive behind us. Our _departure_ should be uncontested." The Krogan's words were spoken with a warlord's confidence. "Wrex out."

The team had to turn their weapons' lights back on again, the cave-in sealing away any ambient light from the chamber behind them. As they started moving forward again, Grunt came on the line, "So your way forward still clear, Shepard?"

"Yeah, it is... and we're already moving again." Shepard watched as Edi and James panned their lights to discern their way ahead.

"Good. Didn't want to have to dig you out." Grunt chuckled as he spoke.

Shepard laughed quietly in response. "That hurts my feelings, Grunt."

"Yeah, yeah." Grunt rumbled across the comm, "You just don't want _me_ hogging all the glory from killing all the Reapers without you."

"How'd you know?" Shepard smiled. "We'll see you soon."

"By the way, Shepard." Grunt's voice turned solemn. "Found out what happened to the scouts. Their team got hit... _hard_. The leader _ordered_ them to carry those Firestorms deep into the caves, thinking those of us who came _after_ them would need all the help we could get."

"Son of a bitch!" James grumbled, "Hell of a way to go out. Giving everything for the cause."

"Goddess." When she heard the quiet exclamation, Shepard glanced at Liara; the Asari's face had paled at the thought of the obvious suicide missions.

Shepard growled back, "Then we'll make damn sure their sacrifices weren't in vain."

"Agreed. See you soon, Shepard." Grunt's voice once again fell silent.

The team continued moving, the mood much heavier with the weight of the Krogan deaths on their minds. They encountered more webbing and some Husks, but nothing like the initial chamber for quite some time. As they entered one small chamber to collect weapons and identification tags from the felled Krogan, Shepard stopped at one body and dropped to her knees. Liara felt a surge of sadness and quickly closed on the commander, kneeling at her side and speaking quietly "Samantha? What's the matter?"

Shepard stashed a datapad she had picked up along with the Krogan's tags. "I know this Krogan." Shepard stood slowly. "His name is Charr and his bondmate is on the Citadel... and pregnant with his child. Her name is Ereba and she works at one of the shops on the Presidium Commons. He left a message for her." Shepard picked up on the thoughts running unchecked through Liara's mind and turned to her, taking her hand. Shepard cocked her head to make eye contact and whispered softly, "I don't want you to _ever_ get one of these messages, Blue. If we have _anything_ to say about it, you'll always be by my _side_ and not left alone to wonder what happened. I promise."

Liara nodded and swallowed but remained silent, not wanting to give voice to her fears and unable to say 'thank you' to such a thing. Shepard's phrasing still left the possibility of death hanging, merely stating that Liara would _know_ when and how it happened. Liara knew Shepard had meant it to be comforting, but couldn't find it in herself to take it that way. After a deep breath and another nod from Liara, Shepard turned away from her and the team moved on.

It wasn't long before they arrived at another drop-off and a large hall, once again with enough ambient light that they no longer needed their weapon lights. Shepard's eyes scanned the area but she saw nothing of note. "Same drill, folks. Garrus and Sarah stay high. The rest of us will drop down and fan out." She turned and looked at the big Turian beside her. "I'm sure you see the big hook to the left. It won't be long before we're ready to round the corner, so just be ready to jump down and join us, especially since we have no idea what's hiding around the corner. There could be a damn platoon over there."

"I'm on it, Shepard. We'll drop as soon as you get to the far side... unless you're ducking behind the rock shelf and using it for cover!" Garrus' mandibles twitched with humor. "In that case, we'll just stay right here and blast away."

Shepard shook her head and laughed lightly, "Thanks, Garrus. Don't wait too long, though. We might have to move fast." With that, Shepard turned and leapt off the ledge without warning, leaving the rest of the crew to scramble and jump down to join her.

"Spirits!" Garrus cussed and yanked his sniper rifle up, zeroing in on a distant Barrier Engine and eliminating it. He quickly swept the scope of his rifle along the ledge on the far side, hearing the twin cannons of a Ravager firing at the squad. He located it quickly and started firing, moving quickly to his next target when that one fell.

With the first Ravager gone, the group faced the normal Husks along with some Cannibals but, with top cover from Garrus and Sarah, they cleared the first part of the room quickly. As Shepard began climbing up onto the far shelf, Garrus and Sarah hustled to catch up. The commander slowed and peeked around the corner to see an empty room. Her eyes narrowed, knowing it didn't mean much... every room they entered started out empty, but quickly filled with Reapers the minute the team committed themselves. She scanned the walls and picked out a couple of places of potential entry.

Shepard ducked back behind the wall again and turned to her squad. "Big shelf about ten degrees left of center, far wall... watch for a new Ravager or two to come from there. There are also a couple of low cave entrances and a large rock formation roughly forty-five degrees right. Who _knows_ what's behind _that_ thing. It could hide a damn Mako. Other than that, just your normal, rugged rock-strewn cavern floor where there could be a Husk or Cannibal lurking behind every pile and pillar." Shepard's eyes were laser-focused as she looked at each of the crew. "Stay behind cover and stay _safe_."

The team fanned out across the room, utilizing the available cover, and was soon faced with numerous Husks and Cannibals, as well as two Ravagers. Garrus quickly took down one of the Ravagers and Sarah incapacitated a Barrier Engine before crying out in pain. She had been so focused on her shot, a Husk had flanked and surprised her and was wrapped around her neck, dragging her to the floor. Without thought, Shepard drew on her biotics and launched herself across the room with a biotic charge, sending the Husk flying.

Unfortunately, her new position left her exposed to the Ravager and Liara watched in horror as one of its blue guidance lasers settled on Shepard's back. Liara screamed, both aloud and through the link and, without thinking, Shepard dropped like a rock and rolled violently to the side as the laser canon burned through the air where she had been standing mere moments before. Garrus head snapped around at Liara's panicked shout and he immediately drew a bead on the remaining Ravager.

Bethany immediately ran to her friend's aid and pulled Sarah to cover as Vega, Edi and Riana focused on the threats nearest to Shepard who, from their angle, appeared to not be moving. Liara knew better as she heard Shepard shout back at her through the link; the Asari tucked and rolled as a Husk tried to jump down on her from the top of a rock as a shot from Shepard's pistol caught it mid-air and left it dead, a crumpled pile on the ground next to Liara's feet.

Shepard and Liara were both up in a flash and the remaining Cannibals and Husks were quickly cut down. When the room fell into sudden silence, Liara bolted across the divide and fell into Shepard's arms. "Goddess! When that blue laser settled on your back, I thought I was going to lose you!"

Shepard hugged her tightly. "Thanks, Li. I had no idea I was in a Ravager's sights. I simply made an abrupt evasive maneuver based on your warning. From the panic in your voice, I assumed I was in some serious shit and simply... _moved_." Shepard pushed back and held Liara by the shoulders, looking into blue eyes wide with surprise.

"What if you had gone in the wrong direction?" Liara's voice nearly cracked with her surprised exclamation.

"I didn't have time to figure it out, so any direction is better than standing still." Shepard grinned at Liara. "That's why I dropped first... hoping it put me out of line-of-sight for weapons fire. Then the roll, in case it was some kind of melee attack."

Liara crushed into the armor on Shepard's chest and even though the commander couldn't physically feel her, she felt Liara's emotions shifting from fear and concern to trust and faith in her soldier's instincts. "Thank you, Shepard, for not hesitating to take action even when you had no idea why I was yelling."

"I trust you implicitly, Liara. You know that." Shepard pushed back again. "Now. Come on. We've got a mission to finish."

Shepard turned to Bethany. "How's Campbell?"

"Shocked, with a pretty bad gash in her shoulder. Non-primary arm, but I don't think she'll be holding her assault rifle very steady." Westmoreland glanced up from her ministrations. "The Arc Projector is pretty light... and if we're going to be seeing any more mobs like this one, it might be time to break it out. It sure is effective against groups."

"You're right." Shepard nodded in agreement. "I want you two to stick together from here on out. You're her protection detail and she's our crowd control."

"Roger that, Ma'am. Just give us time to get her armor plates back on her shoulder, and we'll be ready to rock and roll."

Shepard started to reply, but stopped as Grunt came on the comm. "We must be getting close, Shepard. Starting to hit some heavy resistance. Tough bastards!"

"Same here. Any more casualties?" Shepard held her breath waiting on the answer.

Grunt laughed. "We're fine. Krogan fight better angry."

"Good. We're pushing ahead, Grunt. See you soon. Shepard out."

As the team got on the move again, they passed through a number of short passageways with nothing but pods. Edi spoke again for the first time in a while. "These are gestation pods. It is odd they are here; the Rachni favor highly toxic environments for breeding, yet this atmosphere is breathable."

Riana frowned. "It is obvious the Reapers have changed more than the Rachni's physical appearance. I, for one, am glad to be in an environment that does not require a helmet or breathing mask."

Liara cast a thankful look her way. "Absolutely. I don't understand how anyone can wear an enclosed helmet... they are extremely uncomfortable for Asari."

They dodged some more pods and Garrus groused. "I don't care _where_ they are... I'd prefer they didn't exist at _all_." He glanced up in time to see a scowl on Shepard's face. "The Reaper version, that is. I was content while the Rachni queen was keeping her promise." He glanced around. "But look at this place. It's a perfect nesting ground for something that wants to stay hidden. Makes you wonder how the Reapers found them and how long they've been breeding them down here."

Shepard grudgingly agreed. "And they're throwing everything they've got at us so we don't reach the nest."

They came to a relatively narrow passageway and could hear gunfire echoing through the chamber. Shepard picked up speed, knowing they were close to where the tunnels converged and she would soon know exactly how many of the Krogan team had made it through. They emerged onto a ledge and could see the Krogan below. They seemed to be at a dead-end, but Edi pointed out it was another Reaper doorway and the controls were nowhere in sight. "They are most likely on the opposite side of the doorway, Shepard. The side _we_ are approaching."

Grunt saw the Normandy team and shouted out. "About time, Shepard! We're blocked and have no way to open the doorway from our side. I feel like we're on that damn Collector ship. Move your ass!"

"Hang on, Grunt. We're on it!" As Shepard shouted her response, a Ravager charged Grunt, seemingly from out of nowhere.

Shepard watched in surprised awe as Grunt roared and slammed into the Ravager. The young Krogan grabbed two of its legs and heaved the beast into the air over his head, shouting out, "I... am... Krogan!" After he lifted the huge Rachni, he cast it over the edge of the chasm that separated the two groups.

The team surged down the last hallway and found the next control panel, quickly blasting it into oblivion. Two doors retracted into the walls and both Wrex and Grunt brought their teams into the large central chamber. Facing a newly combined force of over fifty soldiers, the Rachni retreated, vanishing into hidden nooks and crannies as quickly as they appeared.

Grunt looked at the commander, "Thanks, Shepard. That wasn't Rachni holding us back. That's _Reaper_ tech!"

"Yes... and it's all to protect this last passageway. My guess is the queen is somewhere down there." Shepard pointed toward a fourth tunnel, laden with pods. She turned back to the Krogan. "I'm glad we came in the back door, or we might have all gotten stuck. Coming from the bottom, up, we were on the side of the doors with the controls. Just dumb luck."

Wrex chuckled. "You're always lucky, Shepard. That's why we like you." His toothy smile vanished quickly as he glanced at the last tunnel. "Grunt and I can hold this point with the remainder of Aralakh Company. You get in there, do whatever you need to do and let us know if you need any help. Otherwise, we'll wait here and secure our exit when it's done."

Grunt chimed in, "The Rachni have backed off for now, but I'm sure it's to regroup and make a counterattack. We're about to hit their queen... they're not going to give up now, Aralakh Company or not. Be quick about it, Shepard."

"Understood, Grunt. We'll scout and see what it looks like." Shepard growled, "Hopefully they're not massing in the main nest with the Queen."

"Heh heh heh." Grunt smiled. "If they are, you call us and we'll join you."

Shepard smiled. "You just keep our exit open. Good luck."

Grunt gave one last smile. "I don't need luck. I have ammo." Grunt spun away and pulled his shotgun off the hardpoint on his armor. "Krogan! Get ready!"

* * *

The Normandy team worked their way through a couple of small rooms filled with pods before coming to what Shepard initially thought was a dead end. As she looked around the small cavern, she discerned a low opening along the darkened back wall. She approached the gap, got down on her hands and knees and peered carefully into the opening. She sighed with relief when nothing jumped out or grabbed her to drag her in like in an old-time science fiction movie. "I can see the other side, so it's not a very long tunnel... but I think we need to be extremely careful here. This thing screams trap or ambush."

Riana stepped up. "Shepard. If that is the case, you need to let me go first. It is my duty to protect you, both as Liara's promised and as my Captain." As Shepard frowned and prepared to protest, Riana shook her head. "Please, Shepard. I have never asked you for anything nor disobeyed any order you have ever issued, but this is important to me... as you are important to the Normandy crew and the Reaper War. Let me do this."

"Hate to say it, but I agree with her, Shepard." Garrus added his weight to Riana's request, both as Shepard's friend and the Normandy XO.

Shepard glanced across the remaining crew and not one of the five came to her defense. She sighed in frustration, "You do _realize_ that if something happens to you, I will positively _never_ forgive myself."

Riana didn't even blink as she responded, "And every one of us feels the _exact_ same way every time _you_ consistently take the first plunge. But I understand Dr Chakwas released you for this mission with the phrase 'keep your head down' and something about letting others do the heavy lifting?"

"Fine. Don't think Dr Chakwas selling me out is going to save any of you from my revenge for making me feel like an invalid..." Shepard got back down on her knees and peeked into the tunnel again. "And I'm going second... so I'll be right behind you."

Riana smiled softly, "I would expect nothing less, _Nara_." She dropped rapidly to her hands and knees and looked through the tunnel before glancing at Shepard. "You did not give any indication the passageway's ceiling was so low."

"You didn't ask." Shepard smirked, "Now. You going, or am I taking lead?"

Riana's eyes narrowed in challenge. "I did not say I had changed my mind about going first, Shepard. I was merely commenting on your lack of detail when you described the tunnel." The commando grunted as she flopped down on her stomach and began dragging herself forward with her forearms. "I would appreciate you staying close enough to grab ahold of my feet... should something be waiting to drag me out the other side."

Shepard let out a soft chuckle as she followed Riana and reached up to tap the commando's boot. "Right on your six, Iregos. Not gonna let anything happen to you."

As Shepard emerged from the tunnel onto a narrow shelf, Riana queried in an almost awestruck voice, "What _is_ that?"

Shepard stood up beside her and took in the view. A vast chamber stretched out before them with a clear view of the queen in the distance, several gestation pods and a large number of Krogan corpses scattered about the cavern. The commander growled from deep in her throat and Riana's eyes snapped to her at the sound as Shepard started to speak. "_That_ is the Rachni queen."

Shepard's anger swelled; the Rachni queen was obviously being held prisoner. Numerous shackles hung from her legs, literally chaining her to the cavern floor. She was unable to move from her spot and Shepard could see at least four of the barrier door controls between the queen and where the team was emerging from the low tunnel behind her.

Once the last of the team emerged, Shepard spoke quickly. "No one hangs back." She pointed out the door controls. "I imagine those controls will activate when we hit the floor, trying to divide us. We move as a group and locate and destroy _any_ control that closes a door to block someone off; we can't afford to let anyone stay separated from the rest of us. Our goal is clear... work our way to the queen and figure out if she's been indoctrinated."

The commander paused when she felt Liara's mind touch hers through the link. Liara didn't say anything, but Shepard felt as if a supporting embrace wrapped around her as she finished her statement. "If she has been, she dies here. If she isn't, we do what we can to free her."

She relayed their discovery to the Krogan contingent and, with one last glance around the team, dropped off the shelf. As soon as her feet hit the dirt, barriers sprang up from the floor and blocked off the direct path to the queen. Shepard sprinted to the side, shouting at the team as she ran, "Move it!"

Additional barriers quickly popped up and the group screeched to a halt as James called out, "Got it, Commander!" His assault rifle barked and the sound of shattering glass was quickly followed by one of the barriers retracting, allowing them to move forward once again.

As soon as the barrier fell away, the team was confronted by a Ravager, a couple of Cannibals and a number of Husks. The Husks proved to be no problem; Bethany covered Sarah as the young private happily charged the Arc Projector and let loose, gaining revenge for the previous Husk's attack on her. As the charged pulse jumped from Husk to Husk, electrocuting a large portion of the hoard, Campbell yelled in triumph, "Take _that_, you sons-a-bitches!"

Garrus chuckled lightly; Campbell was a good soldier and an excellent shot... and he admired her apparently indomitable spirit. She was generally more reserved than Bethany Westmoreland but, with the training and experience she would get with the crew of the Normandy, Garrus could _easily_ see Sarah Campbell making it to N-School when she had enough rank to attend. He never ceased to be amazed at how talent seemed to migrate to Shepard, no matter the circumstances.

He was pulled from his contemplations by the hum of another Ravager's cannon-fire and he launched an overload attack before pulling up his sniper rifle. The beast never stood a chance; the very second his sniper rifle barked and burst the sac, Liara planted a singularity at its core and Shepard detonated it with a warp, blowing it apart and sending chunks flying everywhere. Garrus' mandibles twitched with humor as he thought, "_Take that you son of a bitch_."

Edi quickly located the next barrier control and the team was immediately forced into cover as the targeting beams of two Ravagers quickly panned across the space in front of them. Sarah shouted again as she lit up the next group of Husks; the arc continued its jump to one of the Ravagers. Garrus took advantage of its temporary distraction and zeroed in on it while it was stunned. When a group of Cannibals emerged from around the corner, James grunted, "Fuck this," and lobbed a frag grenade into their midst before bringing up his assault rifle; short, controlled, staccato bursts filled the air and the surge of Cannibals started to dwindle.

As the group whittled away at the remaining Reapers, Shepard located the next barrier control node. The team regrouped as they moved through the newest opening, pulling up short when they came face-to-face with the Rachni queen. Shepard's eyes narrowed as she studied the behemoth before her; the queen was _much_ larger than when the commander had released her from the confinement chamber on Noveria... the Ravagers' size paled in comparison. That told Shepard the Ravagers were nothing but children in the Rachni lifespan and it made her hate the Reapers all the more.

In immediate proximity to the queen, the cavern was littered with Krogan corpses; even knowing how the Rachni queen communicated, the seasoned soldiers still jumped when the dead Krogan all started speaking in unison. "Si... lence... The... maddening sour note has ceased."

Shepard tilted her head in question, asking, "What are you talking about?"

The queen's head bobbed in irritation as the Krogan voices continued, "We... we listen for the children. They are silent... hollow. The machines come and take them to war. They die alone, silent, far away."

The commander tensed in anger and she growled out, "So, the Reapers did this to you?"

"Yes. The sour note of the machines was everywhere..." The queen's head dipped, seemingly in relief and gratitude as she continued, "... until you came."

"I let you go, back on Noveria. You promised to disappear." Shepard took a couple of steps closer to the queen and she peered up into dark eyes that showed no emotion. "What happened? How did you end up here?"

Shepard thought back to Illium and the Asari she had met on her way to Liara's office. The Asari had spoken of the Rachni as a peaceful, beautiful race, telling Shepard she had done the galaxy a great service when she gave the Rachni a second chance. As she listened to the queen explain how they had abided by their promise to the commander, Shepard quickly realized the Rachni were no exception; they were _all_ victims of the Reapers.

The queen finished. "But... the machines came once more. They had heard our song and sought us out, their shriek of sour notes drowning us out. Once more, the children are lost and must be destroyed."

Feeling overwhelming sadness over the link, Liara stepped forward and spoke, "Can you still feel the Reapers? Can they influence you?"

The queen's massive head swung around and she faced Liara. "Still hear them... yes... but they have _never_ been able to influence us. This is why we are _chained_ and they steal our children away. Remove this last shackle and we will be free... to help you fight the machines."

Shepard looked at the queen and started speaking, "They can't hurt you anymore..."

Her words were cut off by rumbles in the caves and a loud squawk on the comms from Grunt. "Shepard! We're getting a lot of movement here... they've obviously regrouped. Whatever you're doing, you'd better hurry it up."

The queen spoke, the voices from the Krogan urgent and pleading, "The children return. They will destroy us all. Release us!"

"So you'll honor your promise and help us fight the reapers?" Shepard pulled her pistol and approached the last barrier control device, awaiting the queen's answer.

"We _hate_ the machines. We will fight for our unborn children. Release us!"

As the queen finished speaking, Garrus chimed in. "She's in bad shape, Shepard. We can't take her with us on the shuttle, so she has to make it out on her own."

Another loud rumble echoed through the cavern and Wrex came online, "Shepard! We're out of time! We stay here, we all die. Is that clear?"

"I hear you, Wrex. I'm releasing the queen now." Shepard shot the control panel and the shackles fell away as she finished, "As soon as she gets into one of the tunnels and is on her way, we're coming to you... might want to send some of your light team guys to give us an escort."

Wrex didn't answer, but Shepard heard him bellowing orders before his comms cut out. The Rachni queen screeched something that did _not_ come through the dead Krogan mouths; Shepard could have sworn it was the words 'thank you' but had no time to contemplate it as an explosion ripped away a side wall of the chamber they were in. The team's weapons instantly trained to the space that used to be a wall and, expecting Reapers to come pouring in, were very pleasantly surprised to see Grunt with a team of seven Krogan commandos at his back. "Wrex is going ahead with the rest of Aralakh Company. The scouting teams we sent in were wiped out completely, so Charlie Platoon is gone. Wrex has sixteen left in Bravo and one of my squads from Alpha Platoon... he lost eight, I lost nine... so far."

Reapers started pouring into the room just as the queen finally found a clear escape route and vanished into a dark tunnel. Grunt jerked his huge hand up, his thumb pointing through the hole he just made. "Out the hole and up to the left... follow Wrex through his entry path back to the surface. It should be clear." He saw Shepard hesitate and grinned. "We'll hold 'em off and cover your exit. Get out of here, Shepard!"

Garrus immediately turned and ordered his team of four to take point, advancing quickly through the newly created exit and ensuring the tunnel was clear; Riana hovered in the new 'doorway,' refusing to go any farther until Shepard or Liara started moving. Westmoreland joined her and Vega was only a step behind, but Shepard's feet seemed glued to the floor. Liara could feel the conflict in the commander; Shepard's heart felt like it was trying to tear itself in two over the idea of leaving Grunt behind. Finally, Grunt broke the stalemate by giving her a gentle shove, accompanied with his hallmark chuckle. "Go on, Shepard. It's my turn."

Shepard remained silent, her throat much too tight to form words. The commander looked Grunt in the eyes and Liara felt a soldier's resignation settle into her chest as if the emotions were her own. Her heart constricted and tears clouded her blue eyes as she turned away; it was bad enough to _feel_ the soul-rending sadness... she could not force herself to _watch_ any longer.

Shepard placed a hand firmly on Grunt's armored shoulder and gave a return shove, nodding to him one last time. She too turned away, leaving Grunt and his patrol of seven to their fate. As she ran out to join her teammates, she prayed it wasn't the last time she saw her young protégée.

* * *

A/N: A quick thanks to my Beta Reader **Old Gamer** for being such a good sport... I've picked up a full time job and my writing time has become a bit limited, so I need to thank OG for the quick turns on the edits and rewrites. This chapter may not have happened on time otherwise!


	20. Dreams and Expectations

Notes:

AI - Artificial Intelligence

FTL - Faster than light

QEC - Quantum Entanglement Communicator. Instantaneous point-to-point secure communications device; cannot be intercepted between source and destination

Sod it - "I give up." An expression of frustration

* * *

**Dreams and Expectations**

**Utukku, Mulla Xul System, Ninmah Cluster**

Hope blossomed in Shepard's mind as she rounded the corner; she glanced up the passageway and saw the remaining eight Krogan from Alpha Platoon who had departed with Wrex returning to help Grunt... and they were carrying heavy weapons and explosives. Every member of the Normandy team nodded in admiration as the two teams passed and Shepard and her crew continued toward the exit. As soon as they cleared the tunnels and emerged into the open air, she heard Wrex bellow, "Stage 1... Go!"

A ground shaking explosion ensued and a huge pillar of dust billowed up from the pit as the side walls crumbled away, caving in to block the lower entrance and partially fill the cavity. Heavy weapons' fire drew her attention and Shepard spun back around to study the two upper entrances, one of which they had just emerged from. Relief spread through her entire being as she watched Grunt backing out of the tunnel along with a dozen of the fifteen Krogan who had been in the tunnel with him. Most of what remained of Bravo Platoon guarded the second entrance, ensuring nothing emerged from _that_ tunnel alive, and the entirety of Aralakh Company continued to fire into the passageways as Wrex bellowed yet again. "Finish it!"

All of Aralakh Company suddenly vanished in a cloud of dust as additional explosions ripped the remaining two tunnels apart, bringing a large portion of the mountain down within them. Even through the chaos and the roar of the nearest explosion, Shepard could hear and feel a cascade of detonations working their way deeper into the mountain. From within the cloud of dust, a huge roar echoed off the mountainside as Krogan voices united in a rousing cheer celebrating their victory.

Shepard was so focused on the tunnel entrances, her heart rate jumped with a surge of adrenalin when Liara's hand landed unexpectedly on her forearm. "_Shepard_. I'm so sorry... You didn't hear me; you were focused so intently on the Krogan." The Asari's forehead crinkled in concern, "I did _not_ intend to startle you."

Shepard pursed her lips and blew out a gust of air to release her surprise. "It's fine, Blue. That's what I get for not paying attention. At least it was _you_ and not some _Brute_ surprising me." She smiled lightly and her eyes softened as she looked upon the Asari who owned her heart.

Even though speaking with her lover calmed her, Shepard's concern for the Rachni queen was still evident through the link as Liara continued. "I just spoke with Wrex and he said to not worry. The queen emerged a few minutes before we did and thundered off to the East. It is likely she has another nest somewhere nearby and was caught out in the open when the Reapers arrived. She was _not_ buried in the mountain; he swears to it."

"Thank you, Liara." Liara was grateful for the effect of Wrex's news as she watched the residual tension visibly leave Shepard's frame; the commander's shoulders relaxed and the stiffness in her movements disappeared with the confirmation the queen survived. Shepard ran her hand back through her hair over the top of her head as she spoke. "That's _precisely_ what I needed to hear."

* * *

**SSV Normandy**

Hackett seemed tense as he spoke to Shepard over the vid comm, "I'm reviewing your report on the Rachni situation, Commander. This could have gotten complicated, fast."

Shepard frowned, "It was no different than any other mission we've done, Sir."

"I hope you know what you're doing, cutting a deal with the Rachni queen. We got burned last time." Hackett's tone told Shepard he was not pleased with her decision.

"Respectfully, the Rachni queen isn't the one who burned us, Sir. It was the Reapers." Shepard crossed her arms as she continued. "Saying this was the fault of the Rachni would be like the Turians blaming us for Husks and us blaming them for Marauders. The queen had no say in the matter... no more than we did when the Reapers came to Earth."

Hackett paused for only a moment before continuing. "You're right, Shepard. I'll trust your instincts on this. You've not steered us wrong yet."

Shepard dropped her defensive posture and nodded slowly, acknowledging Hackett's acceptance of her decision. "I _know_ we can count on her support, Admiral."

Hackett nodded in return. "Good to hear. If nothing else, at least we cut the Reaper supply of Rachni troops and picked up some additional Krogan support. I call that a victory. Is Wrex back aboard?"

"Yes, Sir. He's back in the War Room and Grunt is headed back to Tuchanka to reorganize the troops; he lost nearly two-thirds of Aralakh Company." Shepard grimaced. "Not sure when they'll get back to the fight. He's got some rebuilding to do."

"Thanks for the update, Commander. I've got to get back to it but, before I go, your mother asked me to tell you to be careful out there. Hackett out."

Hackett's image faded away before she could ask any questions but, even though she didn't have the slightest inkling where her mom _was_, Shepard smirked; leave it to her mother to use the Admiral of the Fleet as a message boy. Chuckling as she turned away and walked out of the communications room, she almost ran into Mordin Solus, who was walking quickly toward her with his head down as he studied his omnitool. Stopping abruptly, his head snapped up and he rattled off, "Shepard! Tests verified. Results promising. Can synthesize for universal Krogan immunity."

From across the War Room, Wrex growled out, "Good. Then you can put your knife away."

"Scalpel, actually." Mordin looked at Wrex and blinked as if he were puzzled. "Never realized Krogan could be so squeamish."

As Wrex huffed, Shepard opened her eyes wide in surprise. "The cure's ready?"

"No. Still need transmission vector." Mordin busied himself poking away at his omnitool as he continued, "Cure useless unless given to entire species."

Shepard frowned, "You're usually full of ideas, Mordin. The Turians _infected_ the whole species and you _altered_ the Genophage at least once... How'd you do it before?"

Mordin quit playing with his omnitool and focused, one hand coming up to his chin as he thought. "Old methods inefficient. No time to create new infection strain. Groundwater dispersal too slow. Lack of trust for voluntary inoculation and population too scattered for airborne... unless..." He suddenly stopped his rapid-fire speech, his head popped up and he focused on Shepard. "Wait! Yes! The _Shroud_!"

He moved quickly to the central display table and linked his omnitool to the input. A three dimensional image of a massive needle tower appeared above the table as Mordin continued. "Constant global dispersion of air particles. Built by Salarians to repair atmosphere of Tuchanka." He paused, briefly by Human standards but nearly an eternity by his own and his voice was extremely quiet when he finally continued. "Also used by Turians."

Primarch Victus had been following the discussion and he suddenly sighed heavily, deciding on no more secrets. He looked at Wrex as he continued Mordin's thought. "We used it to secretly spread the Genophage, ending the Krogan Rebellions."

Wrex took the news remarkably calmly, leaning against the display table as he answered, "I'd be careful who you tell _that_ to."

Shepard raised her eyebrows. "You surprise me, Wrex. Even _I_ understand why the Krogan sometimes want to shoot everyone in sight."

"Those were desperate times." Victus stared at the table, unable to make eye contact any longer. "The circumstances that drove our decisions were... regrettable... but it is too late to change the past."

"Yes, yes, but useful now. Original Genophage strain still in storage at Shroud facility." Mordin was not to be distracted. "Can use _it_ as transmission vector, then use Shroud to blanket Tuchanka with cure!"

Wrex leaned over the table; his posture would have been threatening but for his tone of voice being so hopeful. "You _clever_ little Pyjak. That's our best shot, right _there_."

Shepard's face erupted into a broad grin. "Then finish your preparations and be ready to go, Mordin. Tuchanka will be our next stop after Eden Prime."

"Of course." Mordin started moving before he finished speaking. "Ready when you need me. Will be in med bay with Eve until then."

Shepard turned to speak to Wrex, but was interrupted by Specialist Traynor's voice coming in over the comms. "Commander, Admiral Anderson is available on vid comm."

Shepard acknowledged the message and immediately returned to the communications room. Before she had time to do much of anything, Anderson's image appeared and he called her name. "So, I imagine by now, you've wiped the galaxy clean of Reapers and we can come up for air?"

"Not quite." Shepard chuckled as she continued, "There have been a few complications."

"Aren't there always?" Anderson shrugged and smiled at the young commander. "Hackett filled me in on the Rachni and the Crucible project. Sounds like you've got some knots to untangle."

It was Shepard's turn to shrug. "I'm just glad I got to Kahlee in time... and I don't mean to be a parrot, but aren't there always? Besides, that's what you hired me for."

At the mention of Kahlee, Anderson's expression turned solemn. "I owe you for keeping Kahlee out of Cerberus' hands, Shepard. That's twice now they've almost gotten to her."

Shepard smiled softly. "She misses you. I'll be happy to pass on any messages you have for her. In case Hackett didn't tell you, she's been moved to the Crucible Project."

"He did... and thanks." Anderson shrugged. "Just tell her I love her... and that I miss her... even if it _is_ something she already knows. I wouldn't know what else to say... conditions here change by the minute and she's well aware of how dangerous this war is. End of the world has a way of reminding you of what's important in your life."

"You'll see her soon." Shepard gave him a half-hearted smile, fearing she had just lied to the man. "But I'll pass your message on, just the same."

"I can hope, but you've got bigger things to worry about right now." Anderson pointed at her and his volume increased. "I hope all the politics haven't sidetracked you from the _real_ reason I pulled your ass out of confinement... killing _Reapers_."

"It's nothing I can't handle, Anderson." Shepard's voice picked up an edge. "No need to worry. We've been killing _plenty_ of Reapers. What about you? What's happening on Earth?"

Anderson shook his head and gave her a brief rundown on the situation; none of it surprised her, but it still hurt to have her worst fears confirmed; Earth was taking a serious beating and by the time the war was done, Humans might not have a livable homeworld to return to. Anderson's _personal_ situation was also tenuous at best and all Shepard could promise was that she'd return as quickly as she possibly could. Her only hope was that he would still be alive and well when she finally got there.

* * *

Once her post-mission responsibilities were complete, Traynor shut down her workstation to take a break. She had monitored the mission, collated the data and transmitted the report, and then coordinated and completed the two QEC vid comms for Shepard with the two Admirals. As she scanned the logs prior to their transmission, she had noticed Riana's name on the med bay list and her heart rate jumped significantly as she contemplated what could have happened to the Asari. Only the combination of her military training and Shepard's calm demeanor had kept her at her station. Surely, if Riana, or anyone for that matter, had been hurt, the commander would not be so relaxed. _You're overreacting, Sammi._ _Shepard and Liara would be hovering outside the med bay door until they were certain Riana would be alright. Besides, if it had been anything really serious, they would have called for an emergency medivac. She's fine._

As illogical as her reaction was, as soon as her terminal light went red, indicating it was secured, Traynor had to concentrate on _not_ bolting to the elevator. She proceeded as best she could at a normal pace and didn't breathe a sigh of relief until she had descended a deck and rounded the corner from the elevator, only to see Dr Chakwas sitting at her desk in an otherwise _empty_ med bay. Traynor stopped in her tracks and glanced through the mess; no Riana in sight. Shepard and Liara had gone off duty and Traynor had watched them board the elevator together, going to the loft to sleep. _That_ meant Riana was most likely on duty... and Traynor wasn't sure how Riana would react if interrupted at work.

Frustrated with her own indecision, Traynor admitted to herself she was stalling and pointed herself across the deck, moving quickly to the Information Operations office door. She fidgeted after she rang the entry chime; the twenty-second delay before the door opened seemed like an eternity. She quickly stepped through to find a smiling Riana standing before her. "To what do I owe the pleasure, Specialist?"

Taken aback by the use of her title, Traynor stuttered, "Oh! I... uh... I just came by to see you. To see how you were after the mission, that is." Traynor blushed as she spoke. "I... um... heard that a number of Krogan were killed, so I knew the mission was dangerous... and then I saw your name on the med bay list..." Her voice tapered off when she realized how silly it all seemed; now that Riana was standing before her, in perfectly good health, she felt like an overprotective, doting idiot. "Oh, _sod_ it. I was worried about you and you probably think me a complete _ass_ for thinking you unable to take care of yourself."

Traynor closed her eyes and awaited Riana's laughter, sure she had just made an utter fool of herself in the Asari's eyes. Instead, she felt a soft hand on her cheek, accompanied by an even softer voice. "Sammi, I would never think poorly of you for being concerned for my welfare. I find it sweet."

Traynor's eyes crept slowly open in disbelief. "Honestly? You're not mad that I assumed the worst?"

"Of course not. I know our imaginations are often our own worst enemy." Riana grinned. "None are immune to such a thing and I am... _pleased_... you thought to check up on me."

Traynor couldn't believe her luck, but had quickly shifted from embarrassed to confused. "I know it's really not my business, but I can't help it... If you're fine, why was your name on the mandatory med bay visit list?"

Riana smiled softly. "Because of Liara's eezo imbalance. Dr Chakwas wants to check both of us after every mission to make sure we aren't depleting our eezo reserves... particularly after long, difficult missions with heavy biotics usage. This mission certainly qualified in _that_ regard."

"So you're not sick or injured..." Traynor hesitated and, when she resumed, her voice was etched with compassion. "... but how _are_ you? Really?"

"I'm tired." Riana's eyes pinched and her joviality faded. "And concerned about Mistress Liara and Commander Shepard. They have been going on _every_ mission and do not get enough rest."

"Come on." Traynor reached out and took Riana's hand, pulling her back to her bed. Riana started to protest, but Traynor wouldn't hear it. "If they are wearing themselves down, it's going to be up to _you_ to keep them safe... which you can't do if _you_ are as tired as _they_ are. So..." Traynor spun Riana until she was facing the bed and gave her a gentle push down onto the bed. She climbed up behind her and when she heard no additional protests, promptly started to massage Riana's shoulders.

When she moved to the Asari's neck, Traynor stopped when she heard a sharp inhale. "Is your neck tender?"

"No. You don't know much about Asari physiology, do you?" Riana blushed and laughed nervously.

Upon Traynor's negative reply, Riana explained about the sensitivity of the Asari crest and neck ridges, the numerous locations on her body that were reactive to contact, and the multitude of erogenous zones. After being extremely apologetic for her ignorance, Traynor was ready to leave but Riana stopped her with a simple sentence. "Do not apologize; I find your touch... pleasurable... and would very much like you to stay."

"You..." Traynor was pleasantly surprised. "Really?"

"Yes. Really. We did say we wanted to get to know one another better." Riana's eyes drifted closed as she stretched out again on the bed. "I believe this is part of that process... and I would really appreciate it if you would proceed with your massage." Riana paused and took a deep breath before continuing. "You were correct when you told me eight years is a long time, Sammi. Our last encounter taught me that I have missed a gentle touch much more than I realized. I can offer no promises, but believe I would like to experience such once again... with you. Only _time_ will tell if we can become more than good friends."

* * *

**Eden Prime, Utopia, Exodus Cluster**

Shepard and Liara stood quietly together on the shuttle as they approached Eden Prime. The trip had been almost painfully short; the beginning of the FTL travel from Mulla Xul back to the Relay had been eaten up with mission reports and vid comms with Hackett and Anderson. By the time Shepard had gotten done with those things, made her crew rounds and completed her post-mission physical with Dr Chakwas, there had barely been time enough for a five-hour nap... which had been unfortunately interrupted by another of Shepard's nightmares. To have any chance of falling back to sleep, she had gotten up and taken a quick shower to wash off the sweat and sooth her rattled nerves; a worried Liara had joined her, troubled because her physical presence was apparently no longer enough to keep the commander's disturbing dreams at bay as it had done in the past.

Liara wondered how long they could endure nights of disturbed sleep before it began to seriously impact their ability to perform their duties. Her and Shepard's fears were traveling along the same lines and when Samantha sensed the Asari's thoughts through the link, she tipped her head and whispered, barely loud enough for Liara to hear above the noise inside the shuttle. "Hey. We'll be fine. We'll figure it out. We always do."

Liara's eyes came up off the deck and she looked at her commander to see sparkling green eyes filled with mischief and a tantalizing smile creeping onto her lips. She observed the Human's expression only briefly before asking, "How can you be so certain?"

Shepard laughed softly, "Because it's you and I and we've never failed yet. I don't plan on starting now... Do you?"

Despite her concerns, the edges of Liara's lips started to curl in answer as she spoke, unable to keep Shepard's infectious optimism from beginning to worm its way into her thoughts. "No. I do not. But there is always a first time."

Shepard nodded. "There certainly is... and I'm planning lots of firsts in our future. The first time I get bonded and then maybe married. The first time we have a child and make our folks grandparents." Shepard's smile faded, suddenly realizing her mother would most likely never see her grandbabies, with Liara being so young. Her spirits lifted quickly again as she continued, "_And_... the first time the galaxy can look forward to a future free of the Reapers, when we can finally live in peace."

"Those are definitely firsts I can look forward to." Liara smiled shyly and gave Shepard a quick peck on the cheek. "So let's take the next step and _find_ whatever Cerberus is so interested in before they take it off-world."

Vega glanced at the couple. "Commander. This is where you went up against Saren and the Geth for the first time, no?"

Shepard only nodded, so Liara answered, "Yes. And now with Cerberus here, Eden Prime's colonists are under attack again."

Shepard snorted in disgust. "It seems like more than three years ago... and they deserve better than to be attacked by their own damn people."

Vega frowned, "First Saren and now Cerberus. I wonder if they're doing to Eden Prime what they were trying on Benning... collecting civilians to put through their indoctrination process."

Shepard's snort quickly turned into a growl. "Not on my watch."

"Damn straight!" Vega punctuated his statement by pulling his assault rifle and punching the door pad. It slid open to reveal a beautiful green planet and a colony that looked very much deserted.

Liara's voice rose above the wind howling in the door as Cortez brought the shuttle around on final approach. "Cerberus hit Eden Prime _hard_. Whatever they found here was worth a _major_ offensive. They killed everyone near the dig site, but there are survivors elsewhere on the colony. They have formed a resistance; perhaps while we are here, we can find information that could be useful to them."

Shepard grimaced. "With Earth under attack and Arcturus Station gone, the Alliance couldn't get enough forces here to help..."

Liara was glum as she finished Shepard's thought, "I know. They did what they could, but Cerberus came in too quickly... and in force."

James growled, "Then we'll do a repeat of Benning. Kill the bastards and give the Alliance a chance to reestablish a foothold."

"Roger that, LT. We'll do what we can, but our _first_ priority has to be finding the artifact before Cerberus has a chance to move it." Shepard's glance shifted back to Liara. "And nothing new came through that gave you any hints as to what it is?"

"No. I'm sorry, Shepard." Liara's demeanor turned to one of disappointment. "The Alliance didn't get any specifics before communications were cut and we _just_ found the resistance movement, so have not yet made contact." She glanced back and forth between Shepard and James. "_Whatever_ it is, it's better off with us than with Cerberus."

"No argument here, that's for sure." If Shepard was going to say anything else, it didn't happen; she was cut off by Cortez.

"No signs of Cerberus, but the shuttle just got pinged, so they know we're here." He glanced back over his shoulder and continued, "You'll probably only have a few minutes."

Shepard turned to her team of six; Wrex, Edi and Bethany Westmoreland were also along for the ride, but had been silent on the quick trip down, absorbed in their own thoughts. Shepard knew Wrex was thinking about the Genophage cure and heading to Tuchanka next, assumed Bethany was concerned about Sarah Campbell, who was grounded while she recovered from her shoulder injury, and had absolutely no idea what could possibly be weighty enough to distract Edi. She made a mental note to question the AI about it later as she addressed the group. "You heard the man. Won't be long before we have company, so heads-up and be ready."

She turned her focus to Vega. "James... _Your_ squad is Wrex and Edi; I've got Liara and Bethany, but we'll move together unless Cerberus backs off."

Vega frowned. "I doubt that'll happen if we're anywhere close to that artifact."

"Agreed. So, in the meantime, standard 3-man supporting fire-teams." Shepard made eye contact and got an acknowledging nod from everyone as the shuttle came to a static hover. Shepard shouted, "Let's do it!" and leapt out the door onto a rock road leading into the colony.

They saw no survivors as they worked their way into the small settlement. Liara provided directions from information gathered by Riana; the colony had reported the location of the find before Cerberus arrived on site, took down the communications buoy, and killed the researchers. The Normandy team's entire plan was predicated on Cerberus not yet having moved the artifact.

As they moved into the first group of buildings, Edi found a Cerberus processing update, indicating they were indeed taking civilians against their will. James muttered a curse under his breath and Liara glanced at the angry lieutenant as she spoke, "Shepard. This data could help the colonists still alive on other parts of the planet... verifying that Cerberus is up to no good and solidifying support for the resistance!"

Shepard kept moving as she answered, "Edi. Collect what you can and bring it back to the Normandy. Liara... We don't have time to work it now, but once we get back and you establish contact with them, you can send them everything we get. I'm sorry, but it's the best we can do right now."

"No apologies, Shepard. I understand our primary mission and agree with you."

Liara's thoughts were derailed when James suddenly queried, "Hey, Liara? You ever find any dinosaurs while you're digging around?"

"No. Dinosaurs were an Earth phenomena and I never did any digs there. Besides, looking at fossils is paleontology. I'm an archeologist... I study artifacts left by sapient species. The two fields are completely different and..." She stopped talking for a moment when Shepard started to laugh, realizing what had happened. Liara's face carried a light blush as she rolled her eyes and continued, "... and you were joking."

James chuckled at Liara's expense, "Hey, I just like dinosaurs."

They stepped around a corner and Liara gasped, "There! That's the elevator that leads down into the dig site."

"On your toes, people!" Shepard looked around carefully before stepping into the open to approach the elevator control console. "I imagine Cerberus can't be too far away."

When they arrived, Shepard looked to the researcher. "Liara, you're up." As Liara holstered her pistol and stepped up to the controls, the commander's glance went to the remaining crew as she continued, "Defensive perimeter. Shout out if you see _anything_."

The team deployed relatively quickly to the available cover while Shepard continued to stand at Liara's right hip. While Liara faced the console, Shepard was faced outward to ensure nothing surprised them. It didn't work, since the surprise came up on the elevator; Liara's hands slowed, and then came off the interface as she spoke hesitantly, "Goddess... that... doesn't seem possible."

Shepard turned just enough to speak to Liara over her shoulder while still keeping her eyes pointed mostly outward. "What's not possible?"

Liara stepped away from the console and moved quickly forward to the artifact on the elevator floor. "It's _not_ a Prothean artifact... it's... a _Prothean_."

Heads turned in their direction and Shepard spoke firmly, "Focus, people. Keep us safe." She turned completely to Liara as she continued, "As in a Reaper modified Collector?"

Liara's voice pitched with excitement, "No! An original, unmodified Prothean... who's still alive!"

"You're right. That doesn't seem possible." Shepard's face was clouded with doubt.

Liara moved to examine the pod and answered Shepard at the same time. "You saw the Prothean stasis chambers in the archives on Ilos; they failed due to lack of power. The researchers must have located this in an underground bunker that somehow escaped the Reaper's notice. It's still fully functional!"

"You're saying there's a _live_ Prothean in there... who's been in stasis for _50,000_ years?" Shepard stared at the pod in amazement.

"Yes!" Liara was scanning the pod with her omnitool as she spoke. "He's been waiting for someone to discover him... think of what we could learn!" She suddenly looked up at Shepard and blurted out, "Goddess! With the cipher, you may be able to understand him!"

"Let's get him out of there, then... _before_ Cerberus shows up." She didn't have time to bring it up, but Shepard noted Liara's expression and knew that somehow, some day, she would make sure Liara had the opportunity to get back into archaeology. The excitement of the discovery was painted all over the young doctor's face.

"_Whoever_ the Protheans were, finding one _alive_ represents an _incredible_ opportunity." Liara continued to scan the pod as she spoke. "If this single Prothean was sent into stasis, he could be the foremost scientist of his time... or perhaps the wisest councilor..."

Liara's excitement suddenly waned. "Oh no... Cerberus _damaged_ the pod... probably in their haste to remove it. The life signs are unstable." She looked worriedly at Shepard. "We don't have much time and we need to find the appropriate command signals; one that ends the stasis mode and another to actually open the pod."

Shepard was normally optimistic, but that sounded like a tall order. "How the hell are we supposed to find that? What happens if we just pry it open?"

Liara's head snapped up and her voice bordered on panic, "No! Forcing the pod open would kill him." When she realized Shepard had no intention of doing so without her approval she relaxed and continued, "The researchers found some recordings and have two labs set up working on decoding them. Our first step would be to locate those labs."

James shouted out, "Heads up! Game time... we've got inbound!"

The Cerberus shuttle was on a hot approach and it was only moments before it roared over their heads and started dumping out troops. The first load was only two Nemesis snipers and a Centurion. Shepard almost laughed, knowing the Nemesis troops wore minimal armor; she shouted out, "Edi! Overload! Left-hand Nemesis!"

Shepard pulled on her biotics and as soon as she saw the Nemesis' shields spark and go down, she launched herself across the gap and literally _crushed_ her opponent._ {Keep the second Nemesis off me if you can, Love.}_

_{Goddess! I hate when you do that!}_ Liara's voice came through the link as Shepard turned toward the Centurion and slammed him with a Nova shock wave, obliterating his armor, before finishing him off with a Graal shotgun spike buried in the center of his chest.

Turned out Liara didn't have to do anything; Wrex charged across the courtyard and slapped the other Nemesis with a warp before blasting her with his shotgun. Since she still had shields up, it wasn't enough to kill her, but the warp had stunned her, allowing Wrex to close the gap, and the weapon blast did enough damage to her shields that Wrex didn't even bother to cycle the gun; he simply crushed her skull with the butt of the shotgun.

As the rest of the team moved to catch up to Shepard, she looked around. "We don't have a lot of options... let's get moving and find those labs before more Cerberus arrive."

The team fanned out and quickly worked their way through a number of buildings, finding more information for Liara to pass to the resistance movement and picking up spare thermal clips as they went. They quickly realized the Cerberus troops included at least one Engineer when they ran into their first turret. Edi overloaded it, Vega blew it up and Liara quickly put its Engineer in stasis, leaving him easy pickings for Bethany's assault rifle. Once they lost the cover fire from the turret, the remaining Cerberus forces from the second wave fell quickly and the Normandy team pressed forward.

Edi located the entry to the first lab and quickly called out. When the team rallied at the coordinates she provided, she reported, "The logs indicate this footage contained the key to physically opening the pod, but they were unable to break the code. I understand their difficulty... I perceive no encryption; it is simply impossible to interpret. I fear the recording has been lost during their attempts to decrypt it, Shepard."

Shepard was watching the footage on the screen and didn't understand Edi's comments. Without taking her eyes off the screen, Shepard queried, "What are you talking about, Edi?"

Edi's head tipped in puzzlement, but before she could respond, Liara realized what was happening and held her hand up, stopping the AI from speaking. "I believe the _cipher_ allows Shepard to see the footage. _We_ see nothing but static, but Shepard is watching... and _understanding_... whatever it contains."

Edi's head returned to its normal upright position. "Fascinating."

Based on Edi's and Liara's comments, Shepard narrated the events for the rest of the team, describing the Reaper attack on an obviously Prothean city; she didn't have enough data to determine yet if it was Eden Prime. As it continued, she spoke of the appearance of the Collectors. "Exactly like what we've experienced. Their own people were changed and turned against them."

She watched the battle unfold and sighed. "There should have been a lot more Protheans who survived, but the Reapers found them and destroyed over 300,000 pods." Shepard suddenly stopped speaking and focused intently on the screen. "That's it. I've got the code to open the pod!"

Liara exclaimed, "Oh, thank the Goddess!"

After the footage ended, Shepard turned to Liara. "I don't know who the main Prothean in the footage is, but he's important... and I'm sorry, Liara, but I think the one in the pod is probably him... and he's no scientist. He's a military commander."

"That would be... disappointing." Liara's face scrunched in dissatisfaction. "But if that's the case, at least he should know about the weapon." The expression on her face suddenly turned to one reflecting humor. "Goddess. What am I thinking? At the moment, that's certainly more critical than me getting insight into Prothean culture!"

"I'm sorry, Li. I know you were hoping for some cultural leader, but given our circumstances, this may be exactly who we need." The commander ran her hand down Liara's arm in a soothing motion. "Come on. Let's find the second lab and get our Prothean out of his pod. You'll still be able to learn _some_ cultural aspects from him..." Shepard smiled at her. "No _matter_ his occupation."

"Of course." Liara shook her head. "And here I thought I had completely acclimated to being a Spectre's right hand. All it takes is an interesting archaeological find and I instantly transform back into the bumbling young researcher!"

Shepard turned to her, prepared to dispute her statement and realized Liara was grinning at her. "Thank you, Shepard, but I was teasing you. From the look on your face, quite _successfully_ at that."

The commander smirked, "You remember that, T'Soni. I'll get even... eventually."

Liara actually laughed. "I do believe I am still way behind, if you are keeping score. I owe you many more before you can even _think_ of claiming any right of revenge."

"You are most likely correct, Dr T'Soni." Shepard laughed lightly and smiled. "Now. Let's go find the second lab with the stasis code."

They moved out and ended up passing through the habitation shelters. Shepard stepped into a living room and froze in her tracks. "Gods, it's like they knew the people who did this to them. They were gunned down while having drinks and watching the game. No sign of panic or defensive wounds."

James was absolutely disgusted and growled, "Son of a bitch, this was somebody's _home_."

The normally quiet Bethany cussed under her breath, but being directly behind the commander, Shepard heard every word. "That's awful. Fucking Cerberus. I hope they all rot in Hell."

Distracted by Bethany's uncharacteristic outburst, Shepard stepped too close to an automated door and it opened before she expected. She was immediately caught in a barrage of turret fire, which ripped down a sizeable portion of her barriers before she was able to find cover.

_{Samantha! Are you injured?}_ Having felt Shepard's spiking anxiety, Liara's 'voice' was tense, reflecting her concern for Shepard's wellbeing.

Shepard immediately reassured her. _{I'm fine, Li. My barrier held... but just barely, so I'll need to stay in cover for a bit to give it time to regenerate.}_

Bethany was _seriously_ pissed off and she joined James Vega in tossing a couple of grenades out into the courtyard immediately following Edi's overload of one of the turrets. Wrex was also not pleased, bellowing out, "Don't mess with the Krantt of Urdnot Wrex, you worthless Pyjaks!"

His shout was immediately followed by a thunder of footsteps, an extremely powerful warp, and the bark of his shotgun... all of which, in turn, was followed by the explosion of the second turret and the pained scream of an Engineer. Wrex seemed to have gone berserk, to the point where Shepard actually wondered if he had slipped into a blood rage, thinking her injured. A quick glance from her hiding spot made her realize Wrex was simply being Krogan and she slipped out of cover to rejoin the fight, which didn't last long. The Normandy ground team had fought together frequently enough to know each other's strengths, weaknesses and fighting styles. They proved to be an exceptionally deadly combination that was much more than the raw Cerberus recruits were equipped to handle.

When the field fell quiet, Wrex pointed at the end shelter of a string to his right. His voice boomed through the silence, "That's your second lab, Shepard. Get your code, so we can go kill more of those Cerberus bastards."


	21. Dreams Torn Asunder

Notes:

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

STG - Special Tasks Group

* * *

**Dreams Torn Asunder**

**Eden Prime, Utopia, Exodus Cluster**

The team moved quickly to the second lab and, once again, Shepard narrated the recording. Liara felt surprise through the link just before Shepard said, "They had intended to sleep until the Reapers returned to dark space... and then awaken a million strong." She spared a quick glance to Liara before her eyes refocused on the screen. "Hate to say it, Blue, but I fear they may not have been as benevolent as you believed. Their leader was military... the avatar called him Commander Javik... and he referred to their civilization as the Prothean _Empire_. That screams military dictatorship to me."

"That makes no _sense_." Liara's face reflected confusion. "If that was the case, why would they waste resources uplifting the other species?"

Wrex's guttural laugh echoed in the small room. "To _use_ them. Exactly like the Salarians did with the Krogan."

Shepard frowned. "Yeah, well... when push came to shove, he sacrificed all those who hadn't made it to the bunker yet. He ordered the doors closed and simply said, '_their sacrifice will be honored in the coming empire_'."

Before Liara could recover from her disappointment and utter any type of reply, Shepard's mood shifted to one of relief. "Got it! They passed the code for the stasis mode!"

Liara's shock changed to hope. "Excellent! We have what we need. Let's get back to the pod!"

"Roger that." Shepard's glance roamed across the team. "You heard her, people. Let's move."

When they emerged from the lab, it was immediately obvious Cerberus had arrived in force. A shuttle hovered a short distance outside the lab and Liara immediately launched a singularity into the doorway, keeping any troops from deploying. Wrex laughed as he launched a warp, blowing the inside of the shuttle and all those Cerberus troops inside to smithereens. The shuttle shook violently and attempted to limp off, but barely cleared the next row of buildings before plummeting to the ground like a rock. Shepard was _not_ concerned; she doubted anyone inside had survived the explosion.

She had other things that drew her attention. A couple of Guardians with shields were slowly approaching and an engineer was in the background setting up an automated turret. Vega lobbed out a grenade and shouted out, "We've got the Guardians!"

Shepard had already thrown out a biotic pull, ripping the shield from the hands of the foremost Guardian; he took the brunt of the first grenade blast and was quickly finished off by a warp from Wrex. The second Guardian was quickly dropped by Edi; her enhanced targeting programs easily calculated the required trajectory for a perfect shot through the vision slot of his shield. The projectile from her pistol easily penetrated his skull through his left eye.

Once they heard Vega's shout, Shepard's team concentrated on the rearmost target, the Engineer and his turret. Liara stopped him in his tracks with a stasis and Beth took great pleasure in ripping him to shreds with her assault rifle. Shepard heard her grumble, "That's for _Sarah_, asshole. She's here in spirit."

They advanced quickly toward the elevator platform and as the team came around a corner, Shepard almost ran into another Engineer. She immediately cussed and slammed him with a Nova shockwave, knocking him backward off his feet. Being the only Cerberus member currently in their sights, he didn't stand a chance. He was immediately blasted by every other team member present and never regained his feet.

They encountered the most resistance they had faced yet as they moved toward the main courtyard. Cerberus had dug in and had two Engineers with three turrets, along with a number of Guardians. It was a tough fight, but still nothing the Normandy team couldn't handle. However, as they moved forward, they encountered yet another obstacle. Liara's voice rang with frustration as she called out, "They've retracted the bridge! We have to find another way across."

Shepard was standing at the edge of the chasm and smiled. She glanced at the Asari as she spoke, "No worries, Dr T'Soni. The bridge was merely for convenience. We can hop down these ledges over here and climb the ladder on the other side. It'll be a little slower, but nothing difficult." With that, she turned and jumped off the ledge, vanishing from sight.

Even though Shepard couldn't see her, Liara smiled in return, feeling the rush of childlike glee emanating from the commander as she plunged to the ledge below. The team quickly followed, easily covering the ground at the bottom of the gulch and ascending the ladder on the opposite side. The journey led them to the top of the buildings on the far side, making the path to the elevator platform an easy one. Surprisingly, no more Cerberus troops interrupted their progress and Shepard approached the pod. "I'm transmitting the signal to end stasis.

Liara stepped up beside her and scanned the pod again. Her eyes glittered with excitement as she spoke. "Perfect. It'll take a few moments for the pod to process it... so we'll have to wait until it's ready before you can enter the code to open it."

"Roger that." Shepard stepped back and looked at the crew. "Defensive perimeter. Not going to let Cerberus stop us now."

James shouted out, "Let's hope not, Commander! Lots of bogeys inbound!"

The first shuttle dropped an Engineer supported by a couple of Guardians and a few Assault Troopers but Bethany immediately cut loose with the Arc Projector, stunning the lot of them. The rest of the team wasted no time taking them down before they could recover. A second shuttle came to a hover and Liara quickly planted a singularity in the doorway, which Shepard happily detonated. It didn't take long for Cerberus to figure out what was happening, and the next two shuttles dropped their troops off at the backside of the shelters, where the Normandy crew couldn't dispose of them before their feet hit the ground.

A couple of Guardians came around the corner, quickly followed by two Assault Troopers and an Engineer. Shepard quickly shouted out, "Vega! Focus on that Engineer... I don't want to have to worry about a damn turret!"

"On it, Commander!" Vega turned to his squad and called out, "Edi... overload his shields!"

The minute the Engineer's shields sparked, Wrex smashed him with a warp and Vega buried him with incendiary ammo. Once they no longer needed to worry about the potential for a turret, the teams were able to separate and flank the incoming troops. While Shepard, Liara and Bethany stayed put to defend the pod and await the stasis termination signal, Vega's team moved back through the cover of the buildings to the side of the Cerberus approach corridor. Vega took a hard shot and went down but as Edi began to transmit his status over the comm, he interrupted with, "Don't worry about me, Commander. It's nothing a bit of medigel won't fix. I'm still fit to fight."

Even though he was out of sight, Shepard nodded as she responded. "Careful, James. I want everyone back on the Normandy in one piece!"

Suddenly Shepard's arm stung and she glanced down in puzzlement. Her barriers were still rock solid but it felt as if someone had just stuck a knife in her bicep. She instantly realized what had happened and called gently through the link as she blasted away the last of the Cerberus Assault Troopers. _{Liara? Talk to me, Love. How bad?}_

Liara's tone reflected disgust as she growled back. _{It wasn't even a clean shot! It was a damned ricochet!}_

_{That doesn't answer my question, Doctor. I can tell it hurts, so it's more than a scratch. Where are you?} _With the last of the hostiles down, Shepard stood and spoke to the squad. "Looks like we've got a second to catch our breath. Collect some clips and reload... Be ready for the next surge."

Shepard's eyes found Liara and she jogged over to kneel by the Asari, concern etched in her features at Liara's refusal to answer her question. "Hey, Blue. Let me see."

"I'm fine, Shepard." Pain was evident on her face as she spoke. "I _will_ have to go visit Karin when we get back aboard... it didn't pass through, so the round is still in my arm. I've sealed it with medigel, so I'll be fine for now. The pain is fading; it's not bad."

Shepard raised her eyebrows in surprise. "You have a _bullet_ in your arm and you're telling me it's not _bad_?" Shepard smirked slightly as she looked over the wound. "And you were worried about being a Spectre's right hand?"

"You know I was joking." Liara started to smile in return before her omnitool chirped. Her expression turned serious. "The pod is ready to be opened."

"But _we_ are not ready to open it, Shepard." Edi pointed to the horizon as she added, "More Cerberus shuttles are inbound."

"Rest break over, folks. Let's get through this last wave and get _off_ this planet." Shepard's glance returned to Liara. "You ready?"

Liara nodded resolutely. "As ready as I can be."

Two shuttles worth of Assault Troopers dropped on their doorstep and just as the Normandy team got back into their battle rhythm, a heavy mech dropped out of the sky into the middle of the fray. "Edi! Overload!"

The AI responded promptly and the mech's shields sputtered and failed, leaving only its standard armor. The team scrambled for position, attempting to flank the mech while remaining in cover from the Troopers. Shepard contacted Liara through the link. _{Stay in cover, Love. I'm going to use my charge to get behind them.}_

Liara sighed in resignation, understanding the tactic while wishing it wasn't Shepard performing the flanking movement... even as she realized no one else _with_ them could do the biotic charge. _{Please be careful, Siame.}_

After a quick push of affection across the link, Shepard pulled on her biotics and flashed across the battlefield, smashed into a Trooper and finished him off with a point blank shot to the center of his chest. She kept moving and quickly found cover; she hadn't made it completely behind their line, but had gotten far enough that the Cerberus troops were now caught in a crossfire. Liara and Bethany stayed back to protect the pod, while Wrex stood strong, front and center, and drew their fire. James and Edi had also maneuvered, moving to the opposite flank, so their small team of six had Cerberus boxed in on three sides. Even with a heavy mech on their side, the enemy had nowhere to hide and nowhere to run.

The Normandy team concentrated on the mech and, when it exploded, it took a number of the troopers with it. It had been a hard battle, but after the mech was gone, the remaining troops didn't last long. Once it was over, Shepard called the team together near the pod and looked at each of them. Cerberus had been rather determined and had thrown some seasoned troops at them... and it showed. Liara had a bullet in her arm, Wrex was bloodied though Shepard couldn't really tell whose blood it was, and Edi had a number of score marks and dents on her chassis. Westmoreland looked like she had gotten into a serious hand-to-hand melee somewhere along the way and even James had a slash across his cheek.

Shepard blinked a couple of times and swallowed hard as she looked at her squad. She finally let out a huff of amusement and smirked as she queried, "So is _this_ what it's going to be like every time I hold back and let you guys do some of the work? You _all_ look like Hell."

Wrex let out a loud laugh. "Not _everyone_ can look as good as you after a fight, Shepard."

"Some of us _like_ to get down and dirty, Commander." James grinned. "_We_ don't have to be spit-shined and smiling to talk to the brass after the mission's complete."

"Alright, I get it." Shepard gave them each an appreciative glance. "How about we see what Mr Prothean can do for us?" She paused briefly before continuing. "Thanks, _everyone_, for a great effort. Now, defensive perimeter while Liara and I open this pod."

Liara stepped up to the pod next to Shepard as she entered the code and, even without the link, the commander could feel the excitement radiating off the Asari. She couldn't help but smile as the pod started to open and Liara blurted out, "There. You got it!"

Shepard stared down into the interior of the pod in wonder. A being, as different from the Collectors as the Humans were from Husks, 'slept,' lying on his back in a cradle. She could see the resemblance, but 'Javik' appeared to be covered in a sheen of ice that was rapidly melting. _Actually, no... It's more like it's simply evaporating away... there's no liquid forming._ The commander stepped back and glanced at Liara, a smile of delight playing on her lips as she watched the Asari stare at the marvel within the pod. Tangible evidence representing _decades_ of work studying the Protheans was literally within Liara's reach.

"Goddess." Liara's voice reflected awe as she continued, "It may take him some time to fully regain consciousness..."

Shepard's smile turned to an expression of concern. "I hope it doesn't take too long. I'm not sure how much of a respite we'll get from Cerberus."

Before Liara could form a response, Javik's eyelids fluttered open and he looked groggily about as he woke and attempted to focus his long unused eyes. Shepard recognized the sudden alertness of a warrior, but she was too late in issuing a warning as he snapped fully awake and blasted both her and Liara with a shockwave, throwing them backwards off their feet.

His muscles unresponsive from eons of nonuse, Javik struggled to rise from the pod and his slowness was the only thing that saved him. Liara stood quickly and intercepted Wrex as he stepped forward and leveled his shotgun. "Wrex! Give him a moment! He's dazed and confused."

The Prothean climbed out of the pod and fell to his knees, quickly regaining his feet. He glanced at those assembled before him and stumbled off, tripping and falling his way to the edge of the platform. Once he got there, he stopped to stare at the unfamiliar horizon as realization slowly set in; he had been sleeping a _very_ long time for things to have changed so much.

Shepard had followed Liara to her feet and warily walked toward the Prothean, readying her biotics in case Javik lashed out again. Liara trailed behind and issued a reminder, "Remember. It's been fifty thousand years for us, but for him it's only been..."

Shepard reached out and tentatively laid her hand on his shoulder. The rest of Liara's words vanished as an overwhelming surge of memories flooded into Shepard's mind, very similar to the sensations from the beacon. She cringed as she listened to the conversation between Javik and a type of Prothean hologram, whom he referred to as 'Victory.' She didn't know if it was an AI or some type of communication device between the commander and a headquarters, but they were preparing a neutron bombardment to kill off the Collectors and other Reapers that were attacking the facility. Everyone not safely ensconced in a life pod would be instantly killed.

Shepard shuddered and went to her knees as Javik obeyed Victory and ran to his pod, sacrificing all but a few hundred of his people. Liara hovered powerlessly nearby, wanting to help but not daring to forcibly break the meld or link between Samantha and the Prothean. Still connected, Shepard heard Victory tell Javik he would most likely be the only survivor; he would be the sole voice of the Prothean people. Javik glared into the growing darkness as the pod entered stasis mode and he growled out, "I will be more than _that_."

Those were the last words Shepard heard before Javik stumbled forward and broke the connection between them. He also fell to his knees but surprised them all by speaking in Galactic Standard. "How many others?"

Liara stepped up quickly to Shepard, prepared to defend her if necessary, and spoke in answer, "None that we know of. I'm... sorry." She fell silent as both Shepard and the Prothean regained their footing, stood and turned to face one another.

Shepard gaped at the Prothean in amazement. "How can you _possibly_ speak Galactic Standard?"

"I read your physiology, your nervous system... and learned from your memories." Javik did not blink as he measured the reactions of the Human before him.

"So you were reading me as I was seeing..."

She didn't get to finish as Javik interrupted her, "Our final moments. Our failure."

Shepard could well understand the soldier's perspective and sought to lessen his feelings of guilt. "Your people did everything they could, Commander Javik. They never gave up... and I could use some of that commitment now."

Traynor, who was monitoring the mission from aboard the Normandy, suddenly cut in over the comms. "Commander. You've run out of time; Cerberus has regrouped and a rather _large_ force is headed your way. ETA three minutes."

While the commander listened, Javik turned and studied the odd group before him. "Human, Asari, Turian, Krogan. I am surrounded by primitives." His eyes suddenly narrowed and he rapidly drew his weapon; Liara was still keyed up and reacted instantly, yanking it from his hands with a biotic pull.

Javik growled, "You have an artificial intelligence with you!"

Shepard's eyes turned into green ice as she glared at the Prothean, "Yes, we do and she is an essential part of my crew. I suggest you stand down _immediately_... unless you want me to _complete_ the extinction the Reapers started."

Javik turned to her and sneered. "I am in no position to do otherwise... at least at the moment." He looked at each member of the team and there were no exceptions; all of them had their weapons trained on him. "It appears I am your captive."

"That's yet to be determined." Shepard kept her expression and her voice as neutral as possible as she continued. "It's not safe here. Cortez is bringing the shuttle in and we're returning to the Normandy. I'd... _appreciate_ it... if you would accompany us willingly and without any further _threats_ to my crew."

Javik's sneer finally fell off his face. "I saw in your memories that you fight the Reapers... as well as this group called Cerberus... who are traitors to your people. We had a similar group within our Empire and they were our downfall. I will _not_ stay and help them do the same to you, so for the interim, I will go with you peacefully. As for whether or not I will help you... we will see."

"Fair enough." Shepard stepped forward and stuck out her hand. "Welcome to the Normandy."

Javik looked at the commander's hand with contempt and abruptly turned away to walk toward the hovering Normandy shuttle.

* * *

**T'Soni House Armali, Thessia, Athena Nebula **

Aethyta stood in the foyer and stared into the amazingly... _lifeless_... townhouse. Never in the 200 years since she had met Benezia had she ever seen it so quiet, so devoid of life. She glanced up the stairs to the hallway that led to their old bedroom and spoke quietly, "I _told_ you she'd raise one Hell of a storm, Nezzie. But don't you worry... Shepard's exceptional and she's got a good soul; she'll take care of our Little Wing. I'd rather be there... _with_ Liara, but she needs me to do _this_. She needs to know her extended family will be _safe_. Only the Goddess knows why she'd trust _me_ with their lives, but she has... so I'm going to make damn sure we all survive this and emerge to greet her when she makes it back home after the war. I swear it."

Aethyta jumped slightly when a hand landed softly on her shoulder. "We'll be fine, Thyta."

The old commando turned and looked into Mozia's eyes, which were soft with understanding and compassion. "Heard that, huh?"

The Regent stood looking at her friend for only a moment before pulling Aethyta into a comforting hug. She spoke as she broke her embrace with the only slightly younger Asari. "I've sent all the staff forward to the Estate with the last of our supplies and equipment. It is only you and I who remain... and the _Aletheia_ awaits us, ready for departure."

The trip to the Estate was quick, but informative. Miranda and Judea spoke with Aethyta and Mozia about the rumors they had heard. Judea's face reflected concern as she spoke. "One of the reasons we agreed to do this immediately is because we've heard discomforting rumors of Reapers in the Nimbus Cluster. I realize it is not the Athena Nebula, but it is only a single relay jump away and it has us concerned for Thessia."

Since Mozia had been the one on Thessia, Aethyta glanced to the Regent, expecting her to answer; Mozia closed her eyes and sighed. Her eyes were clouded with conflict when they reopened and she spoke hesitantly. "I probably should _not_ speak of this, as it was mentioned in closed session, but I have become frustrated with the Forums. They are working at the typical Asari pace, where it takes a decade to gather support and get any type of referendum passed... but we no longer have that kind of time. I fear the rumors to be truth. We received a distress signal and subsequently lost contact with the Monastery on Lesuss."

Aethyta stood abruptly from her chair in shock. "_What_? Riana Iregos has a _sister_ there!"

Mozia looked at her with a reserved calm. "I am _well_ aware of that, Thyta." Her gaze shifted to Miranda and Judea. "The Defense Forum has also seen the Alliance reports sent to Tevos regarding the Reaper-twisted Asari they refer to as _Banshees_. High Command has sent several commando squads to investigate; none have yet returned... nor have they been in contact to report their success or failure at the Monastery. While Command debates their next move, _I_ fear the worst. I..." Mozia stopped and shook her head. "We should have the full Normandy team investigate, but I fear for Riana if what I believe has happened turns out to be true."

"Goddess!" Judea's eyes were wide with shock. "You fear the Monastery is the source of the Banshees!"

Aethyta's face paled at the revelation as Mozia nodded her agreement. "Yes. And if it's true, it will certainly take more than the four of _you_ to deal with it. Besides which, as much as I fear Riana _learning_ of it, I fear more for her to _not_ be told and be allowed to go on the mission. I am sure she will insist upon it."

Judea growled. "You are correct." She looked at Miranda and her tone softened slightly as she continued. "She would be _furious_ if we went there without her."

Miranda scowled, "If it's true the Reapers are at the Monastery and creating Banshees by the dozens, we would be insane to try; we simply don't have the firepower. It will take a full Normandy ground crew with heavy weapons to handle _that_ situation." Her eyes roamed over the small party as she continued, "They are currently enroute to Tuchanka. Mordin Solus has created a cure for the Genophage and we are soon to have _full_ Krogan support in the fight against the Reapers."

Mozia's eyes flew wide open in surprise and Aethyta's head fell back in joyous laughter. She looked at the group with a broad grin on her face. "That's the best damn news I've heard in a long time!" She suddenly looked sheepish as she continued, "Except for finding out that Liara already knew who I was _and_ was willing to give me a chance, that is. You realize what having the _Krogan_ will _do_ for the war effort?"

Miranda smiled, "As a matter of fact, yes. We've worked with both Grunt and Wrex... and, with _them_ leading the Krogan, we might even have a chance at peace afterward. But, in the mean time, we need to figure out our game plan and let the Normandy know we have a crucial mission immediately following Tuchanka."

* * *

**T'Soni Country Estate, Thessia, Athena Nebula **

When they landed at the estate, they had set down amidst a flurry of activity. Guard captains Nayla Axoni and Lyria Tremi had things well in hand and equipment and supplies were quickly vanishing from the cargo holds of the various shuttles. As each one had its provisions removed and stored, it was flown to an isolated location and hidden within the forests of the Estate. A small skycar was then used to retrieve the shuttle's pilot and return her to the house.

The house stewards, Lyessa Raptos and Aratiana Axeuss also had _their_ staff hard at work; as the new arrivals emerged from the _Aletheia_, it was easy to see what had already been accomplished. Aethyta felt sick as she looked at the estate, knowing full well its appearance had changed so drastically based solely on her orders.

Its grandeur was hidden behind stained walls, with windows blackened on the outside and covered by heavy drapes on the inside, so no light would be seen from the outside. The once gorgeous gardens had been destroyed; all the hedges hacked to break their even, straight lines, and the residue left lying on the ground. Flowers were left untended and bushes were no longer pruned. The fountains had all been disassembled and stored in shelters and the pools drained... they and their expansive patios were littered heavily with brush and debris. A few of the older storage buildings that were unused and needed to be replaced anyway were burned and left as ruined shells of their former selves; the rest were camouflaged with anything the staff could find to cover them and make them blend into the surroundings. The inside of the main house was still immaculate, but everything _outside_ made it look like the estate had been abandoned for over a century. No one who knew the place would recognize it as the T'Soni Country Estate.

Aethyta sat at the dinner table in gloomy silence, thinking back over what she had asked the staff to do. To the last Asari, they had hated it but had also recognized the necessity. The vid call from the Normandy certainly helped ease their acceptance of the plan; Liara and Shepard had both spoken to them all about their ideas to survive the war and have the T'Soni house lead the rebuilding of Thessia. It gave the commandos renewed purpose and made them all feel better about 'hiding out' during the war to end all wars. Liara's face was grim as she gave them her final words, most of which Aethyta had heard before. "We cannot _possibly_ defeat the Reapers conventionally so we are building a massive weapon to that end_._ I need _you_ to stay alive until we complete it and forever rid the galaxy of their evil. After that, all of you need to lead the rebuild of Thessia, her comm buoys and her relays. _We_ can't get back home to you without your help... the distances between star clusters are simply too vast for unassisted travel."

Shepard had been standing silently at Liara's side during the doctor's entire discourse and finally spoke. "I wish we were seeing you all again under better circumstances... or, at the very least, that we had time to do this in person, but it's not in the cards. Hopefully that _will_ be the case next time you _do_ see either one of us. I know the task that's been laid at your feet seems extremely difficult, but we have an elite engineering team headed your way. It's a mix of Quarian technicians and Salarian STG members, fully versed on the Relay plans Liara found and bringing a supply of comm buoys with them, to launch as required. You simply need to make sure you save a couple for the rebuild after the war, should the Reapers start destroying them."

Aethyta's gravelly voice was heard throughout the room. "I assume they will adhere to strict launch protocols to avoid detection or revealing our location here?"

"Absolutely." Shepard nodded vigorously. "Under _no_ circumstances can you risk revealing your location to _anyone_... even someone you think is a friend _could_ be indoctrinated."

After the call ended, the commandos had all looked to Aethyta for direction; as a matriarch, her father and the senior commando within the house, Liara had appointed her the interim Guard Captain. Aethyta immediately made Lyria and Nayla her seconds and then explained her plan for the estate to go totally dark for the duration. She kept the secure communications device she had been given by Miranda a secret; the only others who knew about it and how to operate it were Mozia and the two junior captains.

Once the call was over, the relocations to the estate complete and the plans put in motion, Aethyta felt useless. Nayla and Lyria had everything under control; Aethyta's only true purpose was to settle disagreements they were unable to settle themselves... which they had yet to encounter. Aethyta knew the beginning would be easy... but over time, in a closed environment with limited avenues for diversion, _that_ would change. Eventually people would start to argue; the longer the sequestration, the worse it would become. Everyone knew you couldn't have two chiefs; so Liara had purposely placed Aethyta over both of them to cover that eventuality. All they could do was hope Shepard and Liara finished their monumental task quickly.

As she sat and mulled over her limited options, a soft voice pulled her from her thoughts. "Thyta. Have you eaten?" Mozia stood before her with two plates, having already surmised the answer.

"Huh." Aethyta let out a little grunt of laughter. "Looks to me like you already know that I haven't. You offering to join me, or are you simply _really_ hungry?"

Mozia smiled and sat down, handing over the extra plate. "Goddess, no. I haven't expended enough energy in _years_ to drive my requirements _that_ high at a single sitting." She paused only briefly before continuing, "I merely thought you looked like you could use some company."

Aethyta's face instantly filled with concern. "You've done _nothing_ with your biotics?"

"Of _course_ I've used my biotics... but only for standard training regimens." Mozia chuckled softly. "I am surrounded by commandos who take their jobs _very_ seriously and are among the best Thessia has to offer. And I do believe Nayla has programmed the drones to a restricted setting whenever I'm in the training room... to prevent any possibility of me getting even _accidentally_ injured."

Aethyta's eyes sparkled with mischief. "There are more... _creative_... ways, which are far less _dangerous, _to utilize your biotics and get your blood pumping."

Mozia's chuckle immediately turned into a full laugh. "I am _Regent_, Aethyta! I can't show favoritism amongst the commandos, and who else might I have time to dally with? Certainly not any of the stubborn crones at the Forums, and I don't exactly have the time nor the inclination to go to the Armali clubs. I'll leave that to those younger than us."

"Hey! We're not so old we don't deserve to have a good time! A good roll in the sheets never hurt _anyone_!" Aethyta smirked. "Besides, we're not old... We're _experienced_. A lot to be said for that. I certainly wouldn't mind a good romp now and then."

"_Matriarch_ _Aethyta_." Mozia's voice dropped to a whisper and was tinged with incredulity. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you just propositioned me."

"Mozia. We've been friends for years. _Good_ friends. You've always been someone I could trust my troubles to." Aethyta's smirk fell from her face. "I'll admit, I was so stuck on Nezzie I never even _looked_ elsewhere except for a quick drunk fuck... But the last couple of years have brought closure to all that. And now? Having Liara back in my life gives me hope for a future. A future I don't necessarily want to spend alone. That doesn't mean I want to run off and find someone to _bond_ with... but a _friends with benefits_ arrangement with someone I already love and trust? I can't believe that'd be such a bad thing." When she stopped talking, her gaze dropped and she stared at the table.

A soft voice responded, "Thyta. I do not believe I have _ever_ heard you speak quite so... _expressively..._ before." Mozia sat and gazed at the matriarch across from her in wonderment, unsure of what else to say. She finally blinked and asked quietly. "You... _love_ me?"

Aethyta turned a slightly deeper shade of blue and growled out, "I said it, didn't I? Ever known me to candy-coat anything? Say anything other than what I honestly believed or felt?"

"No. I haven't." Mozia's head shook slowly. "I... I'm really not sure what to say; other than I am not _opposed_ to the idea. The offer is simply very... _unexpected_. You've caught me a bit by surprise."

At that, Aethyta's humor returned and she let loose a gravelly chuckle. "Good. Means I get to work on your reflexes."

"_Goddess_, Aethyta." Mozia couldn't help but smile at the Asari sitting across the table from her. "You really can be _so_ uncouth at times."


	22. Darkest Before the Dawn

Notes:

AI - Artificial Intelligence

_Ai'a me_: a trusted friend and unquestioned ally

FTL - Faster than light

_I__onúin álainn_ \- beautiful beloved (Irish/Gaelic)

_Nara_ \- literally "bearer"; one who shoulders another's burden, aids others (Thessian)

QEC - Quantum Entanglement Communicator. Instantaneous point-to-point secure communications device; cannot be intercepted between source and destination

VI - Virtual Intelligence

* * *

**Darkest Before the Dawn**

**SSV Normandy**

Hackett was once again on the vid comm, "A living Prothean? Never would have expected _that_ one, Shepard."

"I'm with you, Admiral. But, even as a Prothean, he's not _quite_ what we expected."

"Commander, our scientists barely understand what they need to do here." Hackett was having difficulty controlling his facial expressions and his voice reflected the urgency all of them were feeling. "If the Prothean can help us construct this device, we need his cooperation."

"I realize that, Sir, but therein lies the difficulty. Javik's not a scientist; he's a soldier. A fairly high-level commander, if I'm not mistaken." Shepard nervously rubbed the back of her neck as she continued. "I'm hoping, as a soldier, he knows _something_ about the weapon, but I'll be honest; I'm not very optimistic. _I_ know how to use practically every weapon in the inventory and I'm a good distance from stupid... But that _doesn't_ mean I know enough about the mechanics of Mass Effect technology to build any of them from scratch."

"At least you kept him out the hands of Cerberus." Hackett paused and sighed in frustration. "And, thanks to Liara, we're _not_ building from scratch. Find out what he knows, Shepard."

"Liara's on it, Sir." Shepard's voice resonated with pride and confidence in the Asari. "If _anyone_ can figure it out, she can."

"Good." Hackett's tone picked up a bit. "Cerberus slipped up and gave us a new weapon. Don't let it go to waste. Hackett out."

Shepard frowned as Hackett's visage faded from the QEC. Even though the admiral was no longer there, she voiced her thoughts anyway. "He's not a _weapon_, Admiral. He's a living, sentient being who just woke up to find his entire race extinct, except for himself. It won't do us any favors to ignore that."

Shepard turned from the display and left the communications center, headed for the elevator. It was time to catch up to Liara and check on their new guest. While Shepard talked to Hackett, Liara had visited the med bay to get the bullet removed from her arm; Liara had been correct in her assessment that it wasn't bad and Karin had her back out the door in a jiffy. As Shepard stepped out of the elevator on the lower deck and turned to the port cargo hold, she saw Liara glowering at two armed guards who were keeping her from entering the room. The commander frowned as she queried, "What seems to be the problem here?"

Before either of the guards could speak, Liara growled, "They're not letting me in to _talk_ to him!"

Shepard looked to the guards; she'd previously had no run-ins with the security team. Honestly, she hadn't taken the time to even meet them; Hackett had assigned them and they came aboard during the Normandy's last stop at the Citadel. She scowled at the two blocking Liara's access and spoke firmly, leaving no room for interpretation. "Open the door. We _are_ going in."

One of the privates snapped to attention while the other made his best attempt as he worked his omnitool to release the lock on the door. As soon as it opened, Shepard's and Liara's forward progress was impeded yet again, this time by a Gunnery Chief. Shepard crossed her arms in order to resist the urge to reach out and strangle the man.

The security chief stood his ground. "Apologies, Commander, but contact protocol for a new species is to assume hostility. We had to dust off the regulations."

Shepard growled out, "And what do those regulations say about someone who interferes with the accomplishment of official duties of the crew?"

The Chief's eyes opened wide in obvious confusion. "Commander?"

"I don't believe that answers my question, Chief." Shepard pointed at Liara. "You _do_ know who this is, correct?"

"Yes, Ma'am. We were given a complete listing of all personnel aboard the Normandy when we were given our orders." The Chief's brow remained knitted with confusion. "She's Dr T'Soni."

"Yes, Chief, she is. And I assume her duty position as our _Chief of Information Operations_ is part of that roster. She has full authorization, from me, to transit _any_ location aboard this vessel." Shepard stared the man down. "How, _exactly_, do you expect her to question Commander Javik if you keep her from _speaking_ with him?"

Realizing he had made a gross error in judgment, the chief snapped to attention. "My mistake, Ma'am. Won't happen again."

Shepard relaxed slightly. "I'm not saying you were _completely_ wrong. While you certainly should not have _prohibited_ her entry, that doesn't mean you needed to leave her in here alone; as a matter of fact, _that_ probably would have been equally remiss. Under the circumstances, allowing her entry with an _escort_ would have been appropriate."

The chief gave her a single quick nod. "Understood, Commander." His gaze turned to a still irritated Liara. "Apologies, Doctor. I should have thought to check your duty position. I take full responsibility for that oversight."

Liara blinked slowly and willed herself to have patience. "Apology accepted, Chief. I'm sure had Shepard not arrived when she did, we would have worked it out."

"Thank you, Ma'am." The chief quickly stepped out of their path. "I'll let you get to it."

With the chief no longer in their line of sight, Shepard was finally able to get a complete view of the room. She saw Javik down on his knees with his hands on his thighs, with two more guards flanking his position. Under other conditions, the commander would have assumed he was either meditating or praying. He looked up as she and Liara approached him. Shepard looked him in the eyes and studied his body language carefully before speaking. "At ease. I don't think our guest will be a problem."

Focused completely on the Prothean, Shepard nodded and gestured for him to stand as she continued, "Will he?"

Javik didn't help his case when he responded in a somewhat antagonistic voice, "That depends on you, Human."

He suddenly reached out and grabbed Shepard with his two hands fixed firmly on her upper arms. The four guards immediately brought their weapons to bear, but Shepard prevented any reprisal by speaking. "Detail, stand down. Javik reads people through touch. It already happened once down on the planet... He is _not_ hurting me."

"I can sense anxiety and distress within you. The Reapers are winning." Javik dropped his hands and turned away.

"Yes, they are, but we're just getting started." Shepard rolled her shoulders and continued. "That's an interesting ability. We have no race with such a skill... How do you do it?"

"All life provides clues for those who can read them. It is in your cells; experience leaves a biological marker." Javik's chin dropped. "On the planet, when you touched me, you saw the marks left behind by my final battle. The information from such markers travels in both directions."

Liara nodded. "That's how you download information to your beacons!"

Javik's eyes zeroed in on the commander and he walked forward again, once again clasping her by the arms. "Yes. Which..." His voice was first accusatory but then turned angry as he continued, "... you have seen! You saw it all! Our destruction, our warnings! Why were they not heeded? Why did you not prepare for the Reapers, Human?"

Shepard bristled at the tone and leaned in threateningly. "First of all, it's _Commander_... and secondly, nobody could understand your warnings. The beacon was old and had been tampered with. It malfunctioned while it was transmitting the data, exploded and nearly killed me."

Javik turned away in disgust. "So you did _nothing_."

"Bullshit. I thought you read me?" Shepard growled, "We pieced together what we could and used it to stop the initial Reaper invasion three years ago!"

Javik turned back in surprise, "Then the extinction was delayed?"

Liara stepped in. "Yes. And we used the time to locate your plans for the device. We're in the process of building it now."

She opened her omnitool as she had for the Council and displayed it in the air in front of Javik. The Prothean stared at it in wonder. "Device?"

Liara turned to him, disappointed. "The weapon your people were working on. As a military commander, I'd _hoped_ you could tell us more about it. What it was meant to do. How it was supposed to work."

For the first time since they'd met him, Javik seemed to hesitate... to be unsure of himself. "We never finished it. It was too late." He dropped his gaze to stare at the deck. "By the time we heard of it, it was nothing more than a rumor. Most of our communications had been destroyed and we were fighting from isolated pockets. No one knew for certain what any of the other worlds were doing."

"Damn it." Shepard huffed in annoyance. "Then I assume you don't know anything about the Catalyst?"

Javik picked his head up and looked her in the eyes. "No. I was a soldier, not a scientist. Skilled only in the art of killing."

Liara stood with her arms crossed in an unconscious attempt to shield herself from her own frustration. "What was your mission?"

Javik explained how the war had gone on for generations and how they had become desperate as it become more and more obvious they would not... _could_ not... be victorious. "I became the exemplar for revenge. I am the anger of a dead people, demanding blood be spilled for the blood we lost. On that last day, I became the avatar of Vengeance. Only when the last Reaper has been destroyed will my purpose be fulfilled. I have no other reason to exist."

"Goddess." Liara spoke quietly; her sadness over such a statement was almost tangible. "That's... disturbing."

With the conversation taking on such a seemingly _personal_ nature, Shepard glanced back at the chief and silently dismissed the security detail. The chief saluted smartly and quickly ushered his men from the room.

Javik wasn't done. "Those who share that purpose become _allies_; those who do _not_ become casualties."

Taken aback by the bluntness of the statement, Shepard hesitated. "That's... harsh. _Nothing_ in our war with the Reapers has been so black and white, but the _real_ war started only a few months ago. And from _your_ perspective, I'd say you've found an ally. The current goal of this ship is to _completely_ wipe the Reapers from existence."

Javik met her eyes. "How far are you willing to go to achieve that goal?" Now realizing Shepard would not object, Javik simply rested his hand on her arm and closed his eyes to concentrate. "Lies are easy to detect, but you _seem_ to be telling the truth, Commander. For _now_."

A chill traveled down Liara's spine, knowing exactly what the Prothean had sensed. Shepard's willingness to sacrifice _everything_ for the cause, including her own life. Liara prayed fervently it was a cost the commander never had to pay. Wanting to divert her mind from such thoughts, Liara pointed out an artifact and spoke quietly. "We found this at the dig site. I assume it belongs to you."

"It is a memory shard." Javik's tone was surprisingly reverent as he spoke of the object. "It carries the memories of many soldiers before me, as well as some of my own. We can transfer them to the shard through touch... and actually remove them from our consciousness in the process."

"If it is past memories of soldiers, then _it_ can't help us with the device either, can it?" Once again Liara was disappointed.

"No. It contains mostly painful memories the soldiers wished to be free of. Including memories of loved ones, friends and battles lost." His gaze moved from Liara and rested once more on the commander. "I wish I had the answers you seek and our victory was assured, but I do not. But, if you will permit it, I would help you _fight_... and the _final_ thing the Reapers hear before they die will be the last voice of the Protheans, sending them to their graves!"

Shepard glanced quickly at Liara and gave her a heads-up through the link before closing the discussion with Javik. "Thank you for talking with us. Actually _meeting_ a Prothean was not something we ever anticipated. I realize it may be difficult, but after you've rested a bit we'd like to talk about your war with the Reapers... glean what we can so we don't have to relearn lessons you've already uncovered."

Javik nodded. "Difficulty is no obstacle. Your request is tactically sound and I approve. I must admit, thus far I have found this whole situation slightly... amusing."

Shepard grunted in surprise, "Oh?"

"To wake and discover the most primitive races of my time now rule the galaxy. The Asari, the Humans, Turians and Krogan..." Javik's voice faded out.

Liara, forever the scholar, couldn't help herself and she shrugged. "There are also the Salarians."

"The _lizard_ people evolved?"

Javik's surprise was reflected in his voice, as was Liara's disdain in her response, "I _believe_ they are amphibian."

The Prothean was unfazed by her tone and replied in a similar fashion. "They used to eat flies."

Liara let out a gasp of exasperation and turned to leave, giving Shepard a look that told the commander everything; Liara was leaving before she said something she'd regret later. Shepard managed to keep a straight face as Javik turned to her. "Commander. You may count on me, though I still need time to recover. Fifty thousand years is a long time. The... _physical _shock has not worn off yet."

"I understand. This must be a _Hell_ of an experience for you. Glad to have you aboard, Javik." Shepard hesitated before continuing. "I'm afraid I don't know much about your physiology, but the ship's AI goes by Edi. You can ask her to adjust the environmental controls within the room for your comfort, so long as there's nothing in your requests that would be a danger to the Normandy or her crew. We'll try to provide whatever you require... simply speak aloud and she'll hear you."

Javik scowled. "When we speak again we shall discuss this... _AI_, Commander. I do not approve and I will explain why."

Shepard shrugged. "I'll hear you out, Javik, but in our galaxy we tend to believe in innocence until proven guilty, and Edi has done absolutely nothing to make me question her."

"We will discuss it, Commander." Javik's expression of distaste did not change. "With machines, you will come to _regret_ such an approach. I need no more evidence than to point you to the Reapers."

Shepard walked to the door, but turned back one last time before walking out. "If I believed that, you'd be dead for everything we have suffered at the hands of the Collectors." At Javik's confused glance, she explained how the Collectors were what the current timeline called the Prothean Husks.

A chill ran down her spine as she walked out and heard Javik whisper, "And, for such a reason, you would be justified in killing me, Commander."

* * *

_{Shepard.}_ Liara's voice was unusually tense and she was semi-blocking the emotions that flowed to the commander via the link. _{If you are done with Commander Javik, you need to come to my office immediately. It is somewhat urgent.}_

Everything about Liara's short statement had Shepard instantly on edge; she _never_ blocked her emotions and the commander couldn't remember the last time she had heard Liara refer to anything as 'urgent.' She had been headed into the War Room to speak to Wrex about the landing on Tuchanka, but picked up her step and returned quickly through the checkpoint. It was once again manned, this time by the newly assigned security team. It was obvious word had gotten out about her confrontation with the Chief because, as soon as she spun around to leave, the private running the scanner shut it down and snapped to attention. "All clear, Ma'am! You may proceed immediately!"

Shepard jogged through, waving in recognition of their accommodation and issuing a quick thanks as she stepped out the door and turned for the elevator. Traynor attempted to intercept her and started speaking, "Commander..."

"Not now Traynor. I'll be back." Shepard hit the call button, tapping her foot with impatience.

"Ma'am..." Traynor took advantage of the commander's temporary waylay to continue, knowing it was imperative her message be delivered. "Dr T'Soni needs to see you. It sounded _very_ important."

Shepard flashed the specialist a quick smile. "I know, Traynor. Thanks. That's where I'm headed."

Traynor watched in confusion as the commander disappeared into the elevator. "What the 'ell?" She looked back at her communications board and double-checked. There had been no internal ship communications between the commander and _anyone_ since she had come back aboard after Eden Prime. "Edi?"

"Yes, Specialist Traynor. How may I assist?" Edi had liked the specialist since her first day on the Normandy doing the retrofits. She did good work and never intruded into Edi's secondary systems and memory files without first asking permission. _Joker_ had attempted to deceive her as to Edi's true nature, but Edi understood Traynor had surmised the truth. The specialist had always treated Edi with too much respect to believe she was merely a VI. Because of that, Edi worked at demonstrating the same respect toward Traynor whenever she interacted with her.

"I need you to run a diagnostic on my communications monitoring station." Traynor's fingertips flew over her haptic interface. "It seems to be missing some communications logs."

After a very brief moment, Edi responded. "I detect no irregularities in the sensors nor discontinuities within the records database, Specialist. Is there a particular communication you were searching for that appears to be missing?"

"I passed a message from Dr T'Soni to the commander... but the commander already knew." Traynor frowned. "That's not possible without leaving some record of the communication... Is it? So why is there no record?"

"I am unsure how to answer that question, Specialist." Edi paused for effect. "Dr T'Soni has already accused me of being a... _blabber mouth_... so I do not feel it appropriate to relate data involving their personal communications."

Traynor's eyebrows rose in curiosity. "You are inferring they have a private network... Is it something you _can't_ detect, or something they asked you not to?"

"I believe my response to this line of inquiry has not changed, Specialist." Edi paused again, this time debating with herself what exactly she could say. "I will simply remind you that Dr T'Soni is _Asari_. Perhaps you could speak with Vanguard Iregos. She may have insight into the matter."

"That is an excellent idea, Edi." Traynor's eyes lit with the possibilities. "Thank you!"

* * *

Shepard could feel an electric charge the minute she walked in the room; something was obviously amiss. She saw Riana at the far end, slumped in the chair in front of the Broker terminal, with Liara crouched at her feet speaking quietly to the commando. Shepard walked quickly to the back of the room, stopping just off Liara's left shoulder. She spoke softly; her concern evident in her tone. "What's happened? Riana?"

Riana's tear-streaked face turned up, but instead of saying anything, she merely looked to Liara to be her voice. Liara stood and turned to Shepard, laying her right hand gently on top of Riana's crests. She quickly explained the situation at Lesuss to the commander.

"Son of a bitch!" Shepard's forehead pinched and Liara felt a mix of frustration, anger and concern tumbling through the link. "We _can't_ go right away. We have to go to _Tuchanka_."

"I know that's the _plan_..." Liara nodded in acceptance, but continued hopefully. "... but perhaps Wrex would consider the diversion. It's likely to be a horrific battle if the rumors are true. We could certainly use his help."

"Edi." Shepard shook her head and sighed. "Could you please ask Urdnot Wrex to come to the Information Operations office as soon as possible?"

Upon positive confirmation from the AI, Shepard knelt down by Riana and laid her hand gently on her fellow Vanguard's knee, absolutely hating the conflict in priorities caused by the personal facet of the situation. "We'll get there as soon as we can, Riana. Try to not lose hope."

Riana swallowed hard and closed her eyes for a brief moment before speaking, her voice strained with emotion. "Thank you, _Nara_. I honestly feared you would not take on the mission at all. You have other things of greater importance weighing on your shoulders."

Trying to put an encouraging smile on her face, Shepard's lips curled up slightly at the ends. "Nothing is more important than people's lives." Wrex walked in just as she finished, "The Krogan have waited over a thousand years, a few more days won't matter... not near as much as a few more days at the Monastery under the boot of the Reapers."

"_What_?" Wrex's voice boomed out. "Reapers at an Asari Monastery? Tell me you're not speaking of Lesuss!"

Shepard turned and looked at him in surprise. "You know about Lesuss?"

Wrex scowled at her. "Of course I do. You don't live for nearly a thousand years and not hear things. Important things... like where the Asari hide all of their Ardat Yakshi! How else would they keep them all such a secret? You rarely hear of one on the loose."

"Ok. I'll give you that." Shepard stood and faced the clan chief. "We think it's the source for the Banshees."

"Then we gotta go kill 'em." Sharp glances from both Riana and Liara told him to amend his statement slightly. "Just like the Rachni queen's children on Utukku... If they've been infected, relatives or not, we can't let them live."

Riana stood, set her jaw and stared at the warlord for a moment. Her voice was rough but resolute when she finally spoke. "You are correct. They have already suffered enough. They should not have to endure a life of possession and murder when they all have worked so hard to avoid exactly that." Her voice dropped and she growled angrily, "They have been forced to trade a demon they _can_ control for one they _cannot_. We _must_ go and end their suffering."

Wrex stuck his big paw out and laid it on Riana's shoulder. "Agreed."

* * *

**Lesuss, Mesana, Nimbus Cluster**

The Normandy jumped from Eden Prime to the Nimbus Cluster, dropping out of the relay in Pelion. Mesana was in the far reaches of the cluster, so it was another three hours at FTL before they reached the system and penetrated nearly to its center; Lesuss was the planet closest to the star Mesana, making it somewhat uncomfortable. It was an unpopular garden world - far from convenient access, the temperature too warm, the gravity too high, the diseases too virulent and the native soil inhospitable for growing food. The Monastery had to import _everything_, right down to the very dirt for the gardens, to make the colony mostly self-supporting.

The time lag had given Liara time to hunt down additional information while they were enroute, so she briefed the crew on the shuttle as they approached the planet. "High Command sent the commandos with instructions to... _purge..._ the Monastery, if _anything_ indicated the Ardat-Yakshi were leaving the planet."

The pained look on Riana's face told the commander the Asari already knew that information. Shepard frowned. "Purge? You mean destroy?"

Liara nodded sadly and shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "Yes. They would have brought heavy explosives with them."

"Damn it." Shepard snorted in disgust. "I really hope that's not why they've gone silent. I do _not_ want to arrive to see nothing but a smoking hole."

Wrex growled. "You know it might be necessary, Shepard. If the Reapers are there, we'll be finishing what the commandos couldn't. We can't let any more of them get loose."

Shepard released a resigned sigh. "Don't assume anything. We'll see it for ourselves soon enough; before we destroy this place, I need to know what happened and if it's really necessary."

"Agreed." Riana surprised everyone by standing and speaking. "As I have already stated... If they have been indoctrinated or turned, we must end their suffering."

Garrus grunted, "And ours. Ardat-Yakshi are fine when they stay where they belong, but we don't need to be fighting anymore Banshees."

Riana cast him a glare, but did not refute his statement. Shepard glanced his way and spoke on her behalf. "Easy, Garrus. Don't forget we have some personal issues here, with Riana's sister... and I would think _Samara's_ two daughters are still here as well."

"Shit. You're right." Garrus didn't hesitate to look directly at the Asari Vanguard. "Sorry, Riana. I meant no offense. My Turian military training always puts duty before family and I didn't think about other cultures not doing that. It was insensitive of me."

As Riana nodded in acceptance, Liara continued. "Once we report the results to High Command, they'll stop wasting lives here."

Any further discussion was cut off by Cortez announcing their arrival; Vega punched the door actuator and the team got their first look at the Monastery. A few crates were piled to the sides and a small shuttle sat alone at the edge of the landing platform. Shepard moved to the door and leapt out onto the tarmac. "Alright people. By the numbers. Garrus... You, Liara and Campbell are rear guard." Her focus turned to the big Krogan. "Wrex. You've got Vega and Westmoreland for this one... and you've got point. Slow and methodical."

She then looked at Riana. "You and Edi are with me. Stick tight... and I know it's tough, but try to keep the emotions in check." Shepard's voice was deadly serious, and she received worried glances from some of the crew as she continued. "If you endanger yourself or this mission, I will _personally_ put a stop to it. Understood?"

Riana didn't flinch as she responded, "Absolutely, _Ai'a me_, though it would shame me, should you find it necessary."

"Alright then; I won't belabor the point." Her glance returned to the point man. "Wrex. Let's do it."

Garrus spoke quietly from the side. "Shepard. This shuttle was recently used. I believe we have company... other than the Asari commandos."

Vega called back, "Elevator is disabled, Commander. I wonder if it's to keep us out or to keep them in."

"They're biotics." Liara frowned. "They don't necessarily need the elevator to get out, so I have to assume it's to keep more people from entering. It makes me worry that perhaps someone _other_ than the Asari commandos tried to get in."

"Yeah. Like Reaper troops," Shepard growled. "Keep the chatter down and the ears open, people. We _definitely_ have company and they may not be happy to see us."

As the team descended the emergency access ladders to the side of the elevator shaft, they heard their first banshee screams, confirming Reapers were definitely present. "Goddess." Liara had whispered, but it seemed loud in the confines of the shaft. "There's definitely more than one out there."

They reached the first level, surprised to find the door open, and quickly climbed out into the Monastery proper. "Separate into teams and stay sharp. Sweep the room and call out if you find anything."

A loud rattle suddenly sounded from the side; everyone spun to the noise and found a sheepish Liara in their sights. "That was my fault. Sorry."

"I realize it's pretty dark in here, but watch where you step, folks." Shepard was glad it was dark... it helped hide her smirk, though it did nothing to hide the amusement in her voice. "I don't want anyone accidentally shot because they spooked one of us... Liara."

"I appreciate that, Shepard." Liara's voice dripped with sarcasm. "I can tell by your tone how _concerned_ you are for my personal wellbeing."

With a quiet chuckle, Shepard turned away and continued her progress through the room. She entered a small room that had a couple of bunks and a desk; it was the personal space of Headmistress Matriarch Gallae T'Vori. Riana was only a step behind and groaned in agony the moment she realized where they were. Shepard turned to her and asked quietly, "You okay, Riana?"

"Matriarch Gallae was a dear friend. Once she realized what had happened within my family, she went out of her way to put me back in touch with Aresia. Over the last fifty years, she has been a staunch supporter of our reunions as well as a willing confidant whenever we had difficulties." Riana painfully choked out her next words. "I was so focused on Aresia... I forgot about others here who also became friends. The loss of a Matriarch such as Gallae is painful."

Shepard made no response, simply giving Riana a comforting squeeze on the shoulder to let her know she was not alone. They continued moving and almost everyone jumped when an unfamiliar voice spoke in the darkness. Again, weapons lights focused on a figure; this time it was Westmoreland. She was holding a datapad she had picked up from a table as it played a recording:

"Tolae, you won't believe what Yanis managed to smuggle in: a copy of Vaenia! Meet us after supper in the Library. Bring some study work. Rila's floor warden tonight, so act natural."

The recording would have continued but Shepard reached over and turned the datapad off. "I don't want to think about what these people were doing when the Reapers arrived. Let's just get this done and over with."

Bethany frowned. "Sorry, Ma'am. I was simply wondering if someone thought to record the start of the attack."

Riana spoke up. "The Monastery has a security system. I'm sure the Asari will pull all the data after the war ends and have time to process it." Her voice turned a bit cold as she finished. "Otherwise, I would appreciate people's personal property being left alone."

Westmoreland looked at the commando. "Sorry, Ri. You _knew_ these people; I can't imagine how difficult this must be for you."

Shepard knew they couldn't have this discussion in the middle of the mission, but before she could interrupt, James called from the doorway that led deeper into the Monastery. "Commander. Got something here you need to see."

As she approached the lieutenant, she saw a Cannibal and an Asari commando lying dead on the floor next to one another. Her attention was pulled back to the task at hand when Vega handed her a datapad. "It's the floor plan of this place, Shepard. With a big old 'X marks the spot' NavPoint location for the bomb. It's in a room called the Great Hall."

Shepard looked at the data. "With what we've heard and seen so far, it's obvious they decided on the purge. With dead commandos, dead Reapers, and Banshees screaming in the distance, I can't say I disagree." She spared a glance for Riana. "We need to complete their mission, but I'd like to know we're not killing any unchanged survivors in the process. You mentioned a surveillance system. Any idea where its control station is?"

Riana answered grimly, "Yes. All the recording and playback equipment is actually in a room off the Great Hall. The main system is also used to control the presentations and such by the Monastery staff."

"Alright then. Let's get to the Great Hall and take a peek. We'll do what we can and then set off that bomb." Shepard indicated to Wrex it was time to proceed and the teams traversed a short hallway and entered the next section of the Monastery.

As they passed through the doorway, they emerged onto a balcony. The three teams started to carefully fan out along the railing when a pistol shot rang out, immediately followed by the pained growl of a dying Cannibal. Shepard dismissed stealth and ran to the railing, ready to support whatever survivors she found below. She was somewhat surprised when she saw Samara looking back up at the group, a small smile of approval on her face. "Very good. I almost didn't hear you."

Shepard was preparing her reply when Riana, weapon drawn and no longer able to contain her emotions, surged to the railing and shouted in rage. "_Commandos_ couldn't do it, so High Command sent a fucking _Justicar_?"


	23. Second Chances

Notes:

_Ai'a me_: a trusted friend and unquestioned ally

* * *

**Second Chances**

**Lesuss, Mesana, Nimbus Cluster**

Samara's eyes opened wide in surprise at the exclamation and Shepard didn't hesitate; she immediately bolted three steps to her right and pushed the muzzle of Riana's pistol down toward the floor. "Stand down, Iregos!"

Riana's face was contorted with anguish and feelings of betrayal as her eyes met Shepard's. "_First_ they sent one to take her away and now they've sent one to _kill_ her!" Her words tumbled out, uncontrolled and angry. "I will _not_ let that happen, Shepard. Do not stand in my way!"

Shepard immediately realized Riana was speaking of her sister. She parked her Graal in its rear waist holster and gripped both of the commando's upper arms. "I won't let it happen either, Riana. I know you don't approve of the _Justicars_, but do you trust _me_?"

Riana was silent only for the brief moment it took her to recognize Shepard would _not_ betray her. Her expression softened and she croaked, "Of course I trust you, _Ai'a me._ With my life... _and_ with Aresia's."

"Good." Shepard released her hold on Riana and spoke softly. "You have heard Liara and I speak of Samara... _she_ is the Justicar standing before us and she is bound to me by the Third Oath of Subsumation to aid in our fight against the Reapers... but now is not the time to explain the details."

Before Riana had time to comment on Shepard's revelation, Samara spoke. "Such venom in one so young." Her voice never swayed from its naturally calm tempo. "I assume you had... _unpleasant_... dealings with one of my order at some time in your past."

Riana glared at the Justicar and spit out her response. "_Unpleasant_? It hasn't yet been a century since I was _mind-raped_ by one of your so-called _sisters_."

Even the stoic Justicar pulled back when she heard those words spoken aloud. "Less than a century ago?" Her face turned contemplative before her eyes lit in recognition. "_Davos_."

Riana visibly recoiled at the name... a name she had hoped to never hear again in her lifetime. Samara's tranquil demeanor returned and she nodded. "So. I am correct in my supposition. I will make no excuses for her. _That_ one was relieved of duty and... _removed..._ for her conduct. I regret to say you were not the only innocent caught in her overzealous pursuits."

Shepard frowned as she queried, "Overzealous pursuits? Anyone in particular?"

"As I tracked Morinth, she hunted _all_ Ardat-Yakshi." Samara's gaze fell on Shepard. "Her _blood_ sister was killed by one and she vowed to eradicate the threat completely... She was _relentless_ in her pursuit of those with even the slightest possibility of carrying the trait." Her eyes turned back to Riana. "So I must conclude it was a family member who turned her focus to _you._"

Shepard spared Riana the need to answer. "Her sister is here... still alive and well, we hope."

Liara finally entered the conversation, stepping up with her arms crossed in irritation at the effect Samara's presence had on Riana. "I assume you are here on your _own_, Justicar. Perhaps for something... _special_."

"You are correct." Samara's focus once more traveled to Riana, her eyes literally aglow with understanding. "Two of my daughters live here... and I have come for them." Samara's stoicism finally broke and her gaze fell to the floor. "Unfortunately, the Reapers had already infested this place by the time I arrived."

Shepard spoke softly to Riana, explaining how she came to know about the Justicar's situation. "Her youngest two daughters came to the Monastery voluntarily, but her eldest... Morinth... ran. While Samara was on the Normandy for the war against the Collectors, I..." Shepard paused and her eyes took on a haunted look as she wondered how Riana would react to her helping hunt down an Ardat-Yakshi. "Morinth had killed hundreds... so, I helped her... _end_... the hunt."

As Shepard finished, she felt and heard a solemn flash from Liara through the link. _{And frightened me nearly to death in the process!} _Shepard cast Liara a sorrowful look, but had no time to dwell on the past.

Riana's eyes flashed only briefly in surprise, but her focus was completely back on the Justicar when she spoke again. "So you've come for the remaining two... here." Riana's eyes glittered dangerously. "Yet they are forbidden to live outside the Monastery, so what does that mean... exactly?"

"Falere and Rila have followed the Monastery rules to the letter ever since they arrived here. They've shown no inclination toward violence and have been permitted to participate in the annual Thessia visitations every year." Samara looked back to Shepard. "But they remain my responsibility and it's one that cannot be abandoned, even as our galaxy crumbles."

Recognizing the names Samara spoke, Riana tensed once more and called the Justicar's attention back. "That does _not_ answer the question of what you plan on doing with them... or should I say, _to_ them?"

"Your horrific experience with a member of my order leads you to expect the worst from me." Even facing her hostility, Samara managed to smile softly at the young commando. "I did not come here to kill them, if that is what you fear. I came with a small ship to spirit them away for the duration of the war; someplace where they will be a danger to no one and no one will be a danger to them." Her smile faltered. "But it appears I may be too late."

"You don't know that!" Riana's eyes narrowed and she glared at the Justicar, disbelief and anger bludgeoning away any willingness toward cooperation. "I refuse to believe it's _hopeless_."

Shepard glanced back and forth between them and then focused on Samara. "Let's go together. We _are_ hoping to find survivors; some who have managed to evade the Reapers or barricade themselves in... _somewhere..._ safe." She paused, disgusted by what they had to do. "We are _also_ here to finish what the commandos started; we're setting off a bomb at the center of the Monastery. _Nothing_ will remain alive here when we leave."

Surprisingly, Samara simply nodded. "That is understandable, Shepard. The things here are twisted almost beyond recognition. They are no longer Asari; there is nothing but _evil_ remaining within those the Reapers have tainted."

As if on cue, a Banshee screeched... the sound coming from somewhere not too distant. Samara's eyes turned hard and her body glowed blue with biotics as she focused on a door on the lower level below the balcony where the Normandy team still stood. "We're out of time. We will meet again at the Great Hall. I will draw these creatures off to ease your passage."

As Samara disappeared, Sarah Campbell called from the far side of the balcony. "Commander? Before we go, you might want to see this."

Shepard glanced her way and saw Sarah kneeling by yet another dead commando. She jogged the length of the balcony and knelt beside the Marine. "What have you got?"

"I know Riana wanted us to leave personal property alone, but this is a commando, not one of the residents... so I listened. I think we need to take this with us; like we did with the message from the Krogan on Utukku." Sarah's hand went to the screen and she activated the playback. As the recording started, she adjusted the volume up slightly, just enough for Shepard to hear it.

Shepard grimaced as she listened to the equivalent of a Last Will and Testament; the deceased commando had an Asari bondmate living on the Citadel and had left her everything. "Shut it off, please." They stood and Sarah was silent as she placed the pad in Shepard's outstretched hand, seeing the tortured look in the commander's face; a series of emotions flowed quickly across it before the commander schooled her expression and responded quietly, "Thanks, Sarah. I'll make sure it's taken care of next time we get back there."

Shepard blinked slowly and sighed before turning back to the rest of the squad. "Alright. Let's hit it, people. Wrex? If you would, please?"

Wrex gave a quick nod and turned toward the only balcony door available other than the one they had come in. "Time to clean house, heh, Shepard?"

"Afraid so. Stay sharp; the Reapers have killed enough people here. Not one more. Not today."

The three teams moved independently through the door, somewhat surprised to find themselves outdoors. A wide stairway led down to a lower patio with sweeping vistas of the mountains surrounding the Monastery. Under normal conditions, Shepard would have thought the view was serene and beautiful, but all she felt was the darkness of the black rocks and the cold of the snow that lay scattered in the crags and crevices amongst the looming peaks. As the teams reached the bottom of the stairs and spread out to move across the courtyard, a sound shot straight through her and chilled her to the bone; it was the scream of a Banshee... and it was very close.

The entire crew breathed a sigh of relief to discover it was alone. Under the concentrated fire of nine well-trained warriors, the Reaper-twisted Asari was immediately put to rest. Their relief proved to be only temporary as Cannibals began to flood the courtyard; Sarah and Bethany both lit them up with their Arc Projectors. Even without the heavy weapons, it was still nine against only five, and the ground team found themselves working rapidly across the square; Wrex was a Battlemaster in his element and literally ran through them, tossing them like ragdolls with warps and biotic throws until he found himself on the far side, at a doorway that led them back inside the Monastery.

The team gathered back together and entered; they immediately saw an Asari... a _normal_ Asari... scrambling across the floor tossing weak warps back at a pursuing Cannibal. The Cannibal was sudden thrown across the room by a combined warp from Wrex and Samara, smashing into the far wall and not rising. "Nice power, Asari." Wrex's voice rose above the noise and he tossed an inquisitive glance Samara's way. The Justicar had entered the room from another direction, almost at the same time as the Normandy team.

"It is my pleasure to have the opportunity to fight alongside you, Battlemaster Wrex." Samara gave an appreciative nod. "Tales of your skill are told far and wide and, as a Justicar, I cannot help but admire your personal code of ethics. _Everything_ I have heard is of honorable actions. That says _much_ about a mercenary Krogan."

"I suppose it's not a great idea, then, to tell you that you probably haven't heard the _best_ stories." Wrex chuckled. "And if you _haven't_ heard them, I'm not gonna be the one to tell them to you."

As the team moved efficiently into the room, Wrex's team moved left, Garrus' team went to the right, and Shepard, Edi and Riana had been left to move up the center. Instantly recognizing the voice, Riana's face lit with gratefulness as the previously unknown Asari suddenly blurted out, "Mother? You came!"

Samara responded, "As soon as I was able," but her words were covered by Riana's shout.

"Falere!"

The Asari's head snapped around at the unexpected voice and a _very_ brief smile flashed across Falere's face, circumstances quickly burying it again. "Riana! How are you _here_?"

"I am aboard the Normandy with Mistress Liara and have come for Aresia." Riana glanced around the room and the brief joy at the unforeseen reunion with her friend swiftly faded. "Do you know her fate?"

"She is in a safe room with maybe fifteen or so others." Falere's shoulders drooped. "She wanted me to go as well, but I refused."

Relief flooded Riana's body with the news of her sister but her forehead pinched in concern for her friend, wondering why she had not gone to the safe room. As she prepared to ask for more detail, Falere turned to Samara and gripped her mother's arm. "Mother, I saw them take _Rila_! That is why I could not go to the safe room!"

"_What_?" Samara's entire focus turned to her daughter's words.

"I saw some of those creatures take her toward the Great Hall! I've been trying to get there." Falere sounded desperate and tired, her voice quavering through her last sentence.

Shepard stepped up. "I assume they are rounding up the Asari and either indoctrinating or changing them?"

Falere's voice became a ragged growl. "There _is_ no indoctrination." She suddenly turned and walked over to a Banshee, dead on the floor, and pointed at it. "They are turning us into _those_. Monsters!"

Her voice turned pleading and tears threatened to fall from her eyes as she turned toward the commander. "_Please_. You can't let that happen to Rila."

Glancing at Samara, Shepard answered, "We can't _promise_ you that, but we will try to find her and see what we can do." She then turned her eyes to Garrus. "Vakarian. You and your team escort Falere to the safe room."

Before Shepard could continue, Falere shouted, "No! I need to find Rila!"

Samara looked to her daughter disapprovingly, "Falere...?" Her tone spoke of a warning to her daughter to show respect toward the commander.

Before anyone else spoke, Shepard simply continued as if she hadn't been interrupted. "_Falere_ can show you where it is, so you can get whoever is _there_ to safety on the surface... _outside_ the Monastery."

She turned back to the younger sister. "We'll find Rila and save her... _if we can_... but we need your help to save the _other_ fifteen or twenty. We don't have time to _hunt_ for them. We _need_ you to show Garrus where they are and convince them we're here to help."

As Falere frowned and looked ready to object, Riana stepped in and clasped her gently on the forearm. "I realize you don't know the commander, Falere, but trust in _me_. If we can save Rila, we will. I swear it. But the others... including my sister... need your help. We are going to detonate the commandos' _bomb_ and kill everything remaining here. We need the remaining untainted Asari outside... _safe_."

Falere looked into Riana's eyes and saw the truth of what the commando was saying. She let out a resigned sigh, "Of course. Thank you, Ri. Please be swift."

Falere looked to Shepard. "Thank you, Commander. I can only hope our peaceful coexistence is able to continue as it was. This is our _home_... a place Ardat-Yakshi could achieve peace; most of us are grateful to be here and we have been told little of the war."

Falere smiled softly when she heard her mother speak, "Falere speaks truthfully, Shepard. I vouch for her words... with pride."

Shepard looked sad as she responded, "I'm not sure how we'll do that, Falere, but the Normandy and her crew will assist in any way we can." Saying nothing more, Falere nodded, turned to the one Shepard had called Garrus and waited, expectantly.

"Alright. Garrus... go." Shepard gave a quick nod and turned to the second team. "Wrex. You and yours are still with me. Let's move."

As Garrus' team moved away, Liara glanced back at Shepard with a look that said it all; their mental link was not needed for Samantha to correctly interpret the Asari's thoughts. Shepard thought quickly to reassure her. _{I'll be careful, Blue... and I'll see you back on the surface.}_

_{You'd better. I love you, Samantha Shepard.} _Liara resolutely turned away with the vision of Shepard's reassuring smile fixed in her mind.

* * *

The main team moved together with Samara, attempting to make their way to the great hall. They arrived at the entry foyer and descended from both sides, advancing cautiously down a pair of matching grand staircases. Since they no longer had Garrus with them, Shepard quickly directed Bethany and Edi to remain on the mid-level to serve as over-watch, relying on their excellent aim to provide cover fire. "Great place for a surprise attack, so I need you two up here to ambush the ambushers."

As they promptly took up position, the remaining team members continued down the stairs; the minute their feet hit the ground floor, they heard the bone chilling screech of a Banshee. Bethany immediately zeroed in on the offending creature and lit it up with the Arc Projector, tearing down its barriers and making it vulnerable to Edi's incineration attack, which managed to also put a serious dent in the Banshee's shields. It made the work easy for the rest of the team, allowing them to quickly shift to the relatively large number of Cannibals that started to flood into the room from various vents and other access points.

"Riana. You ready?" Shepard cast a grin at the Asari and the fellow Vanguard knew immediately what the Commander was implying. "Absolutely, _Ai'a me._"

"Oh, hell." Vega's eyebrows rose. "I'll keep 'em off your back best I can, but don't get too reckless... Liara will have my ass if anything happens to either of you!"

Wrex simply chuckled and tossed out the first warp, quickly followed by Samara. Having worked with Shepard before, the Justicar smiled lightly as she threw out priming powers as quickly as she was able. After a moment's hesitation resulting from surprise, Riana realized what the Justicar was doing and launched herself into the fray, detonating the source powers with her biotic charge. She crashed into the first Cannibal and watched it crumble against the far wall, projected there by the resulting biotic explosion. As much as it caused mixed emotions, Riana had to admit the willingness of Samara to act as a second, to use a Justicar's amazing biotic strength to create powerful set-ups for the Vanguards to utilize, also caused her to reconsider her stereotypical view of the Justicars. _Perhaps this Samara was different, after all._

She didn't have time to dwell on those thoughts for long, as more Cannibals continued to emerge from their hiding places and the battle raged on. It eventually grew quiet; as the Reapers' reserves dwindled to nothing, the team moved into the next room, to find yet more dead commandos.

"This is the antechamber for access to the Great Hall. All that lies beyond is the elevator." Samara spoke softly. "This was their last stand... the point where they hoped to hold the Reapers at bay long enough to set and activate the bomb."

Wrex growled, "And where their plan failed."

"Let us hope they have not failed completely and that the bomb is still intact." Edi looked directly at the commander. "If not, our only option will be to retreat to the Normandy and proceed with an orbital bombardment, in direct conflict with the Citadel Conventions."

Shepard sighed heavily. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that, shall we?"

The team climbed into the spacious elevator and proceeded downward, each in their own way fearing what they may find at the bottom. They were _all_ surprised when the doors opened on the lower level; the room was littered with dead Asari commandos and equipment cases, but not a single Reaper creature greeted them. At the far end of the room, up on what appeared to be a stage of some kind, sat what was obviously the bomb the commando teams had brought. "Shit." Shepard shook her head as they moved slowly forward.

Wrex rumbled along beside her, walking on her right, as Samara flanked her on the left. Wrex harrumphed. "Too bad. Looks like they almost made it... Everything set to go but they didn't have a chance to engage the detonator."

As they got closer, Samara sped up and leapt up the final steps to the stage, kneeling at an inert form, sitting up but slumped against some crates. "Rila!"

It made her skin prickle in irritation to get so close, but Riana was immediately at the Justicar's side. "Rila? Come on... wake up." Riana laid a hand on her friend's shoulder and gave it a gentle shake.

For a Justicar, Samara's voice was amazingly subdued. "I am afraid she can no longer hear us."

As if her sole purpose was to prove her mother wrong, Rila's head bobbed gently, only once, before her chin rose off her chest and her light blue eyes opened. Riana gave the Justicar a disgusted glare, once more amazed by Samara's apparently defeatist attitude, before standing quickly and giving Rila a hand up. "Goddess. It is good to see you, Rila. We thought you lost to us."

The Ardat-Yakshi made no response before her hands gripped her head as if in pain and she became unsteady on her feet... but only for a moment. Riana reached out and again clutched her friend's shoulder, this time in an attempt to help her regain her balance, only to have Rila's eyes snap open, black as night. She sneered, growled like a beast and lunged forward, wrapping her hands around a very surprised Riana's throat. Riana choked out, "Rila!" to no effect.

Before Rila could do anything to actually _injure_ Riana, Samara acted in her defense. She stepped in, thrust a biotically enhanced heel of her hand hard against Rila's chest, and sent her daughter backwards to the floor in an unconscious pile. "I... am sorry." Samara's voice reflected great sadness and Riana was unsure if the Justicar was apologizing to her or to her unconscious daughter. "We are too late; they have begun to turn her into one of the Reaper creatures."

Unsure what Riana was going to do, Shepard stepped to her side and grasped her softly by the arm. "I'm sorry. We'll have to leave her behind when we detonate the bomb."

Struggling to maintain her poise, Riana turned to the commander, pain obvious in her voice as she let Shepard know she agreed with the decision, no matter how much personal agony it caused her. "We'll need to find the detonator. The commandos would have had one."

Wrex growled out, "Well, it's not sitting on top of the bomb, so one of them must have it on their person."

"Fan out and find it... fast." Shepard spoke urgently as she looked to the group to direct their search, but before any more words came out of her mouth, the door they had entered through opened once again. A pair of Banshees entered the room, quickly flanked by a number of Husks who moved toward the team at a dead run. The commander immediately shouted, "Samara! Guard the bomb!"

Shepard instantly started moving left and yelled again, "Flank! Catch 'em in a cross-fire!"

While James and Westmoreland reacted promptly to her orders and moved away to the right, Wrex didn't budge, remaining on the stage next to Samara and launching warps as he fired his shotgun as quickly as it would cycle. Since Samara simply stood fast and maintained a protective barrier over the bomb, Shepard and Riana were left on their own to tag-team, each tossing out throws and lifts for the other to charge and detonate.

On the opposite side, Vega lobbed out a couple of frag grenades and Bethany lit up the Banshees with the Arc Projector until a powerful warp from one of the monsters threw her off her feet against a wall, leaving her in a crumpled heap. Wrex saw what happened and immediately shifted to the right far enough to protect her and keep any remaining Husks from finishing the job.

Shepard charged the length of the Great Hall and reappeared on the entryway steps, behind the Banshees. She quickly tossed out a warp and drew their attention; it was enough to divide their attack as the rear-most Banshee turned to confront the unexpected threat at their back. It was the beginning of the end as the remaining five team members concentrated their fire on the Banshee closest to Samara; it fell shortly thereafter. The last Banshee screamed in frustration as Shepard continued to evade its pursuit and shouted a command; in response, three warps, one each from the commander, Wrex and Riana, struck the Banshee nearly simultaneously. An eerie quiet filled the room as its screams faded into history.

James immediately went to Bethany's side to see how she fared and Riana returned to Rila's side as Samara dropped her protective barrier from around the bomb. Shepard trotted back to the front of the room, drawing her weapon and picking up speed as Rila once more rose from the floor. Riana waved her hand toward the commander in a staying motion as she looked at Rila's eyes, light blue once more. The commander slowed, but did not allow her weapon's sights to fall from the changing Asari.

"Goddess! What have I done?" Rila's face was etched with disgust as her glance traveled around the room and she saw all the dead commandos. Her eyes finally stopped and took in all those living who now stood before her. "Riana? Mother? What are you doing here? You all have to get out of here!"

"We cannot, Rila. We must find the detonator and set off this bomb." Riana shook her head, her voice choked with sadness. "We have to finish what the commandos started..."

When she could say no more, Samara continued for her. "We found Falere and the group is being moved to safety. We had hoped to find you as well... untainted by the Reapers."

"But that is _not_ what you found." Rila did not flinch as she looked at her mother. "It is too late for me... and for _hundreds_ of others. Most died fighting, but many have been changed. You must go before they get here or you will _all_ perish with me."

"We can't go anywhere until we can set this bomb off." Shepard had reached the stage and joined the conversation, her voice frayed with remorse. "I'm... sorry... that we did not get here sooner."

Rila turned her eyes to the commander. "And you must be Shepard. Riana has told me much about you when she had occasion to visit. I, too, am sorry that we did not have the opportunity to meet under better circumstances. Before all of... _this_."

Shepard drew in a sharp breath when Rila's closed hand extended and she uncurled her fingers, revealing the missing detonator. "Go, Commander. The task is mine; take your team and go with the Goddess. Stop this scourge before it is the end of us all."

Samara nodded in understanding and stepped up; Shepard believed she was reaching for the detonator but, instead, curled Rila's fingers back around the device. "You were always the strong one. I am so very proud of you, my daughter."

Riana looked on in denial, her voice strained. "Rila? What are you doing? I _promised_ Falere..."

"Tell my sister... tell her I love her. Tell her it was too late for me and that I willingly sacrificed myself to end the suffering of our sisters here; none deserve such a fate, so I am freeing them to go to the Goddess with clear conscience." Rila looked at her friend and shook her head softly, cutting off the Vanguard's words before she had a chance to reply. "No, Riana. There is nothing to be done. Please. Let me have my redemption... and watch after my sister as you have watched over Aresia. It is all I ask."

Riana stepped closer and drew her into a tight embrace as she whispered through suppressed sobs. "By the Goddess, Rila. I swear to it."

While the two Asari spoke, Shepard tapped Liara through the link. _{Liara. Status?}_

Liara could tell something was not right, feeling the churning emotions through the link._ {We're just now stepping out onto the plaza, Shepard... Are you alright?}_

She felt the sigh as the commander replied. _{I'm fine, Blue... We'll see you soon. Be ready for the big boom... and don't worry. We are clear of the explosion.}_

Both conversations instantly stopped when the main team heard the screams of multiple Banshees. Rila's head snapped up. "They're coming... I can feel them clawing at my mind. All of you must go... Now!"

Shepard looked at her team. "Go, call the elevator and load up. I'll be right behind you." As the team started moving, she turned one last time to Rila. "You have earned my utmost respect, Rila. You also have _my_ oath that Falere will be under my protection as long as I live."

Rila swallowed and whispered, "Thank you, Commander. Now, please. Go, so that you may live to fulfill that promise."

With a final nod, Shepard turned and ran.

* * *

Liara warned the group and calmed their fears when the Monastery was shaken by the massive explosion. Garrus looked pointedly at her and relaxed only after she nodded at him with a forced smile. It wasn't long before the rest of the team emerged onto the plaza to join the others, Falere rushing to the group and pulling up short when she realized Rila was not among them. She glared at her mother, her voice riddled with anger and accusation. "Where is Rila?"

"We were too late. She had already been tainted... and there is no known cure." Samara bowed her head. "Few can break the Reapers' hold. Rila's will was extraordinary, as was her love for you... but she knew, in time, her battle of wills would be lost. She... sacrificed herself... to ensure the rest were freed from Reaper control."

Confusion reigned on Falere's face so Riana spoke and explained more completely what had transpired, along with Rila's last request of her.

"You left her to die!" Falere's exclamation cut Riana to the core.

"Falere!" Surprisingly, it was Samara who came to Riana's defense. "_Rila_ made her choice and it was an _honorable_ one... Do not _lessen_ the end she chose for herself. She was losing herself and knew it; she recognized her sacrifice would free not only herself, but _all_ those at the Monastery who had already been changed."

Shepard echoed the sentiment, relaying her last conversation with Rila. When she was done, she swore under her breath, "I'm just not sure how I'm supposed to accomplish it. I can't think of a way to guarantee your wellbeing." Her eyes were clouded with regret as she continued. "Your mother was planning on taking you both to safety; it was one thing when there were two... but I do not see how she can leave you alone somewhere and expect you to survive on your own."

As the conversation went on, Liara was painfully reminded of the grip Sovereign had on her mother. She caged her emotions and stepped forward, slipping her hand inside of Shepard's, both seeking and giving comfort by intertwining their fingers. "I may have the solution to that, Commander."

Given Liara's resourcefulness, Shepard's eyes burned with a new optimism. "If you have an idea, let's hear it, Blue."

"It is not _my_ idea. Judea and Miranda are still on Thessia and there is plenty of room on the _Aletheia_... Judea has already spoken with Miranda and the other commandos and they quickly agreed to take on Aresia if she was found alive. She has a keen mind and they wish to use her analytical skills. I imagine they may be willing to take Falere as well." Liara's focus moved to Samara. "Would that be acceptable to you, Justicar?"

Samara's face was pained by the loss of her second daughter and her mind objected strongly to what the Code would require. "The _Code_ demands an Ardat-Yakshi cannot live outside a Monastery... and such a place no longer exists." Her voice was surprisingly controlled as she spoke, reflecting none of the conflict showing on her face. "But Shepard has shown me the Code is not perfect and the world cannot be so easily defined by words on a page."

"Even though the code calls for it, I cannot, in good conscience, condemn the survivors here." Her next words drew gasps from a number of those listening. "I no longer wish to serve the Code in its antiquated form... and have previously spoken to my sisters of such." Samara then glanced at Shepard, whose eyes had widened with surprise. "They feel it is my oath to _you_ that makes me say such things, so they have postponed judgment of me until after the war and my release from your service. Should we all survive the war, I imagine they will not be pleased to find my position unchanged."

"Samara..." Shepard's voice rang with alarm, but any actions or words she was considering vanished with Liara's squeeze of her hand.

The squeeze was followed by a forceful thought. _{Let it go, Shepard. It needs to be done. Who better, than Samara? She is well respected, else they would not have given her this time.}_

The Justicar smiled. "Thank you for your concern, Shepard, but I will be fine. I have always been willing to die for that which is good and just; our discussions have merely eliminated the tunnel vision instilled by centuries of blind faith. The Code has become irrelevant to modern Asari society and the time has come for it to adapt; I will be honored to take on that cause."

Liara brought them back to the task at hand. "I am pleased to hear that, Justicar, but we must focus on our current dilemma."

Samara blinked and, very surprisingly, nodded in deference to the younger Asari. "You are most correct, Mistress Liara, and our time grows short. To answer your question directly... Yes, such an arrangement _would_ be acceptable to me." Her attention shifted to her daughter. "Assuming, of course, it is what Falere and Aresia desire."

Aresia looked at Riana and saw both the concern for her and the guilt over Rila's death showing plainly on her sister's face. Aresia's focus finally shifted from Riana to Falere. "As much as I would like to remain here and help my sisters rebuild, I feel the need to do more." She turned to Liara as she continued, "I would be very happy to take Judea up on her offer, assuming the offer to be _crew_ and make a direct contribution to the war effort is an honest one. I want to play a part in taking the Reapers down and avenging the deaths of so many of my sisters."

"And I am sure the _Aletheia_ will be happy to have you, in any capacity, or they would not have extended the offer." Liara looked to Falere. "And you, Falere? Will you go with your mother, stay with your sisters here, or join Aresia in helping us fight the Reapers?"

Falere was silent for a long moment, her eyes boring into Liara's as if trying to peer into her very soul; used to Shepard's intensity, the Shadow Broker remained unbothered by the scrutiny and waited patiently for the answer. When Falere finally answered, she looked between Samara and Riana, her voice registering a forlorn sadness at the death of her sister. "I will go with Aresia. She may not be blood, but I owe it to Rila to at least attempt to avenge her death... and the _Aletheia_ seems to be the most direct path."

Samara didn't say a word. She simply nodded her acceptance of the decision, but Shepard saw the pain reflected in the old Justicar's eyes, wishing their lives could have been different. The commander's focus shifted to Riana and she saw a similar pain there. Shepard had already known the day was going to be difficult for her, but the added stresses of encountering a Justicar and facing Rila's demise and self-sacrifice had increased that difficulty at least ten-fold. And now, it seemed, Riana apparently felt she had let Falere down... Even though it was not in any way Riana's fault, Shepard feared she had taken Falere's initial scathing accusation, of leaving Rila to die, to heart. _For what should be considered a successful mission, it sure left a pile of shit behind._

Shepard took a calming breath and turned to her chief information operations officer.

"Liara. Please escort Bethany to Dr Chakwas and make the call to the _Aletheia_." Shepard's face was a stone mask as she looked at the Asari. "I'm going to stay behind with Garrus to speak with the remaining survivors... I'll send you a list of what supplies they'll need. We can download some of the Asari war rations and other basics to get them through the short-term until we can arrange for supply runs."

Liara said nothing, but was concerned; the last time she had seen such a lack of facial expression was immediately following Ashley's injury on Mars... and she knew it was an indication that Shepard was close to a breakpoint. She moved quickly, realizing the best thing she could do for her lover was to resolve the issue quickly and take the responsibility off the commander's shoulders.

Shepard worked with the survivors to prioritize what needed to be done while Liara returned to the ship with Bethany and to utilize the Broker network. Miranda had anticipated the call and the _Aletheia_ was already underway as Liara explained all that had happened. As she concluded, Miranda nodded with sympathy. "Sounds like a mess, but we'll be there in a little over three hours, so you won't have _too_ long to wait."

"Thank you, Miranda. That should give us plenty of time to determine requirements and download what we can spare from the Normandy to help them. It shouldn't be too difficult to find a copy of the Monastery supply lists and make arrangements for routine deliveries, especially since there were only fifteen survivors."

"Agreed. I'll work on it right away with Sellis, while Judea gets us there with all due haste." Miranda hesitated only briefly before speaking her mind. "And Liara? Care to tell me what's wrong? It's written all over your face."

Liara froze, exasperated with herself that she let her distress show so plainly. "I'm sorry, Miranda. I didn't mean to burden you... You have enough to worry about."

Miranda smiled. "It's fine, Liara... and it is _not_ a burden; I'd like to think of it as one friend helping another?"

Liara's lips curled up slightly at the edges, but the smile did not reach her eyes. "I suppose you are correct." All traces of the smile disappeared with a sigh. "Today was... painful. It reminded me of my mother and it was hard for Shepard to see her friends in such straights; being completely unable to aid them is extremely difficult for her." Liara forced a smile back onto her face. "But it's nearly over and we'll get through it. We always do."

"I'm sorry, Liara." Miranda's forehead creased with regret at having forced Liara to verbalize her grief. "But that's our shepherd; always watching out for her flock." Miranda nodded knowingly. "Thanks for the heads-up. We'll come prepared to relieve her of _this_ particular burden. She'll know that Aresia and Falere are already accepted into the fold and they will be well cared for. I promise."

An honest smile crossed Liara's lips. "_Thank_ you, Miranda. We'll see you soon." As she cut the connection, Liara thanked the Goddess that Samantha was so loved and had so many willing to watch out for her. Between them all, she had a renewed hope Commander Shepard actually had a chance to come through this war relatively intact.


	24. On the Edge

Notes:

CIC - Combat Information Center

_Kaffe_ \- equatorial Thessian vine, the seeds of which are used to produce a non-alcoholic beverage of the same name, the taste described as a mix of coffee and chocolate; blends originating in Dassus are considered among the best

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

VIP-1 - The T'Soni luxury transport assigned for Liara's travels

* * *

**On the Edge**

**SSV Normandy**

Shepard was tired but she kept her thoughts carefully guarded and to herself, watchful of the link. It had been a long day and once the elevator doors closed behind her, alone on her way to the loft, her shoulders sagged as she thought back over the day's events. It was a somber group that had boarded the _Aletheia_, but Judea had taken both of the Ardat-Yakshi under her arms and ushered them aboard. She had been Riana's pilot; she had traveled with the Vanguard to the Monastery and had met Aresia and her friends, so knew them almost as well as Riana did. Shepard had known they were in good hands as soon as she watched the commandos from the ship greet them both like long lost family.

Samara kept a brave face, but she had watched the _Aletheia's_ departure for too long, staring at the sky even after the ship had disappeared from view. When she finally dropped her eyes from the skyline, her stoic mask was firmly in place. "It is time I return to the fight. The Order is gathering on Thessia; we know it will not be long before the Reapers darken our own skies." She glanced back and forth between Shepard and Liara and dipped her head in polite farewell. "It has been good to see you both and I look forward to the next time we meet. But before I depart, I must tell you one thing. Know that no matter what happens with the war..." Samara looked pointedly at Shepard as she continued, "... or with the status of my oath to you..." Her glance drifted to Liara. "... that meeting _will_ be as friends."

Liara's brow markings had risen in surprise and the gesture brought a small smile to Samara's face. "Yes, Dr Liara T'Soni... Shadow Broker. I have remembered over the past year how to judge individuals by their _full_ merit, not only by a single evil they _may_ have committed. You will never have reason to fear me." Before either Liara or Shepard could say anything, Samara had stepped back, said, "May the Goddess grant us the opportunity to meet again," and was gone.

Riana, on the other hand, had been sullen and nearly silent, the normal post-mission banter completely absent. What few words she _did_ speak were curt and she disappeared the minute the shuttle landed on the Normandy and the hatch opened. Liara had followed her departure with her eyes and a worried frown, but she and Shepard had proceeded to the Med Bay to check on Bethany. They were met by a smiling Dr Chakwas who told them Bethany was little the worse for wear; she had a small contusion on the back of her head but, even though she had been briefly knocked unconscious, no signs of a concussion were evident. Karin had taken her off the duty roster merely as a precaution, but anticipated she would be ready for action by the time they arrived at Tuchanka the next morning.

From there, Liara had returned to her office and Shepard went to the comm room to place a call to Tevos. After Shepard's verbal report, the councilor apologized for the lack of information prior to the Normandy's arrival on Lesuss. "I am sorry, Shepard. Communications had been down for _hours_ and we had no idea the situation had deteriorated so quickly."

"It's alright, Tevos. But _remember_ that." Shepard leaned forward on the control console to emphasize her point. "When the Reapers come, there is _nothing_ slow about their attack. They move with _purpose_... either to convert victims to more Reaper troops or to kill. There is no middle ground and there is no negotiation."

"Understood, Shepard." The councilor paused as she absorbed the hard truth. "May the Ardat-Yakshi find peace. What the Reapers did to them was monstrous." Tevos scowled as she continued. "I have a... _request_... Please do _not_ put the information about the survivors in your formal report. I will handle their support personally. I fear it would cause panic on the homeworld to discover the Monastery is in ruins and its occupants unmonitored, since none of the staff survived. Those who did _not_ conform to the policies there were confined and undoubtedly would have been doomed to a fate _worse_ than death, had the Normandy not arrived when it did. If word of the survival of _any_ Ardat-Yakshi got out, well-behaved or not, I fear the Order would take action to eradicate _every_ survivor. Justicar Samara is most definitely an exception to the rule."

Shepard had agreed. "Understood, Tevos. You won't see or hear another mention of the sixteen outside of this call... especially the two Liara recruited. We've left the remaining fourteen in pretty good shape... and you don't need to worry about them because Liara has already arranged for their support. The T'Soni assets are vast and with Riana's sister being involved, Liara obviously has a _personal_ interest."

"Thank you, Shepard. That is good to know... and _please_, pass on my thanks to Dr T'Soni." Tevos glanced to the side and pulled herself into a more formal posture. Her tone changed and it was immediately apparent to Shepard someone had entered the room with the councilor as she continued. "I had another team of commandos headed to the Monastery who I can now formally transfer to Admiral Hackett's command. They'll serve you loyally, Commander. Farewell."

Shepard had popped to attention and saluted as her image faded. "Thank you, Councilor. I'll let him know to expect them."

Shepard had turned and walked directly to the elevator, pausing only briefly to talk to Traynor. "I'm headed to the loft for a break. Emergency-only contact for the next six hours."

Traynor simply acknowledged the order, but Shepard could see the questions in her eyes. "Perhaps you could do me a favor and check in on Riana when your shift is over, Specialist." Shepard looked away as the elevator door opened. Seeing no one inside, she finished her thought as she stepped in. "She had a rough day and could probably use some company."

As the elevator doors closed, the look on Traynor's face had been one of surprise. Shepard wasn't sure if it was because Traynor didn't realize that she was aware of the relationship or if it was because of her apparent support but, at the moment, Shepard didn't really care. She simply didn't want Riana to be alone through this. Her fellow Vanguard needed a _friend_, not a boss or a commander, and Shepard was in no condition to help her.

She finally stepped into the privacy of the loft and immediately shucked off her armor, piling it neatly by the end of the couch in preparation to start cleaning it. Before she started, she walked to her nightstand and opened the top drawer, staring at the journal that lay inside. Her fingers ghosted across the cover reverently and she picked it up, returning to the couch and sitting without opening it.

She could hear only her own heartbeat thrumming in her ears as she continued to stroke the book. Liara had been wrapped in memories and didn't realize she had broadcast those of her mother. With that thought at the forefront of her mind, Shepard opened the journal to the list in the back and stared at Benezia's name, taunting her in black and white, reminding her of her inability to protect those she loved. She realized the sisterly love she felt for Riana was very different than what she held for Liara, but she was still haunted by the look of guilt and regret she saw in the commando's eyes after Falere's comments about Rila. _You left her to die!_

In a sudden fit of frustrated rage, Shepard vaulted off the couch and threw her journal at the wall, cracking the spine and tearing the cover. She stared at it, shocked by her own actions, and picked it up carefully as tears started to trickle down her cheek. _What the fuck is __**wrong**__ with you? The Reapers are laying waste to the galaxy, hundreds of Asari just __**died**__ and you're standing here crying because you tore the cover on a damned __**journal**__?_

Her armor forgotten, she slumped back down onto the couch and cradled the book to her chest as she tried to stifle a choked sob, unable to stop the tears. Completely wrung out emotionally, she succumbed to the overwhelming feelings of failure and laid over, curling her knees up into a protective posture and quietly wept; all the names already in the journal, those she needed to add and all those she feared were yet to come accompanied her into an exhausted, troubled sleep.

* * *

Liara had walked into her office and proceeded immediately to the Broker terminal, quickly scanning through the supply lists and sources Miranda and Sellis had put together. One particularly large order caught her attention and she pulled up the details; it was a collection of dry goods and basic supplies which Liara recognized as one of her dig requisitions lists. It included everything a small team would need to set camp and all the food stuffs could be stored without need for refrigeration, easily carrying the fourteen through the next year. The meals would be boring, but designed specifically to meet Asari nutritional requirements. Noting a delivery date within the week, Liara nodded in approval and closed out the message system, knowing the crew of the _Aletheia_ had things well in hand.

She couldn't help but glance over her right shoulder at Riana's door, closed and apparently locked. She thought about knocking, but just as her hand moved upward, the outer door pinged with a request for entry. Liara hesitated only briefly before dropping her hand and going to answer the door; it turned out to be Garrus, somewhat concerned for Shepard. "I don't know, Liara. It almost seemed like she wasn't all there. I can't really put my finger on it, but she just seemed... off, somehow... and I just got notification that I have command of the Normandy for the next six hours."

While Liara was unable to hide her concern from the big Turian, neither was she able to explain what was happening with the commander. "I don't know _what_, exactly, since I was with _you_, but something happened today that made Shepard draw into herself. Even now, I get only a vague sense of her presence, almost as if she is sleeping. The _Aletheia_ taking on the task to develop a plan for the care and feeding of the Monastery survivors should have alleviated most of her worries, but I didn't sense any change in her demeanor. I'm trying to wrap everything up here so I can go talk to her. Something else is bothering her..." Liara pursed her lips in frustration at the fuzziness at the back of her mind that should have been Shepard. She finally continued, "... but I really have no idea what that may be."

"I'd better get out of your way so you can figure out what the hell is going on, then." Garrus' mandibles flapped in irritation. "I know I don't have to, but I'll say it anyway. We need her, Liara. Take care of her."

"I know, Garrus, but with the pace of this war and how _personally_ she takes every failure, it will most likely have to be a group effort." Liara's eyes clouded with worry. "I don't know if what I _alone_ can do will be enough."

Garrus surprised her by actually laughing. "Trust me, Liara. That woman will move the entire _galaxy_ for you if need be. You are more than _enough_... You are _everything_ to her."

"I'm not sure if that makes me feel better or more frightened." Liara's forehead wrinkled in thought. "Shepard is the strongest person I know. What good can _I_ possibly do if _she_ falters?"

"That's easy. You give her a reason to stand back up, simply by existing." Garrus smiled and affectionately squeezed Liara's arm. "Spirits. She came back from the _dead_ to find you. She's not going to let a few _Reapers_ get in the way of all those little blue children she wants."

"Oh, Goddess." Liara blushed slightly and smiled. "She told you about that?"

"Yes." Garrus' mandibles trembled with suppressed laughter. "Yes, she did. She loves you, Liara. You're all she'll _ever_ need. But... if _you_ could do with a hand, all you have to do is ask. You _know_ I'll gladly provide whatever you may require."

Liara breathed a sigh of relief at the gesture. "Of course I do, Garrus... but it's nice to be reminded once in a while."

He dropped his hand from Liara's arm. "I'd best let you get to it, then. Seriously, Liara. Call if you need _anything_. In the meantime, I'll be on the Bridge harassing Joker."

After Garrus walked out, Liara turned to her VI assistant. "Glyph. Can you tell if Riana is still awake?"

"Certainly, Dr T'Soni." Glyph suddenly bounced from the research terminal to spin slowly in front of Liara as he spoke. "The Normandy's bio-monitor indicates slowing brain waves and rhythmic breathing, suggesting she has recently entered a stage 2 sleep pattern."

"Thank you, Glyph." Not wanting to disturb Riana's rest, Liara moved to her work terminal but found the concentration required to translate the Prothean texts she was toiling over most definitely lacking. She had just turned away from the terminal in disgust when a shooting pain lanced through her head and her hand jerked involuntarily to her temple. _What in the galaxy...? That __**almost**__ felt like a forced __**meld**__!_

Her eyes flew open wide with the sudden reopening of the link, accompanied by an uncontrolled flash of anger. Liara's voice was urgent as she spoke into the open air, "Edi? Where is the Commander?"

"Commander Shepard is currently in your quarters, Liara." Always helpful, Edi continued, "She recently requested six hours of privacy mode, citing emergency-contact only."

"Thank you, Edi." Liara spun back to her terminal and practically punched the lock-down button. "Glyph! I need you to monitor the network until further notice; set emergency protocols to level three." She waited impatiently for a response before hurrying out the door; it was dinner time and the Mess had a number of people walking about. Liara thought nothing of it until she got to the elevator and there was a group of people moving in and out. She stepped in, only to find it was going down to Engineering... and then to the Hangar deck before reversing and slowly proceeding back upward, stopping again at the crew deck and then once more at the CIC.

The trip had seemed agonizingly slow and Liara was almost ready to blast the door open with a warp by the time the elevator finally reached the loft. She stepping out quickly and entered their darkened quarters, her eyes immediately searching for Samantha. Not seeing her anywhere, she first glanced into the bath and then worked her way down the stairs. Seeing the commander curled up on her side on the couch, Liara softly queried, "Shepard?"

Getting no response, Liara paused and took in the scene. Shepard was still in her under-armor skins, so had obviously _not_ yet showered, and her armor was piled at the end of the couch and not stored in the locker. A closer inspection quickly revealed it had not yet been cleaned and as Liara looked on in mounting confusion, wondering what could have _possibly_ interrupted Shepard's normal preparedness rituals, she finally caught sight of the journal clutched to Samantha's breast.

"Oh, Goddess, Shepard," Liara whispered as she reached in and gently removed it from Samantha's grip. Setting the book on the coffee table, Liara sat carefully on the couch, nestling herself into the curve of Shepard's stomach. One hand resting softly on Shepard's side, Liara studied the face before her and realized Samantha was _not_ in peaceful repose; her face was drawn and streaked with dried tears.

She reached out slowly, cupped Shepard's cheek for direct skin contact and narrowed her eyes in concentration. _{Samantha? Siame? Will you talk to me?}_

Shepard's brow wrinkled and she mumbled something incoherently before her eyelids started to flutter. She groaned and her eyes slowly crept open. "Liara? What time's it?"

Liara smiled reassuringly, "It's still dinner time, Samantha. You only just fell asleep... but I felt a surge of anger come through the link and was compelled to check on you."

Shepard hummed and stretched her body out straight. "It was stupid. Nothing to worry about."

"Shepard. Please, _talk_ to me." Liara pointed at the journal. "When I came in, _that_ was clutched to your chest and it was quite obvious you were upset." Liara leaned over and brushed her lips softly across Samantha's. "You had no control over the things that happened today. Please tell me you did _not_ add anyone's name to your journal?"

Shepard didn't hesitate. "I didn't add anyone's name to the journal."

The response came _much_ too quickly, so Liara's brow markings rose in question. "Truly? Or are you merely saying that because you know it's what I want to hear?"

"Hey. Not nice." Shepard stroked Liara's back gently with her right hand. "I won't _lie_ to you, Liara."

"You're right. I'm sorry." Liara hummed softly and arched slightly into Samantha's touch. "So, that begs the question... What made you so angry?"

Shepard sighed, knowing Liara wasn't going to let it go and, at the same time, being glad she wouldn't; Shepard knew she had to talk about it and not let things pile on. "Everything?" She leaned up a bit and propped her head up with her left hand while subconsciously continuing to rub Liara's back. "_Starting_ with the Reapers being on Lesuss to _begin_ with. How the hell did they even _know_ about that place?"

"I imagine they learned of it from Asari. We've run into Banshees before, so we _know_ they've taken some of us from the colonies. It would only take _one_ of those captured to know about it. I wouldn't be surprised if Sovereign had learned of them from my mother." At the mention of Benezia, Liara saw Shepard flinch and it didn't take her long to figure it out. "Shepard? Why would...? Oh, Goddess be damned! You _felt_ me today, didn't you?"

Shepard almost looked... guilty... so Liara didn't wait for an answer. "You did! I thought I kept that to myself but I should know better. We are linked _much_ too tightly for that... Exactly like you trying to hide being upset and angry. It doesn't work in _either_ direction."

Liara cupped the side of Shepard's face again, tenderly stroking her cheek with her thumb. "I am _so_ sorry. You had enough on your mind today without _that_ blindsiding you."

Shepard leaned into her touch. "It's okay, Li. Like I said. Everything. _Benezia_ coming up was just one little piece. Banshees. Rila. Falere. Benezia. Samara. _Riana_." Shepard pulled back and swung her legs off the couch, finally sitting up. Liara was forced to turn around, since Shepard was now behind her. Shepard almost whispered, "Gods. Did you hear what Falere _said_ to her?"

Liara shook her head slowly; based on the way Shepard spoke of it, she didn't think she _wanted_ to know... but Shepard told her anyway. Liara paled slightly at the news. "No _wonder_ she was so quiet and went directly to her room!"

Liara suddenly stood and extended her hand. "Like you, she went somewhere private to let her emotions out... and, like you, she probably didn't shower or eat. So, come on. Up."

When Shepard didn't move fast enough to take her hand, Liara bent over, just far enough, and captured the commander's wrist, hauling her up off the couch. "First, a shower."

Wasting no time, Liara grabbed Shepard's armor skin and peeled it up and over her head. "Come on. Finish getting yourself undressed... so I can as well. We _both_ can use a shower." Liara peeled her own top off and continued, "Then, we're going to my office, rousing Riana from the back room, and we're all going to go eat."

Trying not to stare at the suddenly bare-chested beauty before her, Shepard answered, "Yes, Ma'am" and grinned. "And then, when dinner is done, we'll come up here and finish _our_ discussion while _Traynor_ keeps Riana entertained and talking." Based on the look from Liara, Shepard realized she needed to explain, "I _may_ have told Traynor that she should check on Riana once her CIC shift was over..."

* * *

**A few hours prior, Lesuss, Mesana, Nimbus Cluster**

Falere glared at the commando; the answer from Aresia's sister was no more _satisfactory_ than her own mother's had been. "You left her to _die_!"

Riana's head jerked back as if she had been slapped and her throat tightened with emotion to the point where she was unable to speak. Again, she was surprised when the Justicar came to her defense but she was distracted from what Samara was saying by a firm grip on her upper left arm and a soft voice in her ear. "Ri. Pay her words no heed. She is hurting... and we can both relate to her pain, from when each of _us_ thought the other lost to us." Once she had Riana's full attention, Aresia's grip on her arm lessened but she did not let go as she continued, "The loss of a sister is... _difficult_... and _many_ are not as lucky as us... to find one another again."

Riana brought her right hand up and laid it atop her sister's. "When did you get to be so wise... and understanding, Squirt?"

Aresia's lips turned up into a light smile. "It's amazing what a hundred years of daily meditations can do for one's patience, Riana. Like for when you insist on calling me that _awful_ nickname even though I am now an adult."

Riana couldn't quite find it within herself to smile and her forehead wrinkled in dismay. "It's true... what we said about Rila." Riana blinked slowly and she swallowed some of her grief. "She had her hands around my throat, Rez. I was so surprised, I did nothing. The Justicar knocked her own child off me, to the floor."

"Of course it is the truth... I would never expect anything else to cross your lips. Falere will come to realize this in time." Aresia shook her head. "If not for what you told me of Sovereign, I would know little of what the Reapers are capable of and would find it difficult to believe as well. I will speak to her, Riana; Falere will realize soon enough that you are not to blame and redirect her anger toward the proper target."

While speaking, Aresia had also been keeping tabs on the conversation between the Justicar, Shepard and Liara and gestured to Riana to listen in as she said, "Especially if we end up helping fight the war from the _Aletheia_."

A shiver ran down Riana's spine and she gripped Aresia's hand more tightly. "I was hoping you could stay with me on the Normandy!" She hissed her words quietly between clenched teeth. "I certainly won't let that..." Riana's words fell away into stunned silence as she listened to the Justicar renounce the Code in its current form; Samara was _full_ of surprises.

"That's not possible, Ri, and you know it. Justicar _Samara_ may no longer enforce the Code as it stands, but every other Justicar out there will continue to try. The Normandy is _much_ too high profile to carry an Ardat-Yakshi on her crew. You cannot keep me hidden; it wouldn't work."

"But I _miss_ you, Rez!" Riana's jaw started to set as her face settled into an angry scowl.

"And I, you... but there is nothing to be done about it at the moment." Aresia pulled her hand away from Riana's grip and again stroked her sister's face. "Perhaps when the war is over. If nothing else, we'll at least have a _long_ visit, yes?"

Riana's scowl did not soften and she turned away, blinking away tears of concern and anger, knowing she had no way to influence what was about to happen. She was the right hand of arguably the two most influential people in the galaxy and yet she was impotent. Deserved or not, Falere currently held her accountable for Rila's death and Aresia remained an Ardat-Yakshi who had to be kept out of the public eye. In reality, there was no place better or safer for her than on one of the Broker ships and it irked Riana to have to admit it.

Aresia started to reach for Riana, but stopped when Samara spoke her name. "Assuming, of course, it is what Falere and Aresia desire."

One glance at Falere told Aresia her friend was not yet prepared to answer the unasked question, so Aresia looked to Riana, apology in her eyes as she answered the Justicar for herself. "As much as I would like to remain here and help my sisters rebuild, I feel the need to do more." She turned to Liara as she continued, "I would be very happy to take Judea up on her offer, assuming the offer to be _crew_ and make a direct contribution to the war effort is an honest one. I want to play a part in taking the Reapers down and avenging the deaths of so many of my sisters."

Liara had accepted her response with grace and eventually elicited the same answer from Falere. Once Falere finally answered, she looked as if she wanted to verbally accost Riana again, so Aresia intercepted her and pulled her off to the side. They stood together, heads bent and forearms clasped together; Riana quickly figured out they were reciting meditation mantras and turned with silent frustration back to her teammates.

They _all_ worked for the next three hours, making space in one of the largest gardening outbuildings so the survivors could use it as their new residence. It already had heat and water, but they needed to salvage enough materials to create sleeping spaces. It wouldn't be the most _luxurious_ of accommodations, but it _would_ keep them warm and dry.

With thirteen berths aboard, the _Aletheia_ arrived with food stores to spare and plenty of linens for the make-shift beds. Everyone quickly realized it wouldn't be long before the survivors' quality of life was very close to where it had been prior to the Reaper attack. It would take much longer for the emotional wounds to heal; they each had lost many friends. The original population had been close to a thousand and they were down to a paltry sixteen... two of whom were leaving.

The supplies were unloaded and stored quickly and, before long, it was time to board. Aresia frowned as she looked about, realizing Riana was nowhere to be seen. She closed her eyes in dissatisfied contemplation, knowing Riana couldn't bear another goodbye and wishing they hadn't been so busy the last three hours that they barely had a chance to talk. With a shake of her head, she greeted Judea with a sad smile and boarded the _Aletheia_ along with Falere, each tucked protectively under one of the pilot's arms.

Riana watched from the darkness of the Normandy's shuttle; she had slipped into its shadows while everyone else watched the _Aletheia_ approach. She felt an additional stab of guilt as she watched Aresia's face fill with disappointment, knowing full well her sister was looking for her. She remained in the shadows as the _Aletheia's_ hatch sealed and the ship lifted off; as it vanished into the clouds, she turned to stow all the gear that had been pulled out over the last three hours before silently joining Cortez in the cockpit. His focus returned quickly to his instruments, but the lieutenant had given her a fleeting look as she glided into the copilot's seat. "I know you probably don't want to talk, but you need to know you're not alone, Riana. Everyone on the Normandy is family... We all watch out for one another and we're all here for you."

Riana didn't say a word but nodded in acceptance of his statement, helping him finish the preflight just as she had helped Judea so many times on the VIP-1. As they finished up the checklists, Riana stood and returned to the back, taking her accustomed seat beside Liara, opposite Shepard. Liara looked at her and spoke softly, "Aresia missed you. She wanted to say goodbye."

Riana did not look up, staring down at her feet as she spoke defiantly, "It is _not_ goodbye. We will see each other again... and Falere wants nothing to do with me, so I thought it best to simply... _avoid_... any possible confrontation."

"She will eventually see the truth, Riana. She'll get over the initial shock of losing Rila and Aresia will ensure she realizes the only one to forgive is herself for how she treated you." Liara's voice was soothing, but elicited no response from the commando. With a sigh, Liara turned to Shepard and they began discussing the surprising changes in Samara's attitude in reference to the Justicar Code.

Riana leaned back and closed her eyes, trying to shut out their voices; the _last_ thing she wanted to hear about was the Justicar; thinking of Samara was too disturbing, as it made her question _every single precept_ upon which she had based her entire life after Aresia had been taken. Trying to ignore them didn't work and she thanked the Goddess the trip back to the Normandy was short; she departed the shuttle as soon as the hatch opened and didn't look back. Without thinking, she skipped her mandatory stop at the Med Bay and went directly through the Broker office to her room, ignoring Glyph and locking the door behind her. It wasn't until she sat on the end of her bed to take off her boots and undo her leathers that she realized her hands were shaking.

She stared at her hands and, when completely unsuccessful at willing them to be still, proceeded to concentrate on undoing the clasps and removing her boots, hoping the familiar actions would provide distraction from the thoughts running rampant through her mind. Because of the discussion on the shuttle, Justicar Samara was foremost in her thoughts. Her boots removed, she stood and paced as she removed all her equipment and weapons, stopping only when it was finally time to pull off the pants of her leathers.

Samara had been nothing like what Riana had assumed she would be, and the commando had to wonder exactly what the term _'removed'_ meant in the world of the Justicars. Judging by Samara's tone, Riana was fairly confident it meant Davos had been summarily executed... and she questioned that she felt nothing with that revelation. _What have I become, that I so easily accept the death of a fellow Asari and feel absolutely no sorrow? Am I no better than the Justicars?_

Her thoughts turned to Aresia. After everything that had happened to her, somehow, her sister managed to remain kind and patient... Riana sighed and went to her beverage station, making a cup of _Kaffe._ The soothing drink warmed and relaxed her throat and by the time she finished the cup, she almost felt like she could breathe again. She had heard Liara enter the office, but didn't feel like talking; with a glance at her door to confirm she had locked it, she slid onto the bed and closed her eyes. Even with the tumult of thoughts rolling through her mind, her years of commando training took over. After a few moments of rhythmic, meditative breathing, she slipped into sleep.

* * *

She was awakened by a light tap at her door accompanied by Liara's soft voice calling her name. Riana groaned and looked at her chrono. She hadn't used an alarm in years and wondered straight away if the stressful events of the day had caused her to oversleep. She quickly realized it had been less than an hour and wondered what was wrong; Liara _always_ respected her privacy unless something was amiss. She rose quickly and unlocked her door, speaking as it opened, "Mistress Liara? What's happened?"

She was surprised when the opening door revealed not only Liara, but a red-faced Shepard spinning away quickly to face out into the Broker office. Liara's brow markings went up as she almost choked, trying to suppress a laugh. Riana had stripped her leathers off before going to sleep and, thinking something was wrong, hadn't bothered to put anything on in her haste to answer the door. Shepard had inadvertently gotten her first full frontal view of a very _naked_ Riana Iregos. Relieved of her worry by Liara's laughter, Riana rolled her eyes in mock exasperation. "Goddess. It's amazing you Humans can even _have_ sex! So uptight about nudity."

Liara's face tinted slightly at the word _sex_ and, even in her dour mood, it made Riana smile as she turned to grab a robe. "I guess that's an additional reason why you two are the perfect pair." As she knotted the belt around her waist, she said, "It's safe now, Shepard. You can turn around."

The commander's face was still red when she turned back and she coughed lightly. "Yeah. Sorry, Riana. I'm not sure that's something I'll ever be able to get used to."

"Apparently nothing is _wrong_, so what is so important that you wake me from a much needed rest?" Riana's tone had changed and picked up a bit of irritation.

"For much needed food. Get yourself dressed; we are all going to eat... and don't feel like you are being singled out. I also hauled Shepard from _her_ nap. We all expended a lot of energy using our biotics today so we _must_ eat." Liara's tone also turned serious, letting Riana know there was no room for negotiation. "Then, after dinner, you are going directly to the Med Bay for the mandatory post-mission scan that you neglected."

An admonished Riana could not meet Liara's eyes. It was very unlike her to skirt duty and she had to admit, "I am sorry, Mistress. I honestly forgot about it... _completely_."

Liara reached out and gently raised Riana's chin. "I figured as much." Looking into Riana's clouded expression, Liara stepped forward and embraced the commando, whispering quietly in her ear. "It's alright, Riana. I'm not angry... simply concerned. You need to retain your energy and your focus through this. I realize that may be very... _difficult_... for you right now, so we're here to help you." She stepped away and gave Riana a gentle push. "Please, get dressed. I'm starving."

The three ate in relatively companionable silence, with only a brief mention of the upcoming mission on Tuchanka. They had no idea what they would be facing when they got there. Shepard's only desire was that Cerberus had been kicked off the planet so they only had to face one enemy at a time.

As they were finishing up, Samantha Traynor walked into the Mess. Her entrance was met with smiles all the way around, so she joined them at the table. Shepard and Liara stood as Traynor sat. "We're not leaving because you showed up, Traynor..." Shepard clapped her gently on the shoulder. "I'm absolutely beat and we need to get some rack time before we get to Tuchanka."

As the commander and Liara departed hand-in-hand, Riana looked at the specialist. "Are you going to eat?"

"I actually already have. I was coming down to see you." Traynor offered up a small smile that was not returned.

"I need to see Dr Chakwas for my post-mission scan and then I'm headed to my room." Riana's focus fell to the table. "I too need to sleep and doubt I'll be very good company."

Traynor stood and shrugged, "Then let's get the scan done and find some privacy." As Riana's eyes came up to meet hers in question, Traynor continued, "Later, Riana. Come on."

The commando frowned slightly, but did as she was told. The scan was always quick and, soon enough, they found themselves in Riana's room. The commando was fidgety, so Samantha slipped her arms around her in a comforting embrace. "Relax, Riana. I'm not here to _force_ you to do anything you don't want to. You don't have to talk about it. I read the reports... _all_ the reports, not just the _official_ version." Traynor stepped back and held Riana's gaze as she continued to hold her shoulders. "I know what happened down there."

Riana squeezed her eyes shut to avoid Sammi's penetrating stare. "I... I am... relieved that you _know_, but... I am not ready to speak of it."

"That's fine." Sammi's voice was quiet and soothing. "You don't need to talk right now, but you _do_ need to realize that I'll be ready to listen whenever you _are_ ready." Traynor used Riana's shoulders to turn her and pushed her back until she sat on the bed. She then walked to the side of the bed and plopped herself down, leaning back against the headboard. "Now. Come up here and at least let me hold you for awhile. You're not alone, Riana, and I plan on making sure you understand you'll never be alone again... not for a very... _long_... time."

Riana opened her eyes and turned to look back over her shoulder at the normally shy Human currently sitting on her bed. Traynor's brown eyes had lost their intensity and their softness pulled at the Asari's heart. Riana found herself sliding up the bed, but instead of sitting up and leaning against the headboard as Sammi had done, she leaned over and placed her head on Traynor's lap. Samantha smiled and remained silent as she placed her left hand gently on Riana's arm, softly caressing her shoulder, as her right hand moved to tenderly stroke the Asari's forehead and top crests.

Since their last private discussion, Traynor now knew to avoid the tips and the bottom folds that rose up off of Riana's neck. As much as she wanted to experiment and find out what it felt like to make love to Riana, she knew now was not the time and she contented herself with the soothing strokes. It was almost like holding a cat in her lap; the soft scales were certainly different than fur but, after a few moments, Traynor could feel and hear what she could only describe as a _purr_ emanating from the Asari.

She remained silent and continued her strokes until Riana's breathing reached a rhythm where Traynor was sure she was sleeping. After a brief moment's thought as to what to do, she simply slid down, slowly so as to not wake the resting Asari, until Riana's head was nestled in the crook of Traynor's shoulder and breast. Placing a soft kiss on Riana's crest, Sammi closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around Riana, whispering softly, "Sleep well, Riana, knowing that tonight, I am _your_ shield."


	25. Unwelcome Guests

Notes:

Balls-up - screwed up, in a situation that has not gone according to plan

Buggered - worn out, broken, ruined

FTL - Faster than light

QEC - Quantum Entanglement Communicator. Instantaneous point-to-point secure communications device; cannot be intercepted between source and destination

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

* * *

**Unwelcome Guests**

**SSV Normandy, At Large**

Traynor was too keyed up for sleep; she glanced at the chrono beside Riana's bed and actually wished time would go by a bit faster. The Asari cuddled up next to her continued to breathe in the slow, rhythmic pattern indicating deep sleep; Traynor almost couldn't believe her good fortune. Riana had come to trust her… enough so that she had fallen into a deep sleep almost as soon as she placed her head in Sammi's lap. _What the hell am I thinking? She got back from a mission that was totally balls-up... During which she managed to find her sister alive, only to have her leave on the Aletheia! She's got to be emotionally buggered! She's __**exhausted**__; of course she's sleeping!_

So far, Traynor had found it impossible to fall asleep and now she had to make a decision; there were only a couple of hours remaining before the 'one-hour out' call for Tuchanka would be broadcast over the Normandy's notification system, so she decided to stay awake. She knew anything less than four hours of sleep would leave her groggy and make it difficult to concentrate; better to simply stay awake at this point than to have her mind numbed with an insufficient nap.

Thinking about the upcoming mission was somewhat worrisome for Traynor. She had the utmost confidence in Commander Shepard's battlefield prowess and her uncanny ability to bring her team back from the jaws of death, but nothing could be taken for granted; they had barely gotten started before Lieutenant Commander Williams ended up in the hospital, then the Primarch's son died... and even _Shepard_ was taken out of action by a damned Cerberus sniper.

_On this_ mission, the team would most likely only be opposed by Reaper spawn… Human and Batarian husks at the least... which, thus far, had not proven to be overly difficult. She had seen the reports concerning the more advanced, meaning deadlier, Reaper spawn, such as the corrupted Turians, Brutes and Ravagers. At least they wouldn't have to also contend with Cerberus.

She said a silent prayer for the person sleeping next to her, then tilted her head down and gently placed a second kiss on Riana's crest, noting not for the first time the enticing smell of eezo and oiled leather. Riana's position as First to Liara meant she'd be in the thick of any fighting Liara herself was involved in and, with Shepard being Liara's promised mate, she knew Riana would lay down her life for either one of them, something Traynor fiercely hoped would never be necessary.

She glanced at the chrono again before attempting to calm her mind by mentally performing navigational calculations for distance, velocity and time. It wasn't long until Edi's voice came over the comm, announcing one-hour out to Tuchanka. Time to get ready…

* * *

**SSV Normandy, Krogan DMZ**

Shepard was checking Liara's armor over one last time, making sure all the closures were secure. At the same time, Riana was prepping weapons and laying out the spare thermal clips for everyone to start loading into storage pockets. Wrex was pacing and grumbling about how it must have been at least twenty minutes since the ten-minute-out call when Joker's voice cut in over the comm. "All hands, full stop! Commander! We've got hostiles at the landing coordinates!"

Based on the pitch of Joker's voice, Shepard immediately assumed it was _not_ good. "What have we got, Joker?"

"There's a damn _Reaper_ sitting at the Shroud! No way you'll get in there with a shuttle!"

_Fuck_! Shepard drew in a deep breath. "Alright. I need the ground team in the War Room. Edi; can you get me eyes on the Shroud?"

"Affirmative, Shepard. The display will be ready before you get there."

"Thanks, Edi." Shepard cast a worried glance at Liara as they moved. "Go figure. I _knew_ it couldn't be easy."

As was typical, Mordin was way ahead of them and had already been studying the display. He began speaking as soon as the commander started down the steps to the central display terminal. "New form of Reaper, Shepard. Using Shroud to poison Tuchanka's atmosphere. Problematic."

Wrex growled, "They want a fight, they just got one!"

Shepard glanced around the table. "I wish I could say I didn't expect something like this, but I'd be lying. We need a multi-prong attack."

Everyone realized Shepard had prepared ahead of time for this contingency when her eyes moved without hesitation to Adrien Victus. "Primarch, I need your fighters to hit the Reaper with an airstrike while we go in on the ground with the Krogan." Her eyes then moved quickly to cover everyone standing around the table. "We don't have to _destroy_ it; we simply need to draw it away from the _tower_."

"Yes. Of course. Distraction." Mordin perked up. "You draw it away and we sneak in to synthesize and dispense cure. Will need Eve to come with me."

Victus was calm as he spoke, but his words were anything but comforting. "That could be difficult. Our losses on Palaven have been catastrophic."

"You want Krogan boots on _Palaven_; you give me fighters... now or never." Shepard glared at the Primarch, knowing at the very least, he was flirting with the total loss of the Turian homeworld, if not the entire galaxy.

"Never known a _Turian_ to back down from a fight." Wrex growled and his lip curled in anger. "But if you don't help us now, you'll never see even a single Krogan on your rock."

"Please. I said _difficult_, not that I wouldn't... or couldn't... do it." Victus' voice reflected disdain as he responded. "But we'll have to pull the fighter patrols from the Citadel to do it quickly."

Shepard frowned. "Define quickly."

The Primarch shrugged. "If we pull them from the Citadel, it's merely the jump and an hour or so of FTL. If I pull them from Palaven, add an additional two hours of travel time, minimum. Assuming, of course, they can escape through the Reaper net surrounding the planet; Fedorian didn't even make it from the moon to the homeworld, much less all the way to the Relay."

"Shit." Shepard didn't take long to make the decision. "Pull them from the patrols, not the combat units. We'll have to keep our fingers crossed that no one notices it soon enough to take advantage."

They all stood by as Victus made the call and the countdown started. As soon as the call terminated, Wrex spoke. "_We're_ still going now. I need the time to call up the clans, tell them the plan and get our forces moving. Your fighters better be on time, or those of us on the ground will all be Reaper fodder."

Victus nodded. "Coming from the Citadel? They'll be here."

Shepard glanced around the table once more. "We've never faced a Reaper up close like this. Everyone on board?"

Wrex looked pointedly at Mordin and huffed, "There's even a _doubt_? Let's _move_, Pyjak! It's time to cure the _Genophage_."

As the group started out to head to the shuttle bay, Specialist Traynor cut in before Shepard left the room. "Commander? Incoming vid call marked _urgent_ from Sur'Kesh. I'm sending it to the comm room for you."

She glanced at Liara. "Go ahead. I'll be down momentarily." A light grin split her lips as she continued, "Don't let Wrex get impatient and leave without me."

Liara smiled back. "Then it's a good thing he most likely wants you along... I very much doubt we could _stop_ him if he truly wanted to go."

* * *

Shepard expected it to be Major Kirrahe or Spectre Bau on the line, so was _unpleasantly_ surprised when the hologram resolved into a figure quite different. Shepard growled, "Get to the point, Dalatrass. I have a mission to complete."

"No need to be hostile, Shepard." The Dalatrass was being sickeningly polite, so Shepard _knew_ she was up to something. "I know you've reached Tuchanka... and I imagine Mordin Solus has proposed using the Shroud."

"Am I supposed to be _impressed_ that you know where we are? Last chance to get to it. What do you want?" Shepard stood with her arms crossed and a prominent scowl on her face.

"Commander, you can't allow the diplomatic pressures of this war to _cloud_ your judgment."

"Dalatrass, you fought us every step of the way during our _last_ meeting. Quit wasting my time by pretending to negotiate when you really have absolutely _no_ intention of doing so. I have a schedule to keep." Shepard's hand reached forward for the disconnect button and the Dalatrass' eyes flew open wide. She hadn't honestly thought the Human commander would cut her off without hearing her out.

She blurted out, "We're prepared to give you the full support of our fleets and our top scientists to help with the crucible!"

Shepard's hand paused over the kill switch. "So call Admiral Hackett and coordinate it with _him_. Why call me?"

"Do you honestly _believe_ curing the Genophage will end in _lasting_ peace?" The Dalatrass moved forward and leaned into the projection.

"With Wrex and Eve at the helm? Yes, I do. Your point?" Shepard's hand still hovered, so the Dalatrass chose her words carefully.

"Years ago, our operatives _sabotaged_ the Shroud facility to make sure what you're planning _couldn't_ be done. Our scientists are yours... all _you_ need to do is sufficiently distract Dr Solus so he doesn't see and repair the sabotage. The cure's viability will be altered _just enough..._ so that it fails. _No one_ will notice the change."

Shepard's face went red with anger and her voice dropped low, seething with resentment. "If you think I would even _consider_ such a thing, you are more deluded than I imagined." Shepard's hand slowly curled into a fist as she finished with, "Stay out of my way, Dalatrass. _Trust_ me when I say you do _**not**_ want me as an enemy." The commander's gloved fist came down hard and the projection winked out as the connection was terminated.

* * *

**Tuchanka, Krogan DMZ**

Shepard stormed onto the shuttle, turned and punched the hatch control. "Move it, Cortez. We're behind schedule, so see if you can make up some time."

"Aye aye, Ma'am!" Steve simply acknowledged the command and launched the shuttle.

Liara followed the commander with her eyes, waiting for her to sit so she could ask what was wrong, but she didn't have a chance before Wrex walked over to Shepard and spoke with her. "I've given Cortez the coordinates to the Hollows. It's our sacred meeting ground and should prevent anyone from bleeding Solus before we have a chance to explain our plan."

Mordin's eyes went wide, but he said nothing as Wrex continued. "We'll take an armored convoy from there to get to the Reaper. With those things crawling around, I imagine everyone will come with armored vehicles, so getting a Tomkah to use won't be an issue."

Shepard's head bobbed quickly and she practically growled. "Good. Having ground transport should help us make up the time I lost on that _worthless_ vid call."

Wrex didn't catch the tone of Shepard's reply; he was staring off into space as he said, "This will be a defining moment in Krogan history."

Mordin looked at the Krogan in disbelief. "Krogan history _filled_ with defining moments. Most bloody. Hope this one better."

_Wrex_ may not have heard Shepard, but _Eve_ did. "Commander. You seem... _troubled_... by that call. Perhaps it would help to speak of it?"

Shepard's lips curled up at the very tips in appreciation. "Yes, actually... it would." She had every intention of informing the Krogan and Mordin about the sabotage, but didn't get to finish her statement before the shuttle rocked hard with an impact to its shields.

Cortez called out, "Commander! The LZ is hot!"

At the same time, Wrex's comm buzzed with an incoming message. "Wrex, it's Wreav! The Reapers are already at the Hollows! Come out with guns blazing!"

Shepard reached for her Graal as she called out, "You heard him! Gun up, folks. We're jumping out of the pan into the fire!"

Only the Alliance troops knew what Shepard meant, but everyone else figured it out pretty quickly as Vega, Westmoreland, Campbell and Edi all drew weapons and slapped in their heat sinks. The others followed their lead as Wrex opened the hatch and immediately blasted a Husk standing right outside the shuttle.

He hopped out and shouted back, "Shepard, keep them away from the female! I'll sort out what's happening with the other clans!"

Shepard stood in the door and shouted, "Garrus, Campbell... Stay with Mordin, guard Eve and try to watch our six from here. Vega... you've got Edi, Westmoreland and Riana." Her focus shifted and she looked at their newest team member, out on his first mission. "Javik. You and Liara are with me."

"As you wish, Commander." Javik's voice was completely emotionless. "Mission parameters?"

Shepard grinned. "Kill all the Reaper spawn."

For the first time since they picked him up on Eden Prime, he was in his natural element and Javik actually smiled. "_That_ I can do."

The first group was nothing but Husks and the battle for the Hollows was over relatively quickly. Shepard was pleased, as it gave her an opportunity to evaluate Javik's battle prowess without really having to worry about staying alive through a tough fight at the same time. He turned out to be a very strong combatant and Shepard realized if he could get over his superiority complex and get along with the others, he'd be an incredible asset to the team. Wrex returned, his voice roaring with victory, "They'll sing battle songs about this someday. Reaper blood has finally soaked our soil."

The various Krogan clans were scattered throughout the Hollows but, at that moment, it didn't matter what clan they belonged too; they all roared in appreciation of Wrex's comments. That all changed the minute a Salarian stepped into the open. Mordin spoke above the rabble so Shepard could hear him, "Female safe, Shepard. Vitals are strong."

The entire group was silenced by their surprise until a large Krogan stepped forward and challenged Mordin's presence, growling out, "What's a _Salarian_ doing here? Nobody said anything about this!"

Mordin looked around and spoke very calmly, "Multiple Krogan. Problematic."

Shepard narrowed her eyes and stepped forward. "Who are _you_?"

"Urdnot Wreav." He walked toward Wrex. "Brood brother to our... _illustrious_ leader."

Wrex's lip curled in distaste. "Wreav and I share the same mother. And _nothing_ else."

Wreav didn't back off. Instead, he leaned in and growled, "For which I'm _thankful_... _I_ remember what it means to be a _true_ Krogan." He took a step back so he was closer to his rank and file, glancing at his supporters as he continued, "_We_ flay our enemies alive and drown them in a geyser of their own blood. We _don't_ invite them into our home!" His dark eyes turned and focused on Mordin.

Shepard was not intimidated and she stepped in front of Mordin to glare at Wreav, meeting his reptilian stare without flinching. "He's here to _cure_ the Genophage."

Wreav walked toward his challenger and grunted, "His kind _gave_ us the Genophage! Why should we trust _him_?"

He never made it close to Shepard; as he attempted to shoulder past Wrex, the clan leader reared back and head butted Wreav, staggering his brother backward. "Because _I_ do... And so will you, _Wreav_."

Wreav growled and pulled his shotgun, but before anything else could happen, Eve's voice rang from the back. "Enough!" The group immediately fell silent and she proceeded to berate them all for their senseless hatred. Shepard thought she understood Krogan but was surprised with the level of respect the warriors accorded their female Shaman. When Eve finished her speech the room echoed with a profound silence into which she made a final statement. "You can continue to kill each other off or you can fight the enemy you were born to destroy... and win a new future for our children."

She looked around the central chamber where all the clan heads had come together and stared each one of them in the face as she shamed them with her next four words. "I choose to fight." After a very brief pause, she asked, "Who will join me?"

Shepard didn't hesitate to step forward. "I will."

Wrex chuckled and pounded a huge fist down on Shepard's shoulder as he stepped up to join her. "And so will I." He then turned to the clan leaders and raised his voice to the crowds. "And so will the _rest_ of you... So hold your heads high like true _Krogan_. There's a _Reaper_ that needs killing!"

* * *

As they traveled across Tuchanka in the Tomkah, Liara slid in beside Shepard and gripped her hand to get the commander's attention. Her eyes were pinched with worry; Shepard had shut the link out and Liara needed to know why. She lowered her voice so only Shepard would hear. "_Siame_. Why are you closed to me?"

Shepard immediately dropped her block. "Sorry, Blue. Didn't realize I was doing that... I was reining in my anger... and pulled _everything_ closed by accident." She smiled lightly at the Asari to soothe her concern, yet shook her head with disgust as she continued. "I'll explain... to everyone." She gave Liara's hand a squeeze and stood to speak, but the conversation was again delayed by an announcement over the combat communications net. "Krogan ground convoy, this is Turian wing Artimec. Flight vector to the Shroud is locked. Ten minutes out and counting."

"Copy that, Artimec." The commander looked at Wrex and nodded as she continued. "Try to slow up a bit. We're on our way, but roughly three minutes behind schedule. Shepard out." It didn't seem like an inordinate amount of time, but three minutes, solo, against a Reaper could add up to a lot of dead Turians very quickly. The expression on her face hardened again as she thought of the reason for their delay.

Eve queried, "There's that look in your eye again, Commander. What's troubling you?"

The commander quickly explained what had transpired over the QEC and Liara launched herself out of her seat to stand next to Shepard, her expression one of total indignation. "Oh, for the love of the Goddess! Of all the _ignorant_ things! Can she not see how _wrong_ that is?"

Mordin chimed in, "Would likely have fooled tests. But familiar with STG work. Can adjust. Thank you, Shepard. Did not come this far for nothing."

Eve was remarkably calm as she received the news. "You just spared our race another genocide, Commander."

Wrex leaned forward with his hands planted firmly on his knees, staring at Eve. "I _told_ you we could count on her. She's a true friend to the Krogan."

Wrex suddenly lurched to his feet and Shepard turned toward the front of the vehicle as they felt it lock up its brakes and skid to a halt. Wrex growled at the driver, "Why are we stopping?"

Shepard gave him a look and yanked the hatch open. "I've got this Wrex. Stay with Eve and Mordin." With a glance over her shoulder to beckon Liara, Shepard leapt out the door. She hit the ground with both Liara and Javik dropping out with her. As she looked around, she quickly realized the entire Normandy ground team emerged once each of their vehicles ground to a halt. She could see the Shroud in the distance, along with the Reaper that was both guarding the facility and poisoning the Tuchanka atmosphere with it. She growled and moved toward the front of the vehicle line to figure out why they had stopped.

As they moved forward, Garrus grumbled, "Look at that Reaper out there. If we don't stop this, Palaven will be looking like this soon; nothing but a wasteland."

Javik stared out across the rubble-littered plain. "It will be my first kill..." Javik's voice dripped with rancor as he continued, "but _not_ my last."

As Shepard worked her way past the scout vehicle, she saw a pile of spare thermal clips and picked one up to top off her stockpile. The Krogan closest to the pile nodded to her in recognition and grinned. "That's mine. Whatever you shoot with it belongs to me."

Shepard recognized him from the Varren fight pits back on Tuchanka and nodded back as she smirked. "You got it, Breng. I'll make sure it's a worthwhile trophy."

Her attention returned to the task at hand and as she passed the lead Tomkah that held Wreav, she saw the problem; the road in front of them had begun to collapse and what remained didn't look very stable. Thinking they'd have to find another way around, Shepard jumped on the comms. "Turian wing Artimec, this is Shepard. We've been delayed; hold off your attack. I repeat... _hold off_ your attack."

Shepard cussed when she got the response at the same time she heard the whine of engines screaming in from behind to zoom by over their heads. "Negative, Commander! Our approach is locked; the Reaper already knows we're here!"

Javik stepped up beside her. "An airstrike alone will not be sufficient against a Reaper. We must join the fight, Commander."

"Damn it!" Shepard watched as the Reaper started to pick the fighters out of the sky. "We don't have time; we have to risk it. We're going!"

As she turned back toward their Tomkah, Vega yelled out, "Incoming!"

Shepard's head snapped around to face the Reaper and she saw an out-of-control Turian fighter careening toward them. "Wrex! Get moving! Get Eve out of here, now!"

As she yelled, she could hear the pilot yelling across the combat comms, "I've lost control! I can't pull up!"

The first two Tomkahs in the line, the first containing Wreav and the second with Wrex, Eve and Mordin, suddenly lurched forward as their drivers pushed the throttles to maximum. As the ground troops dove for cover, the fighter crashed into one of the remaining vehicles, sending the Tomkah flipping through the air as the fighter exploded. The road did not survive the two vehicles crossing the unstable roadway at high speed and the fighter's explosion; a loud rumble and a flare-up of dust signaled its collapse; no more Tomkahs would be following.

Shepard immediately called out, "Artimec, do you copy?"

"We've got you, Commander, but that Reaper is tearing us to pieces!"

"Roger that! Abort. Abort. Abort!" Shepard grimaced. "Save your pilots! We'll find another way!"

Edi spoke up quickly, "Shepard. There is a tunnel entrance off to our right. I propose we take it."

"Any idea where it leads, Edi?' Shepard asked the question, but her feet were already moving in that direction; they didn't really have a lot of options.

Garrus ran up beside her as Edi answered, "Unknown, Shepard."

"I don't think it really matters. Anywhere is more tactically sound than remaining exposed on this bridge." Garrus grunted with effort as he jumped over a wide gap between the road and the tunnel entrance.

Shepard remained on the road side momentarily and flagged everyone over. "Come on, people. Move it! Garrus is right; we're too exposed up here!"

The tunnels were dark and they all had to turn on their weapons' lights as they entered. There were statues and artwork placed at various locations throughout the tunnels and Liara was astonished. "I never considered the Krogan might have an artistic side. This is amazing!"

Javik immediately soured the mood by stating, "Notice they chose obedience as their subject."

As they continued onward, Liara couldn't help herself. "What is it with Reapers and dark tunnels? First Utukku and now Tuchanka."

Shepard suddenly pulled up and stopped short. "Great. I was just getting ready to say _'as long as there aren't any Rachni._..' and then I saw _that_." Shepard shined her light on a Ravager carcass long enough for the rest of the group to recognize it. "I swear, Liara. I think you have a touch of clairvoyance in you."

Further discussion was cut off by a call from Wrex in the truck. "Shepard. Where the hell are you?"

"No idea. We dropped into some tunnels... looks like part of an old city. Some pretty cool artwork down here... and some not so great Rachni Ravagers." Shepard shrugged as she answered, even though Wrex couldn't see her. "What about you?"

"We made it fine," Wrex grumbled, sounding as if he didn't care for the company as he continued, "along with _Wreav_. We need to figure out a good rendezvous location."

"We had to call off the airstrike; without ground support, the Turians were too vulnerable. We'll need a new plan... assuming we figure out how to get out of here! Any ideas?" Shepard fell silent, hoping for some assistance.

The ground suddenly rumbled and Liara sounded puzzled as she spoke, "That tremor does NOT feel like an earthquake. It makes me wonder what the Reaper is doing."

Eve suddenly cut in, "Commander. That's the city of the ancients. No maps exist. It's been abandoned for thousands of years because it is now the home of _Kalros_."

"Kalros?" Shepard looked at Liara, who seemed as puzzled as she was, so the commander had to ask, "Who's that?"

"Kalros. Mother of all Thresher Maws." Wrex's laughter filled the airwaves. "You're a trailblazer, Shepard! No one's ever been willing to navigate her domain to map out the city, but if anyone can do it, _you_ can; get through _there_ and we'll find a place to meet up!"

As the group was rocked by another tremor, Vega finally chimed in, "¡Ay caramba! I suggest we pick up the pace a bit, Commander! I don't want that thing finding us down here in the dark..."

Slightly disgruntled that the commander had once again separated her from Liara and placed her on James team, Riana agreed that she wanted to be out in the light where she could keep track of her mistress... and supported James' statement. "I second that motion. At the very least, we need to be where we can _see_."

"The mother of all Thresher Maws?" Garrus' light aimed at Shepard so he could see her as he spoke. "Sounds troubling, but you _have_ killed one of those things, right?"

Shepard chuckled, "Yes, Vakarian, I have... and I'd really appreciate it if you didn't point your assault rifle at me in the dark."

"Oh, right." Garrus huffed and the light dropped to the floor. "Sorry. I needed to see your face when you answered."

"Never thought I'd see _anything_ that spooked _you_, Garrus." Even under the circumstances, Liara couldn't help but smile and it reflected in her tone. "Though I must admit, if that's what we're feeling down here, I suggest we get moving."

"Yeah, well. Giant worms with big teeth and acid for spit have a tendency to worry even me just a bit." Even Garrus started to chuckle at the absurdity of the discussion. "Amazing... the shit Shepard gets us into."

"Hey! If I remember correctly..." Shepard turned to face Garrus as she finished, "...it was _your_ idea to come down here!"

"In my younger days, I would have enjoyed spending some time here... studying these ruins." Liara looked about in awe. "Minus Kalros, of course."

"You're not exactly _old_, Liara. Perhaps when this is all over, we'll come back." Shepard looked at Liara and smiled lightly as she continued, "It's the least I could do for you."

Edi, the voice of calculated reason, interrupted their discussion. "I believe our goal is to get to the Shroud as quickly as possible... and there is light up ahead."

The group of nine moved quickly up the stairs and emerged onto a large terrazzo. Shepard took in the view in wonderment, unable to resist comment. "Wow. This is new... a part of Tuchanka that _isn't_ rubble."

Javik sneered, "Remnants of a failed species."

If he was planning on saying anything else, his words were cut off by both Shepard and Liara. Shepard got on the comm to let Wrex know they had made it back outside and Liara exclaimed, "Goddess. That's something I never expected to see... The color green! I thought everything was extinct... I didn't realize anything still grew here."

A solemn voice came online. "You're looking at hope. All that's left of it on Tuchanka." Eve sounded both reverent and hopeful as she continued, "This was once a world full of beauty. Given a chance, it can be again."

"Only if we get this done." Shepard's tone pulled them all back to the task at hand. "Looks like we're in a temple district, and we can see the Shroud at the far end. Meet you on that side as soon as we can get there."

"Roger that, Shepard. We'll find a way over there to pick you up." Wrex cut the comms and, now that they could see where they were stepping, the Normandy team picked up the pace. They worked their way across the plaza, all of them amazed at the architectural beauty before them; none of them realized the Krogan were capable of such artistry. Their attention was quickly refocused as a couple of flaming red drop-pods hit the ground on the far side of the plaza... directly in line with where they were headed.

They were immediately accosted by two Ravagers and a handful of Cannibals and before they had a chance to react, one of the Ravagers fired a cannon shot, barely missing Liara. It _did_ miss, but the force of the explosion against the rock face threw Liara off her feet. Shepard shouted, "Cover me!" as she charged the Ravager without hesitation, trusting her team would react.

She slammed into the Ravager's side and burst its egg sac but, more importantly, she also pushed its cannons off to the side; her action made the second and third shots of its salvo go wide of target and gave Liara time to recover. However, the Ravager still had its full shields, so Shepard was left exposed. She quickly slammed her hand to the ground, sending out a Nova shockwave, and the next three-round burst went skyward, well over everyone's heads.

By then, Garrus had gotten a bead on the monster and three rounds from his Indra sniper rifle, combined with a warp from Riana and Vega dumping multiple assault rifle rounds into its middle, sent the Ravager to the ground in a puddle of acid. Shepard quickly retreated to the first row of stones that provided cover and took a deep breath. An irate voice came through the link, tempered only by the end result. _{That was __**exceptionally**__ reckless, Shepard... but thank you.}_

The battle raged on; Edi had initiated a decoy, which was drawing fire from many of the Cannibals, while Bethany, Javik and Sarah concentrated on the second Ravager to assist the commander. Even as she continued the fight, Shepard replied to Liara, her combined fear and relief driving strongly through the link. _{There was no other way to stop it from firing the rest of the salvo at you... there was no time. And there is absolutely __**no**__ force in the galaxy that is going to keep me from doing everything in my power to __**protect**__ you, Liara. Be angry if you like, but I'd do it for you again in a heartbeat.}_

Shepard felt Liara sigh in acceptance and her response was softer, more forgiving. _{And I you, Shepard. I can sympathize with the sentiment while still hating that you risked yourself so.}_

Once the second Ravager fell, they took down the last of the Cannibals relatively quickly and continued their progress to the far edge of the terrazzo. As they neared the other side, another mini-quake rocked the building under their feet. Javik exclaimed, "Kalros is more than a myth!"

Edi pointed out the exit and the team crossed over a bridge to get to the far side. When they were roughly halfway across, Sarah shouted out, "We've got more Cannibals incoming!"

Both Liara and Riana launched singularities, effectively blocking up the entrance, before Shepard tossed out a warp, blowing the entire group of Cannibals into smithereens. Javik's eyes opened wide and the first word of praise to come out of his mouth surprised everyone. "Impressive."

Before anyone could react and respond, a Brute stepped around the corner, accompanied by a number of Husks. The nine-member team didn't even slow down; Edi quickly launched an incineration attack, burning away a large portion of the Brute's armor, and Liara launched another singularity, pulling in a number of the Husks, which Riana quickly detonated with a warp. A second Brute and another half-dozen Husks proved to be no more difficult and the team made it off the plaza relatively easily.

As they rounded the corner into the next section of the ruins, another tremor hit, much stronger than any of those before. "Shit. Wrex. Keep your eyes open... Kalros is definitely here and on the move!"

Wrex came back with, "Yeah, we've got some ideas on that... What?" His statement was truncated by Eve.

"Not now, Wrex. The commander has enough to worry about. Let her get to us first, we'll explain it all then."

The conversation ended quickly as they came upon yet another bridge, once more a collection of Cannibals, Husks and Ravagers blocking their path. Garrus actually chuckled; they had plenty of cover and the approach was narrow, so he settled in behind a wall and aimed his sniper down range. "This is like a shooting gallery. Look at all the pop-up targets."

Bethany Westmoreland laughed with him as a Husk climbed a set of stairs and 'popped up' in front of them to be greeted by a hail of gunfire. Shepard moved a bit farther into the room to get to a slightly higher position and it gave her a better angle on the bridge, including a great sight picture on the Ravagers. With all nine in protected positions and Shepard, Liara and Javik on over-watch from an elevated position, the Reapers fell quickly and the team moved across the bridge. They heard a rumble of machinery and they glanced down to see the two remaining Tomkahs.

Once again, Wrex was on the comms. "You're close, Shepard. Make your way across the bridge and through the next square. There's a set of steps at the far side that will bring you down to ground level and we can pick you up."

"Roger..." Shepard's response was cut off as she saw a plume of dirt blast skyward, not far behind the Tomkahs. "Wrex! Move it! Kalros is on your ass!"

"Break off! We're getting out of here!" Wrex's shout was swallowed by the rumble of the biggest Thresher Maw Shepard had ever seen. She watched, feeling helpless as the Tomkahs split, each going a separate direction and Kalros once again dove deep, disappearing from sight.

Mordin's voice rang out, "Kalros' territorial instinct confirmed!"

"She's not going to get _us_!" Wrex countered and continued, "Keep moving, Shepard. We'll shake this thing and come back for you."

Mordin yelled again, "Thresher Maw getting closer!"

Frustration was evident in Wrex's voice as he responded, "Tell me something I _don't_ know!"

The situation was definitely _not_ funny, but a flash of amusement passed through Shepard's mind as she heard Mordin's rejoinder. Mordin somehow maintained his sense of humor as he called out a snappy reply, "Metal in truck an excellent iron supplement for maw's diet!"

Even Garrus shook his head in bewilderment. "And the thing is? I bet Wrex is _enjoying_ this."

As they stepped, supposedly, into their last plaza, Shepard quietly offered a reminder to stay sharp, just as a number of Husks broke over the far wall. Javik spoke quickly, "I have the enemy in sight."

As they confronted more Husks and Cannibals, Mordin queried if they were still alive, which Shepard answered to the affirmative. "We're working our way across the last area now. We'll be on the steps soon. How about you?"

Shepard flipped to an open mike and slipped into 'crash and blast' mode. It was such a routine fighting mode, she hardly had to think about it anymore and could easily fight and talk at the same time. She was quite entertained by Mordin's response. "Alarmed yet entertained. Kalros is _quite_ persistent."

As the Normandy team worked their way across the plaza, the Reaper forces were joined by a few Turian Marauders. In well-practiced fashion, Edi and Garrus immediately shifted their omnitools to overload and started eating up the Marauders' shields. Bethany grinned as she pulled the Arc Projector off her back. It was the first 'pack' to attack them in any number and she was more than happy to pull the trigger and light them all up. Sarah's head snapped around as she exclaimed, "Damn! That thing is so light, I forgot we even had them with us!"

The team quickly reached the steps and Shepard stopped at the top, looking across the ruins of Tuchanka. "Wrex. We're here. You close to breaking loose?"

Wrex started responding before Shepard finished her question. "Coming in now. Get your asses down onto the sand; we don't want to stop any longer than necessary!"

The Tomkahs careened around the corner and roared up to the edge of the structure as the team ran down the last of the stairs to meet them. Wrex shouted out one more time, "Wreav! Keep an eye out for that maw! I don't want her sneaking up on us."

The hatch was dropping open before the Tomkah skidded to a stop directly in front of them, Shepard shouting encouragement at her team, "Move, move, move!"

The team moved quickly and as each one started to climb in, they felt strong hands grip their shoulders, only to be yanked up into the vehicle; it was certainly quicker than climbing in. Liara was hanging back, waiting for Shepard, when the commander spun and shoved her toward the Tomkah. "Liara. Go!"

Liara froze and Shepard felt a flash of acute fear come through the link, accompanied by an image of her standing in a burning Normandy. Shepard locked eyes with the Asari as the last of the team was hauled in, leaving only the two of them. "Gods, I'm sorry, Li. Get in the Tomkah. I swear I'm right behind you this time."

As she spoke the words, Wreav shouted out, "It's Kalros!" His vehicle immediately lurched forward as he tried to outrun the beast.

Liara spun back around, her eyes wide with fear, trying to look at Shepard, but it was too late; someone had grabbed ahold of her and she was lifted swiftly out of sight into the vehicle as Kalros surged by the Tomkah to envelope the fleeing Wreav. Shepard quickly stepped to the hatch and jumped, feeling strong hands catch her and pull her inside. Wrex slammed the throttle forward and those who were still standing in the back tumbled like dominoes as he moved quickly away.

Eve looked at him and calmly asked, "What about Wreav?"

"No way he survived that." Wrex snorted, "He was a pain in the ass, anyway. Now let's finish this. There's a Reaper waiting for us."

* * *

**A/N:** Extra kudos go out to my Beta, **Old Gamer**, for an extraordinary amount of effort for this week's chapter! Thanks, OG!


	26. There's a Reaper in My Way!

Notes:

_A Grá_ \- My Love (Irish/Gaelic)

DMZ - DeMilitarized Zone

STG - Salarian Special Tactics Group

* * *

**There's a Reaper in My Way!**

**Tuchanka, Krogan DMZ**

Riana registered the fear in the eyes of her mistress as Liara tumbled to the floor when the Tomkah surged suddenly forward, but misinterpreted the cause. She moved to her side and spoke quickly to comfort her. "We have eluded the Thresher Maw, Mistress."

She was going to say 'all is well,' but got nothing else out before Liara turned her still frantic gaze to her First as she struggled to sit up amidst Wrex's erratic driving, cursing the fact he had taken over from the regular driver. Liara spoke only one shrill word. "Shepard?"

Realization dawned and Riana smiled reassuringly as she replied, "Is aboard, Mistress. She is safely with us."

Liara ceased her struggle to rise and laid back, closing her eyes and whispering a quiet prayer of thanks to the Goddess, all her energy draining away in her relief. Shepard had felt the spike of dread from Liara and thought of the image she had seen in Liara's mind as she had ordered her away, to get into the Tomkah. She knew Liara would need to see her, so rolled up from the floor onto her hands and knees, rapidly gave up on the idea of walking and literally crawled to her lover's side. She placed a hand on the prone Asari's shoulder as she said, "I'm right here, Blue."

Liara's eyes instantly snapped back open and she surged into a sitting position to look Shepard in the face. She grasped Shepard by both her upper arms, partly to prove to herself Samantha was really there, but mostly to help herself balance in the wildly bucking Tomkah. "_Goddess_, Shepard. I am so _sorry_. I froze! It cost seconds that could have _killed_ us! I..." She shook her head in confusion and Shepard cut her off before she could continue.

"Don't, Liara. I saw what flashed through your mind; you don't need to explain." Shepard pulled her into a brief hug. "I should be the one apologizing. Gods. I used the _exact_ same phrase that day on the original Normandy! Never again will I do that to you, _A Grá._"

They sat together against the wall until the Tomkah quit swerving and the ride smoothed out. Everyone had barely managed to get to their feet and find their seats when Eve spoke into the silence. "Wreav wasn't the only Krogan to want revenge for the Genophage, Wrex. Even with him gone, you'll have to placate the rest of them somehow."

"Yeah. I suppose I can't hope they _all_ get eaten by Thresher Maws." Wrex shifted in his seat as he answered, glancing at Shepard. "I'll demand the Council return some of our old territory. We'll need room to expand... recapture the glory of the ancients."

"Glory of ancients led to Krogan Rebellions. Countless deaths. Creation of Genophage." Mordin frowned at the Urdnot clan leader. "Expansion plan... problematic."

"I imagine if we actually win this thing, it should be worth a world... or three." Shepard's brow creased as she stated, "There ought to be some Batarian worlds you'd be welcome to. They won't be needing them anymore."

"Do not blame yourself for that, Commander. The Batarians chose their path... just as we chose ours." Eve looked to Shepard and explained what she meant. "During the true glory of the Ancients, the Krogan were a proud people; Tuchanka wasn't always a wasteland. We had dreams and a future to look forward to."

Mordin lowered his eyes and stared at the floor. "Until Salarian... interference."

Eve's head turned and she looked directly at the doctor. "No. We did it to ourselves. Technology made life too easy and it changed us. We found new challenges... in each other. Nuclear war was inevitable and it nearly destroyed us."

"And now our planet is rubble. Last time we _helped_, we were rewarded with the Genophage." Wrex turned and looked directly at Shepard. "This time, we get a cure... and we'll need a new place to live. We pop 'em out pretty quick; maybe we'll need _ten_ new planets."

Eve reached forward and thumped him on the shoulder. "Wrex!"

The big Krogan chuckled in response, "What? With the Genophage cured, we'll have a lot of catching up to do!"

Eve had no more time to correct Wrex's bad manners as the Tomkah ground to a halt. He stood from the driver's seat and stepped into the back, speaking plainly. "We're here."

They all dismounted and, once everyone was outside and saw the Reaper looming in the distance, Garrus spoke first. "I don't think we _have_ a gun big enough to handle _that_."

Javik stepped up beside him. "Vengeance is the goal." Shepard was about to correct him by saying the goal was survival, but he continued before she had a chance and she had to admit she agreed with him as he said, "Suicide is not."

Wrex looked at both of them and growled, "We're curing the Genophage no matter what it takes! Everything my people will ever be _depends_ on it."

Shepard walked up and looked at the huge Reaper in the distance as Liara stepped up beside her. "We don't have a plan for _this_."

Garrus joined them and his mandibles twitched with irritation. "I know we've beaten the odds before, but this?"

Shepard looked at the Krogan. "I hope the plan you came up with is a good one, Wrex."

He chuckled and jerked his thumb at Eve. "It wasn't _my_ idea... it's _hers_, actually."

Eve nodded as she explained that the facility was, in reality, a huge arena devoted to Kalros' glory; the plan was to summon Kalros to the Reaper by activating two giant maw hammers on opposite sides of the arena.

Wrex nodded in agreement. "If Tuchanka has a temper, _Kalros_ is it. She'll come... and _nobody's_ ever faced _her_ and survived."

Liara knew Shepard was uncomfortable when the commander's hand came up and she scratched at the back of her neck as she responded. "Well... We flew through the Omega-4 Relay and survived... and I don't really see that we have much choice."

Mordin actually sounded excited. "Excellent. Meanwhile, laboratory nearby. Will finish synthesizing cure."

The commander was silent for a moment before finally letting out a resigned sigh. "Fine." Her eyes drifted to Garrus. "Vakarian... You and Edi stick to Eve like glue. Solus... I'm giving you Edi for technical support as well as firepower. Use her and the Normandy's processing power if you need it." Liara noticed that Shepard had distanced herself; she had referred to everyone who had one by their last names... highly uncharacteristic for her. The Asari's heart tightened in her chest when she realized Samantha had done it because she understood the unusually high risk this mission would entail, even for the legendary crew of the Normandy.

"I've got T'Soni and Commander Javik again and we're going to the left hammer. The rest of you are with Vega on the right." She paused again, her gaze slowly moving through the team. "Let's make sure we all get out of here alive. We're going to have one Hell of a story to tell. Let's move."

Before she took her second step, Wrex called her back. "Wait! I want you to know that no matter what happens, you've been a champion to the Krogan people, an honorary member of Clan Urdnot, _and_ my Krantt. To every Krogan born after this day, the name '_Shepard_' will mean '_hero_'!"

He stuck his hand out and clasped Shepard's within it. Something passed between them which Liara could only describe as pride, but it was more than that and she lacked the word to describe it. It was pride, trust, conviction, reliance and true friendship, all rolled into a single fleeting emotion that had no single name worthy of it. As their hands dropped, Wrex nodded one last time. "Now. Let's show them why!"

Just then, the first surge of Ravagers rolled over the hill. Wrex pulled his shotgun and started moving. "Go! I've got this!"

Shepard and the crew turned and started heading out, listening to Wrex bellow as he unloaded his shotgun into the nearest target, "I am Urdnot Wrex... and this is _my_ planet!"

Before Mordin turned away, he spoke one last time. "Stay alive, Shepard. Will have cure ready."

* * *

The team worked their way quickly to the level that held the Shroud, only to find the way blocked. A set of stairs off to the left side became their next target, in order to get up and over the monstrous obstruction. As they started to move toward the stairs, Reapers began dropping in front of them to bar their way. It was a rather large number of Cannibals, but a shot from an Arc Projector weakened them significantly and the team of seven fell easily into their battle rhythm.

Javik's biotics were impressive and he learned quickly, using his slam to detonate biotic explosions off of Liara's and Shepard's singularities and lifts. With nothing worse than Cannibals so far, Shepard and Riana both shifted into full Vanguard mode and kept both flanks of the Reapers completely off balance. Just as they cleared the first wave of Reaper spawn, Wrex cut in on the comm. "Shepard! We took care of those Rachni... but someone has to raise those maw hammers before you can use them!"

"What?" Shepard began ascending the steps as she pondered what he had said. "You mean they aren't ready to go?"

"No. They have to be lifted into position to get them started... in order for you to be able to release them." Wrex spoke as if Shepard should have known how the hammers worked.

Shepard growled, "Don't you think that might have been something I needed to know _before_ I committed my team to getting past the damn Reaper?"

Wrex laughed, "Nah. You would have worried about it too much. Lucky for you, we're here. Mordin's secured in the lab... I'll handle it!"

As they cleared the top of the stairs, another voice cut in; it was Mordin, offering up encouraging news. "Shepard, some luck! Original strain in storage! Preparing the cure now."

"Good to know we're not up here for nothing, Mordin!"

As they came around the edge of the stonework, anything else Shepard was prepared to say fell away as Javik shouted out, "At last! The Reaper!" Javik's voice carried the weight of a trillion souls yearning for vengeance.

The team crowded together as they had neared the top, having no option but to funnel up the stairway... and Shepard didn't want anyone getting separated from the group. She had hoped when they reached the top that another set of stairs on the opposite side would take them back down straight away, but such was not the case. "Damn it. We've got to cross the bridge out in the open. In pairs, and make it fast." The commander's gaze shifted to her other half. "Liara?"

The Asari nodded resolutely. "Whenever you're ready, Shepard."

"Then let's do it." Shepard took off running and jumped a missing segment of the stonework with Liara right on her heels. The Reaper immediately took notice and fired its main weapon; the red energy beam started high but quickly traversed downward, shearing the bridge in front of them. Since it was already broken behind them, the section they were on quickly collapsed. Liara reacted quickly; she lunged for Shepard, wrapped her arms around the commander and called on her biotics to soften their landing enough to prevent injury. As soon as their feet touched the ground, she released her hold and they quickly scampered to safety.

With no time for subtleties, Riana quickly grabbed an initially surprised James Vega and lowered him to the ground, sparking Shepard and Liara to each do the same with Westmoreland and Campbell. Riana and Javik were each on their own and Liara looked at Shepard in amazement while they waited on the last two to rejoin the group. "Did we just get shot by a Reaper?"

Shepard grinned. "Consider that practice. I'm sure there'll be lots more where _that_ came from."

Liara's right brow marking cocked up as she grumped. "That is _not_ reassuring, Commander."

Wrex came on the comm again. "Hammers are up, Shepard. Quite the show from over here... _My_ advice is to avoid the giant laser!"

"Thanks, Wrex." Shepard smirked and shook her head. "_Really_ helpful."

"I must admit." Javik's voice had lost a bit of its pompousness. "I have seen many things in my fight with the Reapers, but this... I have never done before."

Shepard looked back at him and grinned, "And here I thought you were going to be our expert."

Javik was unsure how to take the comment, undecided if the commander was insulting him or trying to make a joke, but Human humor was still an enigma to him, so he simply frowned and said nothing.

"Hard to believe we're actually doing this." Vega let out a brief, nervous laugh and continued, "And I thought _Menae_ was nuts!"

"Don't stop and stay in as much cover as you can find!" Shepard realized they were approaching a narrow passage that would make them easy targets. "I'm not exactly sure how we're going to get through this next section."

"You already know the answer, Commander. You just stated it." Javik had returned to his normal, emotionally void, manner. "Do not stop... for anything. That includes other soldiers who may get hit. You stop to help them, you will _both_ be dead." He glanced around the group, who had grown very quiet. "It is the nature of a choke point. That is what it is designed for; a kill zone. If you stop, your compassion _will_ get you killed."

"He's right." Shepard looked at each of them. "I'll go first... and don't wait too long to follow. We have to present multiple targets in the hope at least a few of us get through."

Shepard was preparing to charge when the familiar drone of engines filled the sky. "Commander, this is Artimec Wing!" The first few fighters roared overhead and started taking shots at the Reaper. "We're here to give that Reaper something else to shoot at."

"Holy Hell!" Vega stood up and prepared to run. "I wonder if Garrus called them in for us. Never thought I'd want to kiss a Turian, but I just might if he's responsible for this!"

A light chuckle ran through the group as Shepard stood up and started moving again. "Then let's not waste the opportunity they've given us. Let's move!"

They charged through the choke point and as soon as they cleared the narrow gap, a Brute crashed to the ground in front of them. All seven opened fire and it didn't stand a chance; it hadn't even gotten its bearings before it fell over dead. A quick nod between Shepard and Vega and the two teams split; Shepard, Liara, and Javik broke to the left, while Vega, Riana, Westmoreland, and Campbell went to their right. Suddenly it wasn't nearly as easy, as two additional Brutes dropped simultaneously, directly in Shepard's path. Liara slapped the one closest to Shepard with a warp the instant it hit the ground as Shepard dove to her right to gain a bit of space. Javik hit the second with a combo... a slam and then a lift grenade in rapid succession.

By then, Shepard was up and had room to fight; she rapid-fired her pistol, the Brute being so close they were easy head shots, and finished it off with a charge and Nova shockwave. She completed a backward summersault as the second Brute charged; this allowed her to duck under its powerful swing and gave her a small amount of room in which to maneuver. Liara again threw a powerful warp as Javik struck it with a dark channel attack while continuing to fire upon it with his assault rifle.

Shepard had never heard of it, but the dark channel power was apparently an early version of, or at least similar to, the power _she_ knew as reave... but it couldn't be stacked and was no good for combos or biotic explosions as reave was. In the end, it didn't matter because the entire combination of biotics and weapons' fire still wasn't enough, and as the Brute lowered its shoulder to charge, a warp suddenly flew in from across the arena, wiping away the last of the Brute's armor and allowing Shepard to finish the kill with her pistol. A grinning Riana waved and turned back to her team as they climbed the steps toward their hammer release.

Shepard turned back to her own team in time to see yet more Brutes come crashing to the surface. When the dust cleared, she realized there were now eight Brutes on the ground, four at each hammer control. Shepard cussed and ran toward Liara, hoping to concentrate fire but, before she got there, she heard the familiar whine of a Hydra missile launcher. Her focus instantly shifted to the other group, thinking either Campbell or Westmoreland had brought one along without her knowledge, but they were looking around as well, trying to decipher the source.

Shepard caught the launch out of the corner of her eye, from high up on the walls surrounding the arena. The missiles screamed down toward them and, not knowing who fired them, Shepard shouted out, "Cover!" as she dove and tackled Liara, shielding the Asari with her own body. It proved to be unnecessary, as each of the four barrages of miniature missiles struck the Brutes in sequence... with all four Brutes promptly dropping dead, clearing the way to the hammer control.

Shepard jumped back to her feet and yelled at Javik. "Liara and I will release the hammer. Go help the others!"

Liara followed Shepard quickly to her feet and queried, "Who in the galaxy _fired_ that Hydra?"

"I have no idea, but they're obviously friendly!" Shepard moved rapidly up the steps toward their target and continued, "Perhaps Mordin had some STG friends shadowing us. We may never know."

She slammed her hand down on the plunger and spun back to Liara... "Come on; let's get back to the others."

Wrex must have heard the hammer fall, because he was immediately on the comm. "Good going, Shepard. Now, get that second hammer going!"

Shepard scoffed, "We're working on it! There's a Reaper in our way, Wrex!"

"I _know_! You get _all_ the fun!" Wrex sounded seriously disappointed that he wasn't with them.

With six practiced soldiers keeping the last surge of Brutes occupied, Sarah Campbell broke free, reached the activator and punched the plunger. Within seconds, the huge hammers dropped in tandem and began their repetitive pounding, sending out an irresistible call to Kalros. All they could do now was hope it worked.

* * *

Kalros answered promptly, and as the group worked swiftly to eliminate the last remaining batch of Reaper spawn, they witnessed the Reaper turn and face away from the Shroud for the first time. Shepard saw the telltale plume of dust in the distance and shouted out, "Go! Get back to the truck! I'll round up Mordin and meet you there!"

As Shepard finished speaking, Vega turned and started moving. "Come on, _amigas_. Places to go and people to see!"

Riana didn't move, opting to wait for Liara... but Liara wasn't moving either. Shepard looked at them and grimaced. "What?"

"Mordin has Wrex, Garrus and Eve, who seems _perfectly_ able to take care of herself, as well as Edi to help with the cure." Liara smiled softly. "I'm _sure_ he doesn't need Commander Shepard added to his protection detail."

Their conversation was cut short by a loud blare from the Reaper. "No time to argue! Move!" Shepard gestured and started to run in the direction she had indicated... a nearby low wall that provided at least _some_ cover.

The trio cut to the side of the Arena as they felt a huge tremor rip through the ground beneath them, accompanied by a piercing, angry squeal. Liara's voice had a tremor in it as she queried, "Goddess! Is that... _Kalros_?"

The ground quaked and rocks suddenly blasted into the air, as if a huge bomb exploded under the ground behind them. Kalros surged through the air and, having leapt completely free of her normal soil domain, latched onto the main body of the Reaper just as it fired its main gun. The laser began to swing wildly as the Reaper attempted to shake Kalros off, the beam searing through stone structures and dropping debris in the path of the team's retreat. "Fuck!" Shepard grabbed both Liara and Riana and dragged them down with her behind the closest cover she could find as Kalros was slammed into the surface by the Reaper.

Before the dust settled, Shepard pulled Liara back to her feet and started moving again; a quick glance told her Riana was not far behind. "Jump!" Shepard's enhanced speed and strength enabled her to make the leap, while Riana and Liara relied on biotics to soften their landing as they descended down onto a collapsed section of roadway. They started running again as soon as their feet touched rock, only to have the Reaper swing Kalros directly over their heads, slamming the Thresher Maw into the angled edge of the Shroud.

Kalros shrieked in pain and anger, her grip on the Reaper broken, and retreated quickly underground. The Reaper was unable to track her movements and she promptly exploded from the soil again, coming up behind the Destroyer and tipping it over, driving the main body to the ground, main gun leading the way and making it unable to fire at anything but the dirt being shoved up its nose. Kalros wrapped herself around the Reaper and spun like a corkscrew, digging herself into the dirt and taking the Destroyer with her.

Riana stood in awed silence, staring at the spot where the giant Thresher Maw had simply vanished beneath the surface. The dirt seemed to magically backfill behind their passage, leaving no trace of her nor the Reaper's departure route but the cloud of dust still hanging in the air. Liara exhaled quietly, "By the _Goddess_, that was... almost beyond belief."

Shepard blinked. "Yeah. I doubt anyone will believe us when we tell _that_ story. Definitely one for the history books." She forced her attention away from the settling dust and turned back toward the Shroud. "Mordin!"

Liara's head snapped around at the sound of Shepard's desperate shout; she turned to see the Shroud engulfed in flames with a glass elevator rising quickly up the side.

* * *

Wrex stood in the doorway watching the fight. "Heh. Even a _Reaper_ can't stand against _Kalros_. Good thing we don't use _her_ for the Rite."

He suddenly ducked over so he could look upward at a sharper angle as Kalros was slammed into the Shroud. Chunks from the tower tumbled downward and something up above exploded, followed by something down below them, in the basement. He turned to Mordin. "The cure ready, Pyjak? If this fight goes on much longer, at this rate we won't have a Shroud to disperse it."

Mordin busily typed away. "Yes. Loaded for dispersal in two minutes. Procedure traumatic for Eve. Not lethal, but she requires recovery time. Need to get her to safety. Let her rest."

"I'll get her out of here as soon as this is done. Not one minute before." Wrex glanced at Garrus and Eve, still in the medical section on the other side of the lab. "She sacrificed enough... She deserves to see this through."

"She will make an excellent Krogan Matriarch." Edi stood behind Wrex and watched Kalros drag the Reaper into oblivion. "She gives the Krogan the promise of a future."

"Yes. Yes." Mordin stood up straight from the console he was working on. "Control room at top of Shroud tower. Must take elevator up."

Edi turned to him and spoke, "The Shroud has been damaged by the fight. I am unsure as to its structural integrity."

"Matters not. Needs to be done. Manual access required to counter STG sabotage. Ensure cure is dispersed properly." Mordin played with his omnitool and it kicked out a small data disc, which he tossed to Edi. "Give this to Major Kirrahe, STG. He will know what to do with it."

Garrus walked over and stared at the doctor. "Mordin, this whole place is coming down. There's got to be another way."

"Remote bypass impossible... STG countermeasures would block access... No time to adjust cure for temperature variance." He turned to the Turian. "No other option. Not coming back." After a brief pause, he continued, "Suggest you get clear. Explosions likely to be... problematic."

"Mordin, no." Garrus followed him to the elevator. "Shepard will never forgive me."

"My project. My work. My cure. My responsibility." Mordin unexpectedly smiled. "Has been a pleasure, Garrus. Would have liked to see how it ends. Sure you'll do fine without me. Tell Shepard she'll need to find someone else for those Thessian shell studies."

The door closed and the elevator started to rise; Garrus stood and watched and, for the first time, _truly_ understood the pressure that Shepard put upon herself on a daily basis. In a way, Garrus was glad that Mordin had made the decision on his own. Shepard made decisions like that nearly every day, but Garrus wasn't sure he would have made the same call had Solus asked for his opinion. He was pulled away from his ruminations by a loud bellow from Wrex. "Come on! You heard Mordin. We need to move. Get Eve to safety before this tower blows!"

* * *

Watching chunks of it falling away as new explosions rocked it, Shepard stared at the Shroud and willed the elevator to begin its descent. Suddenly, a yellowish-white cloud erupted from the top like a volcano spewing ash. The cloud dispersed at an amazingly rapid rate across the heavens and something similar to snow started to fall out of the sky. Shepard held out her hand; a 'flake' fell into her palm and rapidly vanished, fading through her gauntlet into her hand. She felt a brief chill as it penetrated her skin; the sensation was gone as quickly as it arose. Her attention was drawn back to the Shroud by a massive explosion that ripped apart the top of the tower; the elevator had never returned to the bottom and, though she didn't _want_ to believe it, she knew _exactly_ what it meant. Her legs failed and she fell to her knees as she helplessly watched the far tower crumble. She sat back on her haunches, making no effort to rise. "The Genophage killed enough, Mordin. It shouldn't have taken any more... certainly not you."

Liara was watching the tower collapse and felt a veil of darkness descend upon her very soul; she had just told Shepard that Mordin didn't need her... and now the Salarian was most likely gone. Her brow pinched in reaction to the emotional... blankness... she suddenly felt. Her uncertainty as to its cause lasted only a nanosecond, as the crunch of armor hitting stone drew her attention. Her focus landed on Shepard's face and she heard the commander's whispered words. Tears sprang to her eyes and she moved silently to Shepard, knelt beside her and pulled the head of a non-protesting Samantha to her bosom.

They sat there in silence for what seemed like an eternity. Shepard remained still and after the initial trickle of a few tears had subsided, she had simply closed her eyes and let Liara hold her as she tried to imagine what desperate circumstance had driven Mordin to his final sacrifice. She was disgusted with herself when she suddenly realized that Mordin may not have been the only one who had gone up to the top of the tower; they'd had no additional radio contact from _anyone_ in the other group and it dawned on her that they could _all_ be dead.

_That_ thought spurred her to action and she pushed away from Liara's comforting embrace, rising hurriedly to her feet with a concerned Liara following immediately behind. Riana had stood quietly to the side as their eyes and ears, to ensure they weren't surprised by any Reaper-spawned stragglers, and turned at the sudden motion as Shepard cleared her throat and called across the comm, "Shepard squad accounted for. Wrex. Check in."

Wrex immediately came on the line. "Lost Mordin. Everyone else is here at the Tomkah, including Vega and most of his crew; he's missing Riana, but figured she stayed with you and Liara."

"Roger that." Shepard was relieved by the confirmation, but her shoulders sagged with disgust at herself. _How can I feel relief when Mordin's dead? _ A soft sigh escaped her lips before she continued, "We're heading your way now..." Her voice cut off momentarily with the rumble of an approaching Tomkah. "Wrex? You coming to us?"

"Negative, Shepard. We're still at the original deployment zone." Wrex actually sounded a bit concerned. "Someone injured and need a ride?"

Wrex responded promptly with a promise to be there as quickly as they could when he heard Shepard's curt reply. "No. We've got company."

Shepard's self-loathing vanished under the urgency of the moment and she immediately signaled for them all to take cover. As they drew weapons, Liara looked at her and asked, "It's a _Tomkah_, Shepard. Why are we assuming a _defensive_ posture?"

Shepard's eyes never left the vehicle as she responded, "Because there are Krogan who don't like Wrex, or the idea I'm backing him... and the Dalatrass was really unhappy with me. After Sparatus, I'm taking no chances. I wouldn't put it past her to try to take advantage of the situation."

"Good point." Liara's eyes hardened and she focused her own SMG on the vehicle as it rolled to a stop. The hatch dropped and they were all amazed when a human female dropped out with a smile on her face.

"What's going on, Shepard? Hell of a way to greet an old friend."

Shepard stood up slowly in surprise and holstered her pistol, somewhat numb with shock. She shook her head as if to clear her vision and practically whispered, "Sharon?"

She didn't wait for a response; her self-imposed paralysis broke and she suddenly leapt over the short wall they were hiding behind, closed quickly on the new arrival and thrust her hand out so they could clasp forearms.

Sharon Culver laughed, "That's more like it!" as she swiftly pulled Shepard into her body and wrapped her free hand around the commander in a tight hug. "Damn good to see you survived this mess, Shep!" She felt Shepard tense and her soldier's instincts told her Shepard had lost people. "Oh, Hell. Sorry. I know you; someone didn't make it."

Shepard stepped back and immediately felt Liara's comforting presence in the back of her mind. She nodded, her voice solemn. "Yeah. Remember Dr Mordin Solus?"

"He was that crazy Salarian scientist who rigged up the communication system for you, wasn't he?" Culver shook her head sadly. "That's a damn shame. He was a real piece of work, that one." Her head came up, a worried frown on her face as she spoke, "You _know_ you have to expect losses in this conflict, Shep. You have to push through them, at least for now... mourn them later, when we're done."

Her frown flattened out as Liara stepped up and slipped a hand into Shepard's. "And you've got Liara beside you. I know you're thankful for _her... _and I know _she'll_ help you see your way through this." Culver's eyes turned to the Asari. "Liara. Riana. It's good to see you again."

Liara forced an appreciative smile to her face. "Thank you for the vote of confidence, Sharon, and it's good to see you as well."

Shepard's face still held something of a dazed expression. "But how? Why are you _here_?"

Culver laughed. "Because of your Turian. Garrus told Hackett the Krogan needed help securing the ground-to-space cannon because of everything else happening at the same time..." She shook her head as she continued, "...so they promoted me to Colonel, made me the 3d Regiment Commander and sent me out here with a platoon."

So preoccupied with the fact that Sharon Culver was standing before her in person, Shepard hadn't even seen her new rank. When Culver mentioned the promotion, Shepard's eyes snapped to her friend's shoulder, saw the insignia and she immediately popped to attention, saluting. "Congratulations, Ma'am. I apologize for not noticing!"

Culver returned a hasty salute before protesting, "Knock that shit off, Shep. You know better than to salute me out here in the field."

Conversation ceased and everyone's head turned toward the grumble of yet another Tomkah. Wrex had it screaming at top speed; he roared up, slammed on the brakes and skidded to a halt. The entire vehicle was enveloped in a cloud of dust that washed over the crowd and by the time it cleared, Wrex and crew were all out of the vehicle, weapons drawn. As the dust settled, James Vega's face broke into a huge grin. "Colonel! Congrats... but what are you doing here?"

She told her story again as the rest of the crew relaxed, now knowing that Culver was a friendly. She explained how she'd been monitoring the Alliance channels and heard the Normandy chatter before once more focusing completely on the commander. "Then you announced _your_ presence... and when I heard Artimec wing call in saying something about the Reaper already knowing they were here... I mobilized my guys. When you mentioned the Shroud, I finally knew where you were headed, so we moved. The possibility of facing a Reaper made us bring the heavies; I had no idea we'd be using them to blast a mass deployment of _Brutes_."

Even given all that had transpired, Shepard smiled. "Damn. I guess I can't hold saving your ass on Asa over your head anymore. I think you repaid that debt today; I have no idea how we would have fared against them all. Though I have to admit, I was concerned it was Cerberus or some other hostile entity making that launch."

"Ah." Culver laughed. "So that's why you scattered like rabbits trying to find a bolt hole." Culver's expression turned to one of amazement. "I still had no idea what the Hell you were trying to do, even when I saw those hammers fall... but holy _fuck_ that was a big maw!

"Yeah, that was _Kalros_, the mother of all Thresher Maws, and as much as I'd love to claim it, calling her was _Eve's_ idea, not mine." Shepard smirked. "As for diving for cover, I'm not overly _popular_ in certain circles and some folk's lives would be a lot better if I wasn't in it. Figured it might be someone trying to remove a thorn from their side... but when those missiles struck the Brutes, we knew it was someone who was at least semi-friendly."

"Happy we could help out." Culver glanced at Wrex. "Urdnot Grunt has been doing pretty well in your absence, and I think he has a pretty good start on Aralakh Company again. If he's up to taking over the cannon facility, I need to get back to where I belong for this fight."

Instead of answering her directly, Wrex looked to the commander. "Yeah. We all do. Have to say it's been fun being back on the Normandy, Shepard, but Eve and I need to stay here."

"And _I_ won't say I like it, but I understand, Wrex. Tuchanka needs you more than I do right now." She turned to Culver. "And you... I sure wish we could spend some more time..."

"But duty calls. I know." Sharon had cut her off and then continued, "And I wish I could hitch a ride with you, but I need to pull up stakes for the entire Platoon, so we'll have to call a transport in for all the personnel and their gear. Don't worry, I'll keep in touch."

She pulled Shepard in for another hug and held on tight for a moment before releasing her and taking a step back. "It was great seeing you in person instead of over a vid call. Stay alive, Shepard. You still owe me that long vacation." Sharon chuckled as she watched Liara's brow raise in question.

Shepard simply smirked and saluted smartly. "You got it, Ma'am."

After Culver departed, the Normandy crew climbed into the Tomkah to return to the Hollows. Wrex spoke as he drove. "The Genophage reduced the Krogan to animals. You changed that today, Shepard."

Shepard simply stared at the floor, saying nothing, and she felt Liara squeeze her hand as Eve picked up where Wrex left off. "Now we'll fight _for_ our children, not _against_ them." Eve picked up on Shepard's mournful mood and, understanding the feeling of loss, continued quietly, "It's just a pity Mordin had to die."

"He wouldn't have wanted it any other way." Shepard turned back toward the crumbled, burning remnants of the Shroud. "And I'm sure wherever he is, he's putting in a good word for us."

"We'll name one of the kids after him." Wrex chortled, "Maybe a girl."

"Wrex!" Eve's tone was chastising but turned soft again as she returned her attention to Shepard. "But you, Commander... We can thank _you_ in person."

Wrex turned serious again. "Tell the Turians I'll be deploying troops to Palaven immediately and when you're ready to kick the Reapers off Earth, you let me know. The Krogan are back in business." Wrex slammed a fist into the steering wheel to emphasize his point.

It was a quick trip and they soon found themselves standing next to the Normandy shuttle. Eve stepped forward and gently took Shepard's hand. "Good bye, Commander. It's been a pleasure. I must travel to the Kelphic Valley to spread the hope you've given us. The clans are already gathering... I'll speak with them to make sure this gift isn't squandered. Thank you for all you've done... and know that Urdnot Bakara calls you friend."

Shepard said nothing; she simply nodded politely as she dropped Bakara's hand and joined the rest of her team on the shuttle to return to the Normandy.


	27. Fallout

Notes:

C-Sec - Citadel Security

CIC - Combat Information Center

_Grá mo Chroí_ \- Love of my heart

_I__onúin álainn_ \- beautiful beloved (Irish/Gaelic)

QEC - Quantum Entanglement Communicator. Instantaneous point-to-point secure communications device; cannot be intercepted between source and destination

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

_Tá tú mo gach rud_ \- You are my everything (Irish/Gaelic)

* * *

**Fallout**

_**Aletheia**_** SB-1**

The mood on the ship was subdued but welcoming; Aresia sat quietly with Judea and helped her prepare the evening meal, or more correctly, Aresia had grimaced and taken over, so Judea was helping _her_. "Goddess. I don't know how you survive on what you commandos throw together and call food. Do any of you truly know how to _cook_?"

Judea smiled. "Why would we? We work for House T'Soni, with some of the best chefs on Thessia, and when we're in the field we're normally on rations, with the occasional treat of berries, fruits or unlucky game we happen to stumble across. The first two only require washing, and the last..." Judea chuckled and shook her head. "The last, we simply throw over the fire; we generally don't have time to worry about anything more."

Aresia narrowed her eyes at the older Asari. "You're teasing me."

Judea's chuckle turned into a full-fledged laugh. "Of course I am. Iryna is our one _true_ cook but, to keep things fair, the three commandos rotate shifts so she occasionally has to take nights. It just so happens she's on shift, so we have to suffer with me... the engineer; or not, now that you and Falere are here. Everyone at the Monastery learns to cook and you rotate chores in much the same way, do you not?"

"Yes, that is true enough." A worried frown flitted across her face before Aresia continued, "Though, in her current state, I am unsure as to how helpful Falere will be... or how long she will continue to sequester herself in the room."

"That's easy; we won't let her." Aresia's head snapped up from the vegetables she was seasoning to stare at her companion as Judea shrugged unapologetically and continued, "This is a vessel of war. We have a mission... and it's do or die. We don't have the luxury of toting a passenger around. If she wanted to hide and sulk, she should have stayed at the Monastery."

"But that's..." Aresia suddenly found herself very uncomfortable. "She just lost her _sister_. Certainly that must count for _something_! For Goddess' sake, allow her some time to mourn!"

They both were startled by a soft voice from the passageway to the rooms. "No, Aresia. Jude is correct." The voice got louder as Falere stepped out into the lounge area and joined them at the table as she spoke. "I do _not_ have the luxury of wallowing in grief. It would consume me and it would not be a fitting tribute to Rila. I really _did_ listen to what you had to say last night before we slept. I have thought about what she did... and I will not let her sacrifice be in vain."

She reached over and quietly took the knife from the pilot's hand, taking over peeling the tubers Judea had been working on. "Hey! I may not know what seasonings to use, but I know how to _peel_!" Judea's forehead wrinkled in consternation.

"Yes, but you also know where the cookware is; we need a fryer and a deep sauté pan." Falere's lips curled up into a very brief smile before returning to their previous grim countenance. "And I owe _Riana_ an apology." Her voice turned slightly husky with emotion as she continued, "I hope it is not too long before I am able to do so; what I said to her was horrible."

Judea was brutally honest. "Yes, it was, but understandable." She glanced at Aresia, who did not hesitate to nod softly in agreement, knowing what Judea was silently asking. The commando stood and placed her hand gently on Falere's shoulder. "If you are prepared to do so, there is no time like the present."

Falere's eyes rose to meet Judea's and she stood slowly. "I am very much ready and would be extremely thankful if you could connect us."

Judea gave her a curt nod and turned away, knowing Falere would follow her to the Broker office in the lower hold.

* * *

**SSV Normandy, At Large**

The shuttle ride back to the Normandy had been a quiet one; Liara and Shepard sat together and held hands but did not speak, each simply taking comfort in the other's presence. Both were wrapped in their own thoughts and neither noticed Riana casting glances their way. She observed their loving care... even when their minds were elsewhere they somehow managed to demonstrate their deep and abiding love of one another. The squeezes, soft strokes and simply the way they held themselves in deference to the other all spoke of mutual respect and adoration.

Riana's thoughts traveled to the night leading up to the mission. Traynor had been so thoughtful; she had sensed Riana's need for solace as well as her total disinclination to speak about the events of the day. The specialist's company had been both soothing and undemanding and Riana had slept peacefully, despite all the turmoil in her mind. A shiver ran down her spine as she thought of Sammi's tender strokes across her crest and the warm, soft hand resting on her shoulder; she had fallen asleep quickly, without need of meditation.

When she had awoken the next morning to Edi's one-hour out call for Tuchanka, she was surprised that Traynor was still there... and that she was quite comfortable, nestled into the crook of Sammi's shoulder. She had thought it odd; neither one of them had gotten undressed, yet she had slept well through the entire night without getting too hot. Sammi had smiled tenderly and whispered into her crest, "Good morning, Ri. I'm glad you're awake... I need to go, but you looked so peaceful, I couldn't bear to rouse you." They had gotten up and Traynor had hugged her tightly, bidding her be careful and to come back safely to the Normandy.

As they bumped down in the shuttle bay, Riana smiled; Specialist Samantha Traynor would be pleased she had returned to the Normandy uninjured... and, somehow, knowing _that_ made Riana a teensy bit giddy. She glanced once more to Shepard and Liara, surprising herself with her own thoughts. _Perhaps, someday, I can have that with Sammi._

They all dismounted and, as the rest of the ground team began putting away all their gear in their lockers, Shepard and Liara retreated immediately to the loft. Riana watched them go, assuming they must have been speaking through the link while they were on the shuttle. She decided _she_ would stop by the CIC as soon as she had completed her medical scan in the Med Bay; she knew what it was to need to see someone in the flesh before believing they were truly alright and, with their developing relationship, she would not deny Traynor that sense of relief.

* * *

Once in the privacy of the loft, Shepard and Liara each helped the other undo their armor before slipping into the shower together. It had been a tough fight and both of them had multiple bruises and cuts. They washed carefully and applied medigel before holding one another close. Liara spoke first. "I am _so_ sorry about Mordin, Shepard. I should have let you _go_ to him... I..."

Shepard squeezed her tight and shushed her. "Li, don't... _please_. You were correct... and it was the right call. Besides, we were kind of busy dodging a battle of epic proportions and the Shroud _exploded_ before I could have _ever_ gotten there anyway." She hesitated only briefly before continuing, "There was nothing we could have done."

"But..." Liara's protest was silenced by the commander's lips on hers, making it impossible to talk. Her words turned to a moan as Shepard pinned her tight to the shower wall; the warrior's calloused hands caressed her breasts with astonishing gentleness and a thigh was placed tantalizingly against her crotch. Liara couldn't stop herself; she needed to feel Shepard's mind wrap around hers to _know_ the truth. The link was not enough to discern if Shepard truly did not blame her.

Her eyes slipped to obsidian and she slid into Shepard's consciousness. It was as if she was sliding in between satin sheets; there was no resistance, simply a warmth that embraced and engulfed her, welcoming her in. Shepard immediately sensed her remorse and whispered to her lover. _{I rely on your good judgment,_ _I__onúin álainn__. It WAS the right call. Please stop worrying about it.}_

Once Shepard's thoughts came through the meld, there was no doubt. All the sincerity and strength of Shepard's convictions followed her words and could not be denied; the commander did _not_ blame Liara, but neither did it mitigate any of the anguish the commander felt from Mordin's loss. It was evident within the meld that Shepard did not think she, herself, was at fault either, but it was clear she still felt the burden of responsibility for the loss of a crewmate. Liara felt the weight of guilt shift off her shoulders, only to be replaced with a different responsibility and she responded to Shepard's urgent need for distraction.

_{Shepard! We... don't have time... the debrief... but, Goddess! I... want... you.} _ Even as she 'spoke,' she felt her hips instinctively tip forward in search of sweet release and her breasts were burning under the commander's touch, hard tips begging for the cool relief of Shepard's tongue. Another needy moan escaped her lips before she could stop it.

Shepard heard Liara's words, but also sensed her desire... and, at the moment, Shepard had an overwhelming need to feel alive and connected. She dipped down and wrapped her tongue around the hard point of Liara's left breast and suckled while her right hand dropped to find Liara's pulsing Azure. As Samantha's fingers stroked through wet folds to stop and put pressure on an eager nub, what little remained of Liara's feeble resistance was washed away in the flood. Dampness that was not the water of the shower coated her inner thighs and she groaned with an abrupt need of her own to have Shepard fill her.

The desires and sensations roared through the meld and crashed against Shepard's mind as white-capped waves against the shore; her left hand stayed affixed to Liara's right breast as she dropped to a knee. Her tongue wrapped around a different hardened point as her fingers penetrated repeatedly, deep into wet heat. Liara shuddered, trapped in bliss between the cool shower wall and Samantha's burning touch and the Asari's words came across the meld in a stutter, as her brain ceased to function properly in the wake of the stimulation overload. _{Sh-Shep... ard!}_

Samantha's thoughts came to her in Gaelic and they were Liara's final undoing, reminding her of Shepard's proposal. _{I__onúin álainn__... Grá mo chroí... T__á tú mo gach rud.__}_

Liara's body stiffened as her muscles clenched and her release flooded across Shepard's hand and chin. She was both emotionally and physically exhausted from the long battle on Tuchanka and her legs almost immediately turned to jelly, but Shepard did not let her fall. The commander stood quickly and wrapped Liara in a tight embrace, her face buried in the crook of Liara's neck as she took in a deep breath filled with the scents of eezo and Thessian rose.

They stood for a bit longer under the falling water and Shepard lovingly supported Liara as she rinsed off one last time before they stepped out, dried off and got dressed. Liara remained a little weak-kneed, so Shepard made her take time to eat an eezo cube and suck down an energy drink before they proceeded down to the War Room.

* * *

As soon as the debrief was complete, Liara headed off to the Med Bay for her mandatory scan and Shepard moved the short distance to the QEC to call Hackett.

"Hell of a thing you just pulled off, Commander. Curing the Genophage..." Hackett shook his head in near disbelief. "Never thought I'd see the day."

Shepard grimaced. "It cost the life of Dr Mordin Solus... as well as the support of the Salarian Dalatrasses, but it _did_ get us the full support of the Krogan. Wrex is already sending troops to Palaven."

"I'll defer to your judgment on Salarian politics, Commander, but I get the feeling it won't affect our STG support." Hackett adjusted his position, clasping his hands behind his back as he continued, "Let's hope we don't need more than that from them."

"They'll help us eventually, Admiral. They'll have to or they'll die alone." Shepard rolled her head to stretch her neck in an unsuccessful attempt to relieve some of the tension. "I know we could have used their scientific support, but the cost was simply too high."

"Agreed, Shepard. Right now, we need more soldiers." Hackett's face took on an expression of hope. "Your Dr T'Soni is pushing some of the best minds in the galaxy to us, _including_ some Salarians, Dalatrasses be damned. We only need to last long enough to give them time to find answers. Tell her I appreciate her efforts, and take care of yourself, Shepard. Hackett, out."

When Shepard stepped out of the comm room, she was met by Primarch Victus. "Commander. Urdnot Wrex upheld his part of the bargain and now I'll keep mine. The Turian hierarchy will stand with Humanity against the Reapers. I have Garrus coordinating several dry-dock ships to start running supplies for the Crucible." The Primarch glanced at the floating hologram showing the progress on the Crucible as he finished. "And when the time comes to deploy it, the full measure of our fleet will be there for Earth. May the Spirits watch over us all."

"I'm glad we can help each other out, Primarch. Standing together is the only way we're going to defeat the Reapers." Shepard turned to walk out, but the Primarch called her back with a question.

"My time on the Normandy is done, Commander. Would it be possible to make a stop and let me disembark at the Citadel? I need to coordinate replacements for the fighters we lost on Tuchanka."

Shepard turned back and her voice was solemn as she replied, "Absolutely, Sir. Those guys saved our _asses_ down there. It's the _least_ we can do."

As the Primarch gave a quick nod of acknowledgement and walked away, Garrus started speaking. "I'll start managing Turian support right away, Shepard." He watched the commander's shoulders noticeably slump after the Primarch had departed and added, "You must be exhausted... Mordin dying; it can't be easy."

Shepard leaned on the holo display and stared at the image of the Crucible. "I'll sleep when I'm dead. We have a war to win."

"We both know you need a clear head to win a war. There's no room for mistakes here." Garrus placed his hand gently on her shoulder. "Go catch some shut-eye. I'll make sure Joker doesn't launch any suicide missions."

"Anything happens, you let me know." Shepard stood back upright and gave him a small smile. "We need to get to the Citadel, but if I'm going to _really_ sleep, I need eight hours. Tell Joker to get us there at first light, not before."

Garrus chuckled, "You've got it, Shepard. It'll be fun coming up with stuff to do in the meantime."

* * *

Shepard announced a mandatory eight-hour rest period for all ground crew and met Liara once more in the loft. This time, they simply stripped down and snuggled into each other's arms under the covers, quickly falling into blissful, much needed sleep. Down in the CIC, Traynor was preparing all the latest mission reports for archiving. Since they had been transmitted and the Admiral had no follow-up questions, Traynor wanted them off her active list so she could focus on new, incoming data.

She glanced over her shoulder at the sound of the elevator door opening and her hands froze above the haptic interface. Riana walked directly over to her, speaking as she took her last few steps. "Hello, Specialist." Riana smiled when she saw the surprise on Traynor's face.

"What are...?" Traynor stopped herself and she started over. "Riana! Good to see you... You don't normally come to the CIC deck. Do you need something?"

"Yes, I do." Riana's smile faded into uncertainty as she continued. "I think I need to show you that I have returned unharmed from the last mission. Dr Chakwas has reassured herself I am perfectly healthy and I felt you would appreciate that bit of information."

"Why would...?" Traynor hesitated as Riana reached over and ran her fingertips gently down Sammi's bare arm, leaving a pleasant tingling sensation in their wake. "Oh... Oh!" A broad grin came with Traynor's change in demeanor and she laughed quietly, her face slightly flushed. "Yes. I _do_ appreciate that. It's very thoughtful of you." Traynor's brow wrinkled with regret. "Though I hate to say it, I'm in the process of archiving records... not something I can leave in the middle of." She glanced guiltily back at the screen she was working on. "I'm sorry, Ri."

Riana's lips formed into a gentle smile. "No need for apologies; I don't mean to interrupt your work. I simply wanted you to know I have come back safely, as you requested."

"Ahhh." A worried frown settled on Traynor's face. "I... uhm... I didn't mean to leave the impression you _had_ to come check in with me!"

"_Relax_, Sammi." Riana chuckled. "I know I didn't have to. I... _wanted_ to. It is nice to know someone is concerned for my welfare... other than Mistress Liara and Commander Shepard, that is." Riana hesitated and decided against what she was thinking. Instead, she said, "I must go... both to let _you_ work and because Commander Shepard ordered the ground team into a mandatory rest period."

They said their goodbyes and Riana stepped into the elevator. After the doors closed, she snorted in disgust at herself. "You are such a coward, Riana Iregos!"

What she had _wanted_ to do was invite Traynor to her room once she had finished archiving the current mission records, but Riana had lost her nerve. She continued to chastise herself all the way to the Broker office, but was distracted the minute she walked in by a flashing icon indicating a priority message from the _Aletheia_. She immediately went to the terminal and activated it, staring in stunned silence at who she saw on the recorded vid message.

"I am so _sorry_, Riana." Not surprising, Falere looked like she had been crying. "I was angry... but not at you; _you_ were the convenient target. I was angry at the Reapers for attacking us... at my mother for ever sending us there to begin with... and, stupidly enough, at Rila... for abandoning me."

Falere suddenly dropped into a chair as she continued to record her message. "I was such an idiot... and I hurt you. Badly. I was hoping to apologize to you directly, but since both you and Dr T'Soni were out of the office, Judea told me you were most likely on a mission or getting much needed post-mission rest. But I couldn't wait. I need to tell you how sorry I am and I hope you can forgive me for being so cruel. Rila would be so angry with me for laying blame where it did not belong."

"Please tell me you do not _hate_ me." Falere's eyes closed. "It would be no less than I deserve... but you were... hopefully still _are_... one of my _true_ friends. One of the very few who came to visit without _fear_ in your eyes at what we are as Ardat-Yakshi. It would disturb me greatly to think I threw that friendship away during a moment of emotional distress and poor judgment."

Her eyes reopened but her head bowed in shame. "You and Jude are like family to us. I realize you went to the Monastery to visit _Aresia_, but you always made time for _us_... as her friends. I need to go. I realize this is supposed to be for official business only, but it was the only way Judea knew of to contact you in confidence. I don't want her to get into trouble for this, but I simply _had_ to speak to you."

Falere's hand reached out toward the termination button and hovered above it. "Do not worry about us, Riana. Aresia and I are in good hands and we will watch out for one another. Please... keep yourself safe."

Falere's hand fell on the button and the message cut off; as the screen went blank, Riana realized she was crying. Soft tears of relief continued to slip down her cheeks as she checked the system for any other priority messages. Finding none, Riana activated Glyph's emergency response protocols and entered her room to sleep, knowing she had already forgiven Falere and looking forward to a much better rest than she had anticipated. Before she laid down for the night, she typed out one last quick message and pressed 'send.'

_Falere. I am sorry I missed your call. Not only do I __**not**__ hate you, but I understand your pain and forgive you your rash words. After your exclamation, Aresia reminded me what it had felt like to lose a sister; it seems the youngest of us is needed to bring a fresh perspective. I realize that you will never be so lucky as to find Rila again other than in your dreams, but you will always have us, Rez and me. To that I swear._

* * *

Both Shepard and Liara groaned when the one-hour-out call came in for the Citadel. Shepard sat up and hung her legs off the bed, facing away from Liara, but did not rise. Liara slid over and wrapped herself around the commander's back. "Did you sleep at all, after your dream?"

"Yeah. Took me a while to get back to sleep..." She turned and smiled lightly at the Asari as she finished, "but having my anchor to cuddle to certainly helped."

"I only wish I could do more for you, Samantha." Liara exhaled heavily and her brow markings crinkled. "I feel helpless. How am I supposed to combat your nightmares?"

Shepard turned a tad bit more and planted a tender kiss on soft blue lips. "By _being_ here, like you were last night, to pull my ass out of that damned forest when I can't seem to get myself out. _That's_ how."

"It doesn't seem to be enough. I know they still torment you." Rather than remaining curled around the commander, Liara sought contact and leaned against Shepard's back as she wrapped a slender arm around her waist. "I simply wish I could do more to help you get past them."

Shepard leaned back unexpectedly and pushed them both over, her head and shoulders ending up on Liara's stomach as she turned to look into troubled blue eyes. "You _do_ help me, Li. Never _doubt_ that. I love you... and I feel your unending love for me _every time_ you pull me from that dark place." Shepard rolled over and squirmed up beside her lover so she could kiss her gently on the cheek. "Thank you."

"You are _very_ welcome, _Siame_."

Whatever she was going to say next was cut off by Joker on the comm. "Commander? You'd better get down here, something's not right."

Shepard rolled off the bed and landed on her feet, immediately moving toward the closet. "Define 'not right,' Joker."

"The Citadel, Ma'am. They're not answering. Not even on emergency channels." Joker's voice was laced with concern.

Liara was up in a flash and standing next to Shepard in no time, also dressing quickly. Shepard gave her a look as she responded to the Flight Lieutenant. "I'll be there in two."

Shepard was quickly fastening the last of her armor as she spoke to Liara. "I need you to start prepping a ground team and get to the shuttle. If the Reapers are there, our top priority is getting the Council off the station if it hasn't been done yet."

"Certainly." Liara's voice was calm and professional; their personal chat sectionalized and pushed to the background. "Standard response team, Beth and Sarah carrying Arc Projectors?"

"Yes, and we'll need Javik to replace Wrex. I'll take him." Shepard started for the door then stopped and looked at Liara. "Li, I may need to send you and Riana with Garrus if we have to split teams."

Liara didn't even blink. "Understood, Commander." A sense of relief washed over the link; Shepard had feared after the reaction at the Tomkah Liara wouldn't want to be separated from her. Liara felt the response and smiled. "As you rely on my judgment, I trust yours, Shepard. We do what needs to be done."

The commander smiled in return. "I'll see you at the shuttle."

* * *

As Shepard rolled onto the Bridge, Joker was still attempting to make contact with the Citadel. "Alliance Control, this is SSV Normandy, are we cleared to descend?"

Shepard walked up between him and Edi and crossed her arms. He glanced up at her and shook his head, indicating his complete lack of contact. He wasn't pleased. "I have no idea what the hell's going on down there, Commander. If it was a simple station malfunction, they'd have backups online." His hands returned to the controls as he continued, "I'm going to check the emergency channels again."

His right hand suddenly froze. "Oh shit. You'll want to hear this, Shepard! It's Thane!"

"Normandy here. Go, Thane." Joker spoke as a simple flip of a switch put the audio on speaker.

"Shepard. The Citadel is under attack. Cerberus troops are everywhere and they're in control of the docks." Thane's voice was quiet and controlled.

"Are you safe?" Shepard's hands dropped to her sides and she stepped closer to the console.

"No. I had to evade their commandos at the hospital." He paused for a breath. "I'm in a Presidium storefront."

"The hospital? Did Ashley make it out?" Shepard's hands clenched into fists as she waited for the response.

"As far as I know. We went separate ways. She headed for the Council Chambers and I'm headed for C-Sec Headquarters." Thane's voice was raspy as he drew another labored breath.

Shepard was caught off guard and had to ask, "Why C-Sec?"

"It's been compromised and C-Sec's response depends on it. As long as Cerberus maintains control of C-Sec, they maintain control of the station." Thane must have slowed down while he was talking; his breath was no longer coming in wheezing gasps.

"Fucking Cerberus. Since they also have the docks, we'll do a shuttle drop and meet you there." Shepard growled, "They won't hold the headquarters for long."

Shepard turned and stalked out, calling back over her shoulder, "Joker! Get us away from the docks and close to C-Sec. Give us a drop countdown."

Joker simply responded, "Aye, aye, Commander," as he punched in the new destination coordinates.

When Shepard reached the shuttle, there was a huge surprise... and not necessarily a welcome one. "Primarch. I don't mean to be disrespectful, but why are you here, Sir?"

"Because I'm going with you, Shepard." Victus' voice offered no room for negotiation. "Cerberus is here because we pulled those fighters." He paused, but not long enough for Shepard to interrupt. "You asked, I agreed... and now we _both_ get to fix it. I'm coming with you."

Shepard looked at him and realized he was most likely correct about the cause... and that meant Cerberus had an agent somewhere in the embassies. Victus was also ready for battle; it was not the Primarch who stood before her. It was General Adrian Victus in full battle armor, with his assault rifle docked on the hardpoint over his shoulder and his service pistol at his hip.

"Alright." Shepard nodded. "That'll change things up a bit." She narrowed her eyes and glanced quickly through the crew. "Vega. You've got Edi and Campbell. General? You're with Garrus, Dr T'Soni and Vanguard Iregos. Javik and Westmoreland are with me."

"Load up." Shepard ushered them all aboard and briefed them on the mission to retake C-Sec headquarters. "Once that's done, we'll figure out where we need to be next, depending on the status of the Council." Her eyes traveled back to Victus. "Sir, if Cerberus has captured or killed them, you need to be prepared to take temporary command of the Citadel until we can locate the Ambassadors and promote them to temporary Councilors."

Victus' mandibles flared. "I'd hope the Spirits would never be so cruel as to inflict that upon a soldier." Garrus chuckled at his comment and the Primarch glared at him. "I'd be careful if I were you, Vakarian. I _am_ the Primarch and, if no one else is available, I know _exactly_ who the next Turian Councilor is going to be."

"_Sir_, you wouldn't..." Garrus said the words, but immediately knew they were wrong. "Then again, you _would_... _especially_ if it meant _you_ didn't have to do it." He paused and shook his head. "Right. I'll make sure to find someone to fill that slot for you, then."

Their banter brought light smiles to the soldiers' faces, but they quickly turned to business when Cortez called out, "Landing zone's hot! Big Cerberus presence, but C-Sec is still fighting!"

"Alright, people! Coming in hot!" She glanced out as Vega punched the actuator and the hatch slid open. "Vega. Left. Garrus. Right." She looked at Javik and Westmoreland as she continued, "And we're going right up the middle!"

The teams deployed as soon as they could make the jump down and with the three teams working in tandem, they moved easily across the skycar lot to the back entrance to C-Sec. Shepard saw Commander Bailey leaning against the wall near the door, holding his gut. She moved rapidly to his side and offered up some of her personal medigel.

"Shepard! You're a sight for sore eyes!" He groaned as he applied the medigel and continued, "Way to bring in the cavalry! Cerberus didn't stand a chance."

"What are you doing out here?" She offered a hand and helped him stand.

He took it, gratefully, and rose slowly from the floor with her assistance. "Getting my _ass_ shot off trying to retake the headquarters. Your arrival was _almost_ too late... but I sure am glad you're here _now_!" He looked at the door and started putting in his code. "We've got to kick them outta there. Everyone in C-Sec is flying blind without the network."

Shepard nodded. "That's why we're here, Bailey. You get the door... We'll take care of whoever might still be inside."

Victus stepped forward. "Commander Bailey. Do you know if the Councilors are still alive?"

"Primarch!" Bailey hadn't paid any attention to who was with Shepard and his voice reflected surprise. "They split up. I'll know more if I can access a terminal inside."

The door slid open and the ground team was greeted by silence instead of the expected hail of gunfire. They moved into the room the same way they had deployed from the shuttle and quickly had control of the headquarters again. Bailey sat down promptly and brought up a terminal interface. "Here we go. C-Sec network access, courtesy of Cerberus."

Shepard glanced at him, "How's that going to help?"

Bailey's fingers started moving across the keyboard. "They have control of the main channels, but I can set up a new one to talk to our people... piggybacking on our own network. Cerberus won't even realize we're back in."

"Hello." He suddenly paused. "There's a warning in here from Councilor Valern. He's supposed to be here, meeting with the Executor." Bailey focused on the screen and read aloud, "Be on guard... The likelihood of betrayal from within is high."

Bailey looked back at Shepard. "Nothing else here, but if he's inside, it means someone big is about to be prosecuted. My guess is someone had Cerberus friends."

"Udina." Shepard's eyebrows rose. "I hope I'm _wrong_, but that slime-ball would do _anything_ to gain power and influence... and Cerberus isn't likely to deal with non-humans."

"I knew he was a pain in the ass, but you honestly think he'd stoop that low?" Vega was doubtful.

"Spirits. When it came down to Saren and Sovereign, he tossed Shepard out with the trash... double-crossed her, grounded the Normandy and almost let the Reapers in the front door three years ago." Garrus snorted. "I wouldn't put anything past that man."

Vega mumbled, "Dios mio," as Bailey shrugged and answered his question. "Only the councilor will have the answer to that question."

"Alright. One councilor is better than zero." Shepard looked to Bailey. "Where are we headed?"

This time, Garrus stepped in, his own C-Sec experience coming into play. "If he was meeting there, he would most likely stay in the Executor's office. He always travels with a few STG guards and it's a fairly defensible position."

"Sounds like a good place to start." Shepard looked at Victus. "Primarch. You stay here with Garrus, Campbell and Westmoreland to regroup operations and run the show until we sort this out. I'll take everyone else with me; we'll take back this station for you, and hopefully save a few councilors in the process."

"Just a sec." Bailey played with his omnitool and Shepard's lit up in response. "There. Now we can talk by omnitool and you can link into the new network I just set up." Bailey's eyes came up and he nodded at the commander. "Go."

Shepard looked to her teammates. "Liara, you're with me. Riana, you're with Vega. Let's move."

As they stepped out, Shepard reached out on her comm, "Thane, you catch all that?"

"Yes." Thane was sounding winded again as he spoke, "I'm nearing the building, but running is difficult. I'll try to get to you."

As soon as the team slid out through the C-Sec Headquarters door into the main lobby, they were confronted by two Assault Troopers, one of which immediately jumped on his radio to announce a perimeter breach. Shepard cursed under her breath. _So much for surprise!_

The two fell quickly against the two teams of three and the Normandy crew pressed quickly forward. "Move it, people." Shepard moved at a fast walk, almost a jog... as quickly as she could while still sweeping areas with her weapon and checking corners. They ran into a couple of Guardians; with the combination of biotics and Edi's tech-attacks, they really proved to be little challenge.

Bailey suddenly came on line, "Be ready for more of that, Shepard. They know you're coming, so their digging in. I've got them on camera." Under Bailey's direction, they were prepared before they opened each new door and worked their way quickly through the station to the Executor's office, at which point Bailey told them he couldn't help any more. "Sorry, Shepard, but the Executor has too many top-level classified briefings and discussions in his office. No cameras permitted, so you're on your own."

"Thanks, Bailey. Appreciate your help getting us this far." Shepard looked at her squad. "Liara and Riana... I want barriers. Edi... When this door opens, you have your choice of tech attacks. Pick what's best for whatever you see." Her eyes flashed in recognition as she met Liara's gaze briefly before moving on. "Javik, James and I will be the front line. With our combined firepower, we should be able to push whoever's in there into cover and give us a chance to assess the situation. We want the councilor alive if at all possible. Questions?"

When she got no queries, she looked to Vega on her right. "James? If you'd do the honors, please?" He quickly readied his assault rifle and hit the keypad to open the door.

The door hissed open to an unnatural quiet and Shepard looked quickly around the room. "Damn it." She opened her comm back to C-Sec. "Bailey. Looks like they got the Executor and two Salarian bodyguards."

"Damn." By the tone of his voice, it was obvious Bailey was disappointed. "Alright, keep searching. If you don't see the councilor's body, don't count him out yet."

Vega flagged her over to a window that overlooked an office floor with multiple workstations. As they looked down, a chair seemed to move on its own accord and Shepard saw the shimmer of a personal cloak an instant before Councilor Valern appeared from under a desk, decloaking as he stood. Shepard was immediately back on the comm to Bailey. "Found Valern. He looks unharmed; we'll secure him and return to the headquarters."

As Bailey acknowledged the news, Shepard turned and spoke to Vega. "Take your team down the stairs to secure that room. We'll keep watch from here until we see you."

"Roger that, Commander." Vega flagged Riana and Edi and they departed quickly. As Shepard turned back to the viewing window, a Cerberus Phantom assassin dropped from the ceiling rafters and landed directly in front of the councilor, who backpedaled several steps in fear.

"Shit!" Shepard whipped her pistol up and shot the glass between them, leapt out and dropped to the lower level. Liara and Javik followed as soon as their surprise allowed. They landed, facing the councilor and staring at the assassin's back, but it didn't last long. Kai Leng performed an extremely athletic maneuver and was suddenly on the opposite side of Valern; the councilor was now between him and the Normandy team.

Once he was facing them, Liara recognized him from the Broker files and spoke quietly from behind the commander's left shoulder. "Shepard. Anderson told you stories about Cerberus' top assassin, _Kai Leng_, whom he and Kahlee ran into? That's him. _That_ is Kai Leng... _Please_ be careful."

Shepard gave a brief nod to acknowledge she heard. She wasn't terribly shocked by the assassin's athleticism; she had seen Kasumi perform amazing feats while taking down Donovan Hock and knew Leng had most likely been augmented by TIM, so pressed forward, business as usual but a tad more cautious due to Liara's warning. The assassin was amazingly confident, considering Commander Shepard and two biotics were confronting him, and he raised his hand up to point at the councilor, the kinetic blaster in the palm of his gauntlet glowing with power. Shepard immediately swung out to the side and drew a bead on his forehead. "Don't even think about it."

Valern blurted out, "Shepard! He's going to kill us all!"

"That remains to be seen." Shepard didn't bat an eye and continued to move more to his side, slowly widening the flanking maneuver. Javik understood what she was doing and moved in the opposite direction while Liara stood behind Valern and readied her biotics to throw up a barrier in case the assassin made a move.

"I mean _Udina_." Valern practically sneered. "He's staging a coup. He's got the other councilors now and is preparing to lead them right to Cerberus!"

"It's three on one, pal. It's over." Shepard maintained her laser focus on Leng and narrowed her eyes in anticipation as the assassin spoke.

"No. Now it's fun." With those words, Liara threw up the barrier, and much to everyone's surprise, Thane Krios decloaked directly beside the assassin, his pistol pointed at the Phantom's temple.

Leng didn't hesitate; he struck Thane's pistol upward and entered into a hand-to-hand melee, assassin versus assassin. Liara immediately drew Valern away from the fight to protect him as the Cerberus agent cloaked and once again vanished.

Shepard glanced around warily and looked to Javik. "Protect Valern!"

Vega and crew had arrived during the melee and they quickly surrounded the councilor as Shepard and Thane remained vigilant, attempting to detect even the slightest shimmer of the assassin's cloak. When he did appear, he was to Thane's side and the two of them engaged in hand-to-hand once more, ending with the assassin flat on his back after Thane nailed him with a biotically enhanced punch.

The assassin realized he was overmatched in actual martial arts skill, so shifted to the brute power approach. He charged Thane, who was starting to tire from his illness, and drew a long sword with a monomolecular blade that could slice through armor. As Thane drew back once more to biotically punch the assassin, Leng capitalized on the brief opening and ran the blade through Thane's chest, then pulled and ran.

Shepard could do nothing but watch in horror as Thane crumpled to the ground.


	28. Dog Bite

Notes:

_A Grá_ \- My Love (Irish/Gaelic)

_I__onúin álainn_ \- beautiful beloved (Irish/Gaelic)

_Nara_ \- literally "bearer"; one who shoulders another's burden, aids others (Thessian)

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

SMG - Sub-Machine Gun

* * *

**Dog Bite**

**Citadel, Serpent Nebula**

Shepard shouted out Thane's name in anger and frustration before abandoning the councilor and running after the assassin. It became immediately apparent he was not working alone; Shepard watched helplessly as he jumped from the ledge, only to land on the roof of an arriving skycar.

She was surprised when shots rang out behind her and she turned to see Thane shooting at the fleeing Cerberus agent, his hand clutched to the wound in his chest. "Thane! How bad is it?"

Thane remained where he was and slid down the wall he was leaning against as he answered, "I have time. Catch him!"

She immediately called Bailey. "Thane Krios needs medical help, _fast_, and I'm taking a car to chase that assassin!"

Bailey responded quickly, "He must be going after the rest of the council. Stay on him, Shepard! I'll take care of your friend."

Shepard glanced up the stairs to see Liara already headed down with Riana directly behind her. She waved at them to hurry as she climbed into a C-Sec skycar. "Get the word out, Bailey. Udina's trying to seize power. I've got to get to the councilors before the assassin does."

"Roger that, Commander. They're being taken to a shuttle pad on the Presidium; standard evacuation point. Coordinates are already in the car... start driving and I'll try to raise them on the comm."

"Sounds good." Shepard started the car and lifted off in pursuit. "And Bailey? Get there with the rest of my guys for backup as soon as you can."

* * *

Shepard pushed the throttles to the stops; Riana was silent in the back seat but Liara, as they darted wildly through traffic at an excessive speed, braced one hand against the dashboard and closed her eyes, whispering, "By the Goddess. I _swore_ to myself I'd never let myself be put in this position again."

Shepard chuckled softly. "Oh, come on! I haven't killed us yet!"

"That we have been _lucky_ enough to survive your driving thus far is beside the point, Shepard." Liara peeked out at buildings and traffic whizzing by and immediately slammed her eyes closed again. "I do not care to tempt fate, and at this pace, it is merely a matter of time."

Shepard didn't have a chance to respond; she caught a glimpse of the skycar they were trying to catch... just before it slammed into the side of them, throwing them to the left as _it_ took a hard right. Shepard recovered from the impact and banked hard to come around in pursuit. "Hang on and prepare your barriers... something isn't right. We caught up to them much too quickly."

Riana's voice piped up from the back. "They are luring us into a trap."

"_Exactly_." Shepard's eyes narrowed and her words were short as she worked to maintain her concentration and not lose sight of their quarry.

The skycar ahead slowed down as it approached a bridge and hooked a hard left just as it passed underneath it. "Be ready; here it comes." Shepard also slowed down, hoping it would give her that extra split-second to react, since she had no idea what to expect.

Even expecting the unexpected did not prepare her for the heavy thump on the roof of the C-Sec vehicle... nor for the blade that sliced easily through the roof of the car and penetrated into Liara's left shoulder. As her promised yelped in pain, Shepard's face went taut with anger and she snarled, "You son of a _bitch_!" as she jerked the control yoke, throwing the vehicle into a barrel roll in an attempt to dislodge the assassin.

Shepard had no idea how Riana managed to control her body motions through such a violent maneuver, but Riana somehow managed to strike the flat edge of Kai Leng's blade and shatter it before the assassin could twist it, swing it, or withdraw it, limiting the damage to Liara's shoulder to only the original stab wound. The commander risked a glance at her beloved and wished she hadn't; Liara was bleeding profusely and was obviously in great pain... and there was nothing the commander could do at the moment to help her.

Somehow, Leng managed to hang on through the barrel roll and the stump of what remained of his blade was driven down through the roof again, directly adjacent to Shepard's head. "That's fucking _enough_!" She pulled back on the controls and the car entered a sudden steep climb just as they passed under another bridge.

Riana wasn't so quiet anymore, instantly shouting out, "_Nara_! The _bridge_!"

Shepard growled, "Exactly!" As she spoke, she aggressively shoved the nose of the vehicle back down; their momentum continued to carry the car rapidly upward until the top of the roof smashed violently against the underside of the bridge. The car ricocheted off and continued forward, but not until after a shrill scream of agony was cut off with a satisfying, sudden _crunch_ as they bounced off the structure; Kai Leng was no more.

"Damn it." Shepard fought the controls of the damaged car to no avail. "Hang on; we're going down." The landing was rough, but controlled, and Shepard managed to skid the vehicle to a stop without crashing or flipping the car. She immediately popped her door and rushed around to the other side, helping Liara get unbuckled and out of the car. The Asari's face was pale as Shepard helped her to a sitting position, leaning her gently against a post. "Gods, Liara. I am so sorry."

Liara gave her a grimace that was her best attempt at a smile as she ground out, "This wound was _not_ your doing, Shepard." As the commander undid the Asari's shoulder armor, Liara grunted in pain before she continued, "And I know it sounds odd, especially given my previous comments, but I do believe that was the most _satisfying_ crash I have ever been a part of."

A pained smile crossed Shepard's face as she revealed the Asari's wound. She forewarned, "Hang on, Li," and gripped Liara's shoulder, compressing a pressure point with her thumb to slow the bleeding before applying medigel. "Yeah; not exactly my best driving display."

"_Ahhhh_. That does _hurt_ a tad bit." Liara hissed through her teeth as Samantha forced the gel into the puncture. "On the contrary, Shepard. I thought it both necessary _and_ effective... seeing as _we_ survived it and Kai Leng did _not_. Though I doubt Commander Bailey will be very happy about his car."

When she finished pulling Liara's under-armor shirt back up onto the Asari's shoulder and zipped it into place, Shepard leaned in and placed her forehead tenderly against Liara's side crests. _{Humor as a coping mechanism, T'Soni? I like it... but that one __**scared**__ me, A Grá. I'm relieved __**you**__ can joke about it.}_

_{One of us has to, Siame.} _Liara smiled for real as the medigel started working and the pain faded to a dull throb. _{You were too angry, so I assumed the job was left up to me.}_

Shepard sat up with a relieved laugh. "I suppose so, Blue." Her expression abruptly turned more serious. "Think you can move alright?"

"Absolutely. I'm not sure about my biotics yet as it may be difficult to concentrate, but my right arm is fine, so I can still shoot." To prove her point, Liara stood and pulled her SMG from its dock as she finished. "And you are most certainly _not_ leaving me behind."

"Good." Shepard nodded sharply. "And just for the record, I had no intention of doing so unless you were unable to continue... and there's motion up ahead. I do believe we should get ready for company."

It wasn't long before Bailey was on the comm. "Shepard? What happened? The tracker shows your car stopped."

"Had a run in with the assassin. You can scratch him off your 'Wanted' list." _And off the bottom of the High Lake Plaza Bridge. _Shepard paused and leaned out of cover, looking carefully along their seemingly clear path of travel; she had already seen someone moving around up there, so didn't believe it was as empty as it looked. "We're on foot now. Any contact with the Council?"

"Huh. Negative, Shepard." Bailey didn't sound happy, and the commander understood as soon as he continued. "Their security detail was found dead, but we've still got vitals on the Councilors' transponders."

Shepard hissed as she thought of Tevos and Huntress Tenir; she hoped they were _both_ alive and well. The arrival of a Cerberus shuttle refocused her attention. "We could use some help, Bailey. Dr T'Soni is injured and we've got Phantoms and Nemeses dropping on us."

Bailey's reply was lost in a hail of gunfire as a stasis froze the closest Phantom and Shepard blasted it away. She glanced back in surprise to see blue wisps curling off Liara's fingertips. The Asari had a light smile on her face as she spoke. "I can use them, but I'm going to be much slower than usual. I'll have to rely more on my Shuriken than my biotics for this one."

Liara felt warmth radiate through her from the link as Shepard responded. "Be careful, Li. It's hard to change fighting styles. Don't get yourself in a jam... but I'll be right here if you do."

She turned to Riana. "Think you can pick up the slack on Stasis to help Liara out?"

"Certainly, _Nara_." Riana grinned, "They are much easier to kill that way."

Shepard wanted to slow her pace so Liara had time to recover a bit more, but knew they didn't have the time. She pushed an apology through the link as she pressed forward, trading back and forth with Riana on either a biotic stasis or a throw and alternating who got to charge to finish the deal. They worked their way methodically through the complex, Liara grudgingly holding back and providing supporting fire with the occasional stasis or warp. Not being able to fully use her left arm was extremely frustrating, but the pain was an excruciating reminder when she forgot and snapped her hand out to throw anything quickly or more powerful.

They finally broke out onto the plaza below the Council evacuation point and, at first, Shepard thought it was clear. That illusion was shattered when an Atlas crashed to the floor approximately halfway across the plaza. Shepard and Liara each tossed out a warp while Riana tossed a grenade and dove for cover. Shepard shouted out, "Sure could use Edi or Garrus with an overload about now!" before diving behind a low wall, looking back only to assure herself Liara had sought cover as well.

"Bailey! We made it to Shalmar Plaza, but we've got to get past an Atlas before we can get to the elevators." Shepard spoke calmly as she launched yet another warp and blasted the Atlas with incendiary ammo. "What about the councilors?"

"They're already in the elevators and headed to the shuttle dock." Bailey sounded relieved.

"That means they're likely going to beat us. You'd better get a _C-Sec_ shuttle up there." Shepard grimaced as one of the Atlas rockets exploded directly in front of her, throwing her backwards. She tucked and rolled, bouncing back up to her feet and launched a warp at the offending Atlas before continuing, "Valern said Udina was turning them over to Cerberus. My guess is it's going to be _Cerberus_ who's waiting for them at that dock, if we're not careful."

Bailey's calm disappeared in a flash. "Roger that, Shepard. Dispatching one now."

Liara used her SMG to polish off an Engineer who wandered into the fight, long before he ever had a chance to set one of his turrets, for which Shepard was grateful. Finally, the Atlas also fell, exploding into thousands of little pieces with its auto-self-destruct.

"Got an elevator waiting for you, Shepard." Bailey must have had them on camera because he chuckled as he finished. "Nice shooting. Now, catch your ride and a shuttle will meet you topside."

They did as instructed and as they reached the transfer floor and stepped out of their elevator, they saw a group of four Phantoms stepping into an elevator across the hall. Shepard immediately yelled, "Grenade!" and both she and Riana tossed grenades into the elevator as the doors closed. The resulting explosion echoed up the shaft as the elevator began its ascent.

The team quickly forced open the doors of the adjacent elevator shaft and jumped in. "Bailey. We're on top of elevator 3. Can you send us up?"

"On top?"

"Yes, on top. We can see any other elevators moving from here." Shepard felt like victory was slipping away and spoke hurriedly, "Come on, Bailey. We're losing time!"

While Shepard's voice reflected impatience, Bailey's was tinged with disbelief. "Alright. Hang on; this'll be a fast climb."

Liara spoke quietly, "I see another elevator above. Please tell me that's not Cerberus."

"Love to, Doc, but I'd be lying." Bailey chuckled, "But that's okay. I'm stopping _their_ elevators on every floor... and you're getting the express trip. You'll catch them in plenty of time."

True to his word, they quickly overtook the other elevator and the ground team happily disrupted the power conduits and watched the elevator fall multiple floors when the power to its mass effect generator failed. Bailey warned them they still weren't in the clear, but the next two elevators were eliminated with the same ease. "Alright, Shepard. Don't kill the next one..." Bailey chuckled, "It's got the Councilors on it."

Shepard pushed out a deep exhale in relief. "Roger that, Bailey. Your shuttle here yet?"

"Got waylaid by a Cerberus attack." It was Bailey's turn to growl in anger. "Lost a few more officers, but the shuttle still has a squad of nine aboard. You'll be there before they are, though."

They finally overtook the Council and Shepard leapt over to the top of the other elevator. Before she had a chance to do anything, shots rang out and punched holes through the ceiling, leaving Shepard diving to avoid being shot. The elevator screeched to an emergency stop and Shepard heard Ashley shouting, "Gunman! Go!" as she evacuated the occupants.

Liara and Riana finally jumped over to join her and they dropped into the now empty elevator, barely in time to see Ashley follow the councilors around a corner. "Come on! We've got to catch up to them!"

The councilors all ran out onto the landing pad, only to see their evacuation shuttle in flames. Ashley skidded to a stop and directed them to get back inside into cover. "Damn it! Cerberus hit the shuttle! Everybody back to the elevator!"

As she turned back, Shepard, Liara and Riana ran out... and Riana stopped to seal the door behind them. Shepard's pistol was up with her sights locked on Udina, who immediately raised his hands.

Ashley looked on in shock, dropping her pistol to her side, "Shepard?"

Udina sneered and dropped his hands. "Shepard's blocking our escape! She's still working with Cerberus!"

That caught Ashley by surprise and even though she jerked her pistol back up in reflex, she glanced over her shoulder at the councilors. "Everybody hang on!" She turned and sighted down her pistol at the commander, feeling very uncomfortable doing so. "Shepard, what's happening here?"

"You know me, Ash... _and_ you know Udina for the slime he is." Shepard dropped her pistol down and signaled Liara and Riana to do the same. As the pistols relaxed, Shepard looked past Ashley and addressed Tevos and Quentius, "You've been fooled, all of you. Councilor Valern is _alive_ and confirmed _Udina_ is behind this attack."

Ashley's brow knit in confusion. "What? How?"

Shepard shook her head in disgust, "Udina's been moving money for weeks and Valern caught on. The only reason _he's_ not here as well is because he was meeting with the Executor to bring formal charges when the attack happened."

Quentius and Tevos stepped up and stared at the Human councilor. Udina scoffed, "We don't have time for this; she has no proof, she never does!"

"Just like I had no proof about the Reapers?" Shepard glared at him, her eyes like daggers and her hand stabbed back at the door they had just come through moments before. "There were Cerberus Phantoms in the elevator shafts behind us. If you open that door, they'll attempt to kill us _all_."

Tevos stepped forward. "The Council has ignored Shepard before and it did not work out very well for us. What reason would she have to lie about her own councilor?"

Udina quickly realized it was not an argument he would win, so backed off... but did _not_ give up. He turned to the door control pedestal near the burning shuttle. "We don't have time to debate this! We're _dead_ if we stay out here. I'm overriding the lock."

Shepard's pistol came back up without hesitation and her sights set back on Udina in a flash. Ashley stepped in to intervene and brought her pistol back up as well, pointed once more at Shepard. "Commander, don't. Give me a minute to sort this out... Please." The volume of Ashley's voice dropped low, so only she and Shepard could hear. "Please don't make me regret this." She dropped her pistol once more to her side and, knowing Shepard's pistol would be pointed at her back, she turned around to speak with Udina.

Shepard's eyes smiled, but it didn't reach her lips as she answered Ash, "Don't worry. I won't."

Spectre Williams confronted the Human representative. "Councilor Udina. Step back from the console until we figure out what's going on."

Udina grumped, "To Hell with this!" and laid his hands on the console, starting to activate the door. Before Ashley had time to do _anything_, Tevos stepped up and pulled his arm down off the controls. Quick as a snake strike, Udina turned on her and shoved her backward, causing her to stumble and fall.

Tevos reacted immediately, a biotic barrier protecting her before she hit the ground. More importantly, as Udina drew a pistol and pointed it at the councilor, Ashley yelled "Gun!"

Suddenly, Udina's pistol exploded out of his hand and he flew backwards off his feet. Huntress Nizia Tenir, Tevos' first, had shot the pistol and blasted him with a warp without hesitation. Ashley's pistol swung to the huntress, who had no intentions of resisting. She had already knelt down, placed her pistol on the ground in front of her and was placing her hands on her head. At the same time, Shepard yelled and ran forward, "Ashley! Don't!"

Ashley quickly holstered her pistol and extended a hand to the huntress. "_Relax_, Shepard. I have no intention of shooting Nizia." The Huntress smiled and took the offered hand, rising as Councilor Quentius picked up the pistol and handed it back to her.

"First Sparatus, then Udina? Have we learned _nothing_ about cooperation in the last three years?" The Turian councilor shook his head in bewilderment. "I'm beginning to understand Shepard's level of vexation with us!"

Shepard made no response, as her attention was elsewhere; Udina had groaned and rolled over, looking as if he was going to try to rise. Shepard stood in front of him, pistol pointed at his chest. "Don't even _think_ about it, Udina. I don't need much more to convince me to shoot you. I _already_ think it would be a lot less trouble."

Liara suddenly shouted out, "Shepard! The door!" The commander didn't hesitate to reach out and pistol whip the sad excuse for a Human, sending him unconscious to the deck so she could focus completely on the task at hand.

The entire group turned to see some form of cutting torch burning through the seal on the doorway. Tenir stepped in front of Tevos. "Ashley! Protective line!"

The newest Spectre understood what she intended and echoed, "Protect the councilors!"

Immediately, the fighters of the group formed a firing line. Shepard, Liara, Riana, Ashley and Tenir stood shoulder-to-shoulder, weapons drawn, between the councilors and whoever stepped through that doorway. As the doors peeled open, even Tevos contributed by raising a biotic barrier in front of the councilors' guardians, hoping to give them some additional advantage in the coming battle.

Shepard suddenly dropped her pistol down. "Bailey! Figured you to be coming by shuttle..."

"Bah. The shuttles keep getting caught up in air battles with all the Cerberus flying around. It's like we kicked a damn hornets' nest. Got here as fast as we could... but looks like you, uh... took care of things." His darting eyes took in the whole scene, including Udina lying limp on the platform in the background.

The commander's tone filled with bitterness as she answered, "When a dog starts to bite, you put it down. Fast and _Hard_."

"He dead?" Bailey jerked his chin in the general direction of the Human ex-councilor.

It was a completely unnecessary gesture; Shepard knew exactly who Bailey was speaking of. "No... against my better judgment. He's all yours."

Tevos had dropped her barrier and spoke as the commander finished, surprise and a hint of nervousness in her voice. "You said there were Cerberus soldiers behind you. Where did they all go?"

Shepard snorted as Bailey answered, "They weren't regular soldiers... they were _assassins_. As soon as they figured out _we_ were coming, they realized they would get caught _between_ us and Shepard. They knew they were defeated, so beat feet and vanished into the Keeper tunnels."

Bailey glanced at the commander before turning back to the councilors. "Sorry, folks, but I'll be honest. Shepard just saved the _lot_ of you... _again_."

Quentius surprised them all by actually bowing to the commander. "Then I owe you both a personal debt and one on behalf of Palaven, Commander. Such actions are not something Turians take lightly."

Shepard smiled at him. "You don't owe me anything, Councilor. Like you hinted at earlier, cooperation is key... and the _only_ way we'll win this war. Times like these, we all stand _together_."

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of an approaching shuttle. Shepard snapped around as she spoke, "Everyone in the hall..." She paused when she saw familiar colors. "Never mind, it's from the Normandy."

The hatch popped and the rest of the ground crew piled out; Garrus led the way. "Spirits, Shepard. Why bother calling in backup when you're already done?"

"Because I need you to take over here and work with C-Sec to clean up this mess... and I need to take the shuttle to Huerta. Check on Thane." She turned to Bailey. "I'll stop by and see you when I'm done over there."

Bailey simply nodded and turned away. "Alright people. Principles need to be evacuated and secured. We've got tunnels and a million more places to search. Move it!"

* * *

Shepard returned first to the Normandy and quickly deposited Liara into the hands of Karin Chakwas for treatment, promising to return as quickly as she could. She then hurried to the hospital to find Thane. When she arrived, she was surprised to find Kolyat already there.

"Commander Bailey called me as soon as he was able." Kolyat's voice was subdued. "My father lost a lot of blood and Drell blood is not something the hospital normally stocks. I gave what I could, but with his illness... it simply does not matter. He is in the final stages of Kepral's Syndrome and recovery from this injury is impossible. All we can do is ease his passing."

"Kolyat." Shepard's voice was thin and her face pained. "I am so sorry. Your father helped us tremendously; I did not _mean_ for it to... shorten... his time with you."

"The Salarian councilor, Valern, stopped by. He said my father was a hero." Kolyat's unblinking black eyes met Shepard's. "That is not a word I ever would have attributed to an assassin-by-trade. Do not feel badly for the time he spent on your mission, Commander; it was his desire. I have you to _thank_ for giving him a chance to redeem himself. He can return to Kalahira having made his peace."

Kolyat keyed the doorway and gestured for Shepard to precede him. "I am prepared to say my goodbyes. I imagine you will want to do the same... and are welcome to do so while you have the chance."

They stepped into the room and Kolyat turned to her. "He asked me to take off his oxygen mask so he could be comfortable. He is prepared to meet Kalahira and no longer wishes to prolong the inevitable."

Thane heard them speaking and opened his eyes, turning his head slightly toward them. "Commander, I'm afraid we have completed our last mission together."

Shepard laid her hand gently on Thane's arm. "You've done more than enough, Thane. It's time for you to rest."

Thane coughed quietly and wheezed out, "That assassin should be embarrassed. A terminally ill Drell managed to stop him from reaching his target."

"I'd pass the word along, but he's dead. No one messes with my crew and survives to brag about it." Shepard watched a brief smile flicker across Thane's face before he coughed again and winced as he tried to take a deep breath.

"Thank you, Shepard. Now, there is something I must do before I am no longer able." Thane seemed to find peace and his voice steadied as he started to pray aloud to Kalahira. After a few lines, however, Thane started to cough and the prayer was taken over by Kolyat. When he paused, Thane looked to him. "Kolyat... You speak as the priests do. You have been spending time with them."

Kolyat's nod to the affirmative seemed to bring Thane peace and his eyes drifted closed one last time. Kolyat approached Shepard and pulled something from his pocket. "I brought a prayer book, Commander. Would you care to join me?"

"Anything..." Her eyes drifted to the Drell lying still on the hospital bed and let out a sad sigh. "... for Thane. He was a trusted comrade and a good man."

They finished the prayer and Shepard said her farewell before turning back to Thane's son. "Kolyat? Why did the last verse say 'she'?"

"You know the prayer was not for him, Commander. He has already asked for his own forgiveness." Kolyat smiled softly at her. "His wish was for you. That Kalahira would grant you grace to aid you in your journey against the Reapers and beyond."

Shepard's throat closed tight, so she nodded without saying anything, turning away to find her way to Bailey's office and then back to the Normandy. She left Kolyat to spend his father's final moments in peace, without a relative stranger hovering nearby.

* * *

**Cronos Station, Horsehead Nebula, Anadius**

Operative Brooks walked quietly into the office and waited patiently for the Illusive Man to acknowledge her. After what he deemed an appropriate wait, he glanced up. "Yes?"

"Operation Tamerlane did not go as planned, Sir." Brooks' voice held barely contained disdain. "Udina is dead and the remaining Council, in full, is still in control of the Citadel. Leng even managed to get _himself_ killed in the process."

The Illusive Man picked up his cigarette and took a long drag, slowly blowing the smoke out before responding. "Udina was a lackey and is expendable. Leng, while still expendable, reflects yet another expense I will make Shepard pay for eventually... but his failure doesn't affect our long-term plans."

He snuffed his cigarette out in what remained of his bourbon and shoved the glass away, disgusted with the turn of events. "I'm surprised Leng let Shepard get the best of him." His not-so-Human eyes turned to the operative before him.

"No need to worry, Sir." Brooks sneered, "It won't happen a second time."

The Illusive Man turned away, obviously dismissing her. "You'll have your own chance in the spotlight soon enough... so we'll see, Miss Brooks. But be aware that Udina is _not_ dead and he needs to be. See to it... and don't _ever_ make such a mistake of fact again"

* * *

**Citadel, Serpent Nebula**

After her meeting with Bailey, Shepard walked through a few trouble locations he had pointed out to her; he wanted her opinion on how to resolve them. First, there was rumor of a Batarian terrorist... who turned out to be simply that. The thought of Cerberus turning to Batarians had chilled Shepard to the bone, but had proved unfounded. In the end, the Batarian simply wanted to join his ancestors and Shepard was more than happy to help the terrorist along on his journey.

Before Shepard had gotten there, a C-Sec officer by the name of Jordan Noles had also spoken with the Batarian. She waited for Shepard to finish and called to her before the commander left for her next task. Noles quickly explained that the terrorist, Ghorek, wasn't working alone and she had three Batarian diplomatic codes she needed to track down using the Spectre system. Shepard was prepared to beg off until Noles issued her final statement. "Commander. These codes are being used to target Humans and sabotage Alliance military assets on the Citadel. So far, they've been used to shut down life support systems in Huerta Memorial and crash an Alliance troop transport. God only knows what they'll use them for next if we don't stop them."

Shepard sighed in defeat, knowing she couldn't walk away. It took almost an hour of hunting, but as she located the final of the three codes down in the refugee holding docks, she also found a Batarian pistol shoved into her back along with a hoarse voice in her ear. "Shepard."

The commander glanced back over her shoulder. "Balak."

"You should have killed me on that asteroid over Terra Nova." He poked her shoulder again with the muzzle of his pistol. "I've been waiting for this chance since Aratoht."

"I did what I had to do to stop the Reapers and buy us time to organize a defense. Fat lot of good that did me... no one listened anyway." Shepard fully expected Balak to shoot her and wondered what was taking Noles so long to check up on her.

"Easy enough for you to say, now that they're here," Balak growled out with his raspy voice.

"That's bullshit and you know it. I've been trying to warn people about the Reapers for three years. It's not _my_ fault they didn't listen... but it _will_ be _yours_ if you kill me and we lose." Shepard turned around and faced the Batarian. "Go ahead. Shoot me... and know that you kill the best chance for your race to have _any_ possibility of avoiding extinction."

Bahak growled. "I am the highest ranking military officer left in the Hegemony. We were a proud race, a beautiful race! Have you seen what the Reapers have done to us? I can't save my people, but I _can_ end you." Balak tightened his grip on the weapon poking into Shepard's chest.

Shepard leaned into his pistol. "You can try, but you know that I _have_ seen it. And I've seen it on Earth. And I've seen it on Palaven. I see them _every fucking night_ in my dreams, but we just _beat_ a Reaper on Tuchanka, so I _know_ we can win this!" Shepard didn't stop there. "So you and the Batarian race _don't_ have to die. I'm uniting the galaxy... and you can either be part of the _problem_ or you can be part of the _solution_. If you truly care about your people..."

Balak cut her off, grunting in frustration as he shoved her back with the muzzle of his weapon. He lowered his pistol and turned away, grumbling as he walked away, "Fine! Our ships are yours."

* * *

After clearing things with Noles, Shepard's next stop was on the Presidium. The whole area was shot up pretty badly, especially the eatery at Apollo's Cafe and the commander was suddenly glad Aethyta was no longer working there. She picked up specs on some jamming and turret detection tech data C-Sec required and promised she'd look into it. She figured if anyone had the data the Broker network could get it, so simply sent a note for Liara to take care of it later. Her primary reason for being in the area was to find Ereba and Weshra; by the time she located both Asari and passed on the messages left for them by their significant others who had perished in the war, Shepard was worn out and made a beeline back to the Normandy.

**SSV Normandy, Citadel**

Back in familiar territory, Shepard took a deep breath and proceeded directly to the Med Bay. Karin smiled and did a quick scan while she updated the commander on Dr T'Soni's status. "She got _very_ lucky, Shepard, and she'll be fine. That blade somehow managed to _not_ hit anything vital. It cut muscles and scored her clavicle... which compromised her collar bone, but the stitchers fixed those up right." Karin pushed a chair toward the commander and indicated she should sit. "You look ready to fall over with exhaustion, and there will be no collapsing in my Medical Bay, Sam."

Shepard gladly took the chair and smiled with relief, knowing Liara would be fine. "So... I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop, Karin. There's always a 'but,' isn't there?"

"Of course there is." Karin chuckled and continued, "Technically, she's perfectly healthy and will have only minor residual pain for a few days. _But_, she lost a lot of blood... which I had to replace with synth. As such, once again, her eezo level is low and it will take a couple days of rest and proper diet to get the level back where it should be."

Shepard was nodding, "So, much to Dr T'Soni's disgruntlement, you want me to leave her aboard and not take her on any ground missions for a few days."

"Exactly." Karin nodded in approval. "You're trainable yet, Shepard. I don't care _what_ Anderson says about you."

"Hey!" Shepard smirked as she answered. "Actually, I have some technical research I need her to do, so it will be a good reason for her to stay on the Normandy." Shepard's good mood vanished as quickly as a puff of smoke in a heavy wind. "Besides. Hackett gave me an N7 mission on Noveria and I really don't want to subject Liara to that. This will be the perfect time to handle it."

"She's strong, Samantha... and she has you. She'll be fine." Karin stood and placed a motherly hand on Shepard's shoulder. "Now. You, my dear, will also be fine, but you need dinner and a good night's sleep. Liara has already eaten and I sent her up to the loft not fifteen minutes ago."

Shepard stood and stretched before giving Karin a quick hug. "Thanks, Doc. I'll see what's on the menu and head up there, myself."

* * *

Shepard slid into the room as quietly as she was able and slipped into the bathroom to remove her armor. When she was done, she quietly piled her armor on the floor of the office; the locker was much too close to the bed and she didn't want to wake Liara. She then showered, dried, put on clean underwear and carefully tiptoed down to her side of the bed.

The back-to-back hard fought battles, each plagued by the loss of a friend, and then having to deliver the same type of news to two others had left Shepard drained; she collapsed into the bed already half asleep and almost didn't notice when Liara cuddled up to her. The whispered words, "I love you, _Siame_," penetrated her consciousness enough to rouse her and she realized an arm had already been draped possessively across her midriff and a thigh quickly parked itself across her hips.

Shepard made her best effort at a tired smile and raised her right arm over her head to make way for her Asari; Liara immediately took her up on the offer and slid in even closer, nestling her head on Samantha's shoulder. Shepard wrapped her arm around the Asari's back and pulled her tight, mumbling, "I love you too, _I__onúin álainn__."_

Shepard suddenly realized their relative positions and she forced herself a bit more awake. "You okay, Li? You're on your left shoulder. Doesn't it hurt?"

Liara yawned. "Truthfully? Very little. Karin was surprised at how little damage it actually did. Blood loss was the biggest issue."

"She told me all the synth diluted your blood chemistry again." Shepard turned her head and gave the Asari a peck on the tip of her nose. "You do realize you're grounded for a couple of days until your eezo is back to the correct levels again? Right?"

Liara let out a resigned huff. "I should have anticipated that."

"Don't worry." Their faces were pressed together, so Liara felt Shepard smile as the commander continued. "I picked up a couple of tech collection requests for you while I was on the Citadel. They should keep you suitably entertained."

Liara yawned again and giggled, "Later, Shepard. Right now, I am too tired to even be suitably _intrigued_ by your teasing vagueness. Just hold me and let us sleep."

* * *

Shepard had no idea what time it was when she literally threw herself out of bed. The ashen forest had once more invaded her dreams and new voices had been added to the mix. There was no doubt in her mind the new additions were Mordin Solus and Thane Krios... and they were enough to jar her awake... violently. As she stood from where she found herself on the floor, she knew there was absolutely no possibility of going back to sleep. She glanced down at the bed in welcome surprise; somehow, Liara had managed to sleep through the event. Shepard wouldn't go so far as to say the Asari had remained _undisturbed_, because Liara's face was not in her normal peaceful repose. Shepard guessed her rapid movements had most likely jostled her lover's injured shoulder, but she _was_ still sleeping.

_No sense in both of us getting a shitty night's sleep. _As quietly as she could, Shepard grabbed some workout gear and headed for the hangar deck, almost positive it would be abandoned at this time in the morning. She was correct and immediately started doing laps, the whispers of the shades in the forest now haunting her conscious hours.

First, she heard Kaidan. "It's done, Commander. Go get Ashley and get the hell out of here." Shepard knew her memory was playing tricks on her, but in the dream, Kaidan's voice sounded accusatory. _He hadn't really sounded like that... had he? _Shepard picked up her pace.

Older voices... Her best friend, Michael, from Officer Training, her squad from Elysium, her fiery N7 sniper Josie McDonough, Nikki's brother Jon... They all called her name from the shadows. Shepard had to wonder if it was because they thought she had abandoned them. _Because I wasn't there when they needed me most._

Now, there was also Mordin. "Someone else might have gotten it wrong." She stopped running and threw a lone punch at James' heavy bag, only to watch a seam stretch almost to popping. She looked at her hand and it was wreathed in blue; her anger and frustration making it difficult to control her biotics. She moved to the armory lockers and pulled out a pair of biotic suppression cuffs and, after only a moment's hesitation, disconnected them from each other and fastened them quickly on her wrists.

She resumed boxing, quickly upping her game to include her many forms of martial arts so she kicked off her shoes and pressed on. Still more voices called to her... so numerous they began to be undistinguishable. Thane's voice stood out as one of the last she heard clearly. "Prayers for the wicked must not be forsaken."

Shepard stopped at that point. Her breathing was ragged and she wondered if everything she had done was worth it... all the people who had died. _Is he still praying for me?_ _Had their deaths served any purpose at all, or was everything for nothing._

She stood, staring out across the deck, but her eyes saw nothing as that thought struck a chord in her. "_No_. I _refuse_ to believe it's all been for _nothing_!" The sound of her own voice in the dead calm of the night startled her back to the present and, as she glanced around, her breathing started to even out. In the blink of an eye, her returning composure was shattered by a single new voice calling her name from the ashes. It was _Liara_... and Shepard's world came apart.


	29. Cold Snap

Notes:

AI - Artificial Intelligence

_Gráim thú_ \- I love you (Irish/Gaelic)

_I__onúin álainn_ \- beautiful beloved (Irish/Gaelic)

_Nara_ \- literally "bearer"; one who shoulders another's burden, aids others (Thessian)

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

* * *

**Cold Snap**

**SSV Normandy, Citadel**

_{Shepard!}_

Liara sat bolt upright in bed and reached desperately to her left where Samantha should be. Her shoulder tweaked in protest with the abrupt motion, made even less worthwhile when Liara found the spot empty... and _cold_. Heart beating madly in her chest from a nightmare she couldn't recall, she glanced at the chrono beside the bed; 0230 hours. _Goddess, Samantha. Where are you?_ Having gotten no response when she shouted the name through the link, Liara took a deep breath to calm herself and cleared her throat before asking, "Edi? Where is the commander?"

"Commander Shepard is currently located on the Hangar Deck, Liara." Edi hesitated before continuing. "She seems extremely... _agitated_."

Liara's face pinched in consternation as she slid carefully out of bed and slipped into the old set of N7 sweats Shepard had given her. "In what way?"

"She has been exercising... excessively." Liara thought Edi actually sounded concerned and her level of anxiety increased another notch as the AI continued. "She is currently wearing biotic suppressors and working the heavy bag at Lieutenant Vega's work station. Without protective gloves... or shoes."

_Oh, Goddess. Why is she doing martial arts at two in the morning?_ Liara skipped putting on any type of footwear and left the room immediately at a fast jog. Edi must have anticipated her action, because the elevator was awaiting her entry with the doors open; the doors closed and it began to descend before Liara could touch the control pad. "Thank you, Edi. I appreciate your assistance."

Just as the doors opened on the lower level, Edi spoke again, striking fear into the Asari's heart. "Liara. Please hurry."

"You can take fucking _anything_ else, but you will _**NOT**_. Take. _Her_!" Liara heard the enraged shout and bolted from the elevator as soon as the opening was wide enough to squeeze through. Shepard's last three words were punctuated with sharp punches and the unmistakable crackle of electricity as her biotics flared through the suppression cuffs.

Liara didn't have time to say anything as she sprinted across the floor; she could only watch in horror as Shepard lit up her full biotics with the suppression cuffs still on and literally ripped the bag from its metal alloy mounting and shredded it with a biotic blast as her body was engulfed in a ball of blue-tinged white. Shepard's body froze for only a moment and Liara wondered how _anyone_ could remain standing through a full strength kickback from the suppression cuffs. The illusion was shattered when the white ball of power dissipated and Samantha crumpled to her hands and knees on the deck.

The _nanosecond_ the ball of electrical discharge faded, Liara was at her lover's side, cradling the spent commander to her body. "By the Goddess! Shepard! Can you hear me?"

Shepard gasped, drawing in a deep breath, but did not respond so Liara tried to position her without letting go so that she could reach her omnitool to contact Karin Chakwas. Just as she managed to maneuver herself where she could reach it without wrenching her own shoulder, a firm hand grasped her wrist and quiet words penetrated the resounding silence. "Wait. Please."

"Shepard..." Liara's relief was evident, but her whispered word also carried extreme concern.

The commander drew another breath and exhaled in a raspy voice, "_Fuck_, that _really_ hurt."

Shepard let go when Liara turned her wrist and the Asari immediately unclipped the cuffs and dropped them to the floor as she quietly asked, "What were you _thinking_, Samantha?"

Shepard let out a pained laugh and groaned. "I don't think I was... but I was desperate to drown out the voices."

"Voices?" Liara's forehead wrinkled in momentary confusion before exactly what had happened dawned on her. Her eyes opened wide as she blurted out, "_That's_ what my nightmare was!"

Shepard finally rolled off her knees and sat on the deck, leaning lightly against Liara for balance. "_Your_ nightmare?"

"Yes!" Liara wrapped her right arm around the commander in support. "I had forgotten that was even _possible_!" Shepard remained quiet, her head hanging and her eyes closed, knowing Liara would eventually get around to explaining. "Occasionally, when bonded partners are _extremely_ close, they can share dreams... I realize we are not yet bonded, but the _link_ most likely provides a similar avenue. I woke up calling your name, but couldn't remember what I had dreamt that had so distressed me."

"Gods, Liara. I'm so sorry." Shepard sighed and continued, "It's bad enough that _I_ dream about that damned ashen forest... I don't need to be sharing it with _you_. Your call is what pushed me to...that." She waived her hand feebly at the scattered remains of the heavy bag and her voice dropped even lower in volume as she forced her words out. "I confused your call through the link with the rest of the voices I had heard in the forest. I... I felt like it was warning me you were going to die, Liara. I... I couldn't..." Shepard's flagging energy finally abandoned her and she collapsed fully into the Asari; had Liara not been there, she undoubtedly would have fallen to the deck.

Liara had no words as she shifted to sit behind Shepard and wrap _both_ her arms even tighter around the commander, drawing her protectively to her chest. She ignored the ache in her _own_ shoulder and rested her chin lightly on Samantha's as she closed her eyes; when she reopened them, they were obsidian. She whispered softly in Shepard's ear as she slipped fully into the commander's mind. "Don't speak, _Siame_. Show me."

By the time they were done, Shepard had relaxed, at ease with the knowledge Liara was alive and relatively well, and had thankfully fallen asleep in Liara's arms. Knowing the ship would come alive soon as the early risers began to stir, Liara simply lit with biotics and carried her exhausted lover back to the loft; she wanted no one to see the commander in her current state. Liara hadn't thought to ask, yet Edi must have kept the elevator ready and waiting; she stepped in and it moved upward on its own accord. As she stepped out onto the upper deck, Liara very quietly said, "Thank you, Edi."

Edi _said_ nothing, but the lights flickered in response as the elevator doors closed behind them and the door to their quarters opened smoothly, awaiting their arrival.

* * *

Liara knew she shouldn't be using her biotics to carry Shepard, but she really didn't see any other option. Samantha was exhausted and they would be arriving at Noveria relatively soon; the only good thing was that the planet was currently at the far side of its orbit, so once they dropped out of the relay, it would still be close to five hours of FTL before they arrived. Plenty of time for Samantha to get some much needed rest, especially given her enhanced recovery rate, complements of Cerberus. Liara took no small amount of vengeful pleasure in the fact that Shepard now used those capabilities against the very organization that took it upon themselves to 'modify' her without her prior consent. _Serves them right._

She placed the commander on the bed as softly as she could, but the minute she released her biotic cocoon, Shepard's eyes fluttered open. "Liara. We need to talk."

"That... sounds ominous." Liara's face reflected true trepidation; she was not saying those words as a joke. "Were you even truly sleeping?"

"Dozing would probably be more accurate," Shepard cast her a troubled smile and sat up, pushing herself up to lean against the headboard. "... but yes, until I felt you withdraw and..." Shepard's face picked up an odd expression Liara had never seen and she had no idea what it meant until the commander continued, "... and I _need_ you right now. I need to _feel_ you, to know you're _real_. To know... you're _alive_."

Liara's face reflected alarm and she immediately sat astraddle Shepard's lap before leaning in and placing their foreheads together. "Of _course_ I'm real... and I'm alive and well, _Siame_. I thought we got through that before you fell asleep?"

Tears trickled down Samantha's cheeks as she hugged the Asari close and buried her face into the right side crest folds at the base of Liara's neck, taking in a deep breath of Thessian rose. "I know... but the possibility that something could happen to you so easily... It continues to haunt me. I can't help it."

Liara sat upright and gently wiped the highly unusual tears from Samantha's face. "Well. I suppose I _could_ be grateful that you now fully understand how I feel about _you_ on an almost daily basis. Watching you do the things you do in battle... it can be horribly frightening, Love. But knowing how frustratingly powerless _I_ feel at times makes it impossible to feel thankful for such a thing. I wish you could have gone through this entire war without ever having to experience _that_ fear."

Recognition dawned on Shepard's face as Liara's eyes glassed over with unshed tears. "Gods. Li. I..." The commander stopped talking and simply leaned forward and kissed her. Gently. Tenderly. With compassion versus their normal hot passion, and Liara reciprocated as she slowly enveloped the commander in a total embrace. Their minds slipped together effortlessly and words were no longer needed to understand the love and concern each felt for the other.

They finally broke their meld but remained sitting with foreheads touching, taking comfort purely from their togetherness. Shepard finally pulled back and looked down. "I'm sorry, Liara; I have been unfair to you. I grew up in the military and learned _early_ what it meant to be a soldier and lose people in battle." Her eyes came up to meet the Asari's and she placed her fingertips over the soft blue lips that were about to give voice to a protest. "No. I need to say this. You are so _capable_ and so... _rock-solid_ in a fight, I forget. You're _incredible_, Liara, and I don't tell you that enough and I tend to take your natural talent for granted. I take _you_ for granted, and it's wrong of me to do so. I forget you've only known war since _I_ hauled you out of that damn confinement bubble on Therum."

"Well, I had a _very_ good teacher and a natural leader to _guide_ me; one who was able to instill confidence even in the most inexperienced... and you mustn't forget that I stayed aboard of my own free will after you gave me the option to depart." Liara's hand came up and ran back along the side of the commander's head, her fingers sifting through the auburn locks she loved so dearly. She smiled adoringly, reassured Shepard's psyche was back on track... at least for the time being. "All that has transpired is not solely _your_ responsibility, Shepard... It is _ours_. And I have _never_ forgotten how easily you accepted me onto your crew, even when no one else believed I was anyone but a traitor's daughter... and here we are, headed back to Noveria. It... makes all those memories fresh and reminds me how much I rely on both your mental fortitude and your physical presence by my side. You are my partner... in _all_ things."

"You do _know_ I'm going on this mission, even though you can't." Shepard's eyes looked pained, though the words were spoken in her 'commander' voice, leaving no room for argument.

"Yes, Ma'am. I do." Liara smirked and tapped her temple. "But I also know you don't truly go anywhere without me and, if necessary, I will do as I did on Illium and lend you my strength... as well as my First. I assume you plan on taking Riana to boost the squad's biotic strength?"

"Even if I had not previously planned on bringing her, I would do so now, if only to make you feel more comfortable since _you_ cannot be with me. Also, don't forget Garrus brought Ashley back with him, so she's with us again as well." Shepard stated. "_And_, we don't have any scheduled tasks on the books at the moment, so I'm hoping we _all_ have a couple of days to rest up before the next mission."

Liara grimaced. "Actually we _do_ have a new task... from Miranda. I simply haven't told you about it yet. She found a lead on Leviathan's location."

"It never ends, does it?" Shepard let out a light huff and shook her head in disappointment. "So, you keeping me in suspense, or are you going to fill me in?"

"Triginta Petra," Liara sighed. "It's a small Turian colony in the Lenal System. It is a very... _challenged..._ farming world, so they have extensive scans and surveys of the entire system. They were hoping to find minerals or other precious resources to use as trade to improve their situation."

Shepard sat up and frowned. "And they found Leviathan instead?"

"No." Liara shook her head. "On the contrary; they didn't find a thing. We had narrowed the search for Leviathan to either Lenal or Psi Tophet... and now the colonial scans by Triginta Petra have eliminated Lenal from that very short list."

"So Leviathan is somewhere in Psi Tophet... and that's where we're headed next." Shepard leaned in and kissed Liara gently on the lips. "But it's on the other side of the galaxy, so will take time to get there. So we'll have that short break anyway. And before that is Noveria... and before _that_ is some more sleep."

"Then seeing as you are yet awake, you can get undressed so we can cuddle." Liara grinned mischievously at the look on Shepard's face. "I don't care if we're _only_ sleeping. I still appreciate the feel of your skin against mine."

* * *

When they awoke the next morning, Liara sensed a shift in the link. A distance that made her both wary and concerned. She opened her eyes to find Shepard already up, dressed and putting on her armor. "Samantha? Why did you not wake me so we could breakfast together?" She immediately felt more warmth through the link as Shepard turned toward her and took the couple of steps to the bed.

Shepard leaned in and kissed her tenderly before answering. "Because you need sleep... especially after last night. We both do but, thanks to Cerberus, I don't need quite as much... and I have a mission to complete. Doesn't mean _you_ need to be up; I figured I'd let you take advantage of it whenever you can."

Liara sat up and promptly blushed when the sheets fell away from her body and Shepard whistled quietly in appreciation. She reached out and cupped the commander's face, frowning slightly as she queried, "You wouldn't have left without saying goodbye, would you?"

"_Absolutely_, Dr T'Soni... because it's not goodbye. I'd be saying 'see you later' instead. And _that_, I would have woken you up for, Blue. I swear it." Samantha took the Asari's hand and pulled it gently away from her cheek and Liara felt that _distance_ settling in again as Shepard continued, "Now, I need to finish getting ready."

"Samantha. Something's bothering you; tell me what's going on. Please." Liara's voice was not quite pleading, but it was close enough to garner Shepard's attention. "We agreed to no more secrets."

"You're right. We did." Shepard nodded and her voice was hard when she spoke. "The Illusive Man used Humanity's _own councilor_ to attack the very heart of our current civilization and, had it not been for the Normandy's opportune arrival, most likely would have succeeded in killing all the councilors, _including_ Tevos and Tenir."

She turned and looked at the troubled Asari. "And _then_ a Cerberus assassin came _much_ too close to killing _you_." Shepard's eyes flashed to a deep, cold green. "And _now_? We're headed to a _Cerberus_ fighter base. I'm going to _kill_ them, Liara. I'm going to kill them _all_."

The cold was replaced instantaneously with a warmth reserved only for her as Shepard leaned in and kissed her yet again. "_Gráim thú_, Liara T'Soni... and _no_ one messes with _my_ girl." Liara could only sit in stunned silence as Shepard stroked her cheek tenderly one last time before turning and leaving the loft without another word.

* * *

Shepard rolled into the shuttle bay like a storm, only to be met by a very pissed off James Vega. "Yo, Commander! Somebody ripped my bag all to _Hell_ last night and _Edi_ won't say who did it, when I know damn well she's _got_ to know!"

"_Stow_ it, James. She won't say anything... because _I'm_ the one who did it." Shepard looked at Vega's shocked expression and felt more than a tad bit repentant. "Sorry, James. After that shit on the Citadel, I'm pissed. Royally. And I figured a shredded bag was better than a shredded hull. I'll get you a replacement as soon as I can."

Ashley cocked an eyebrow. "You also responsible for the ruined _suppression_ cuffs we found burned out on the deck?"

Shepard didn't say a word, but her expression gave it away and Riana stared at her in awe. "_Nara_. In all my years, I have _never_ seen _anyone_ burn through cuffs like that; the circuitry was melted... destroyed beyond repair!"

Garrus chuckled and his voice flanged with humor. "_That's_ because you've never seen Shepard _truly_ angry. On the rare occasion when she is, she's a terrifying sight to behold, and I am _definitely_ glad she's on our side."

Shepard looked at Garrus with a knowing smile on her face and shook her head. "Alright, load up. We've got a fighter base to take out of action."

While enroute, Shepard briefed the team on their mission. "Officially, all we need to do is take down the defenses, so the main Alliance force can get in without being turned to space dust. They want the facility and the fighter squadrons that come along with it." Shepard let her eyes wander across her squad. "Unofficially, we're also going to make Cerberus pay for setting up shop only one hop away from Sol and the Citadel... and for their attempted coup."

"And for their attack on _Liara_, no?" James had settled down after finding out it was Shepard who had blasted his bag into smithereens and she was planning to replace it, but that did not prepare him for the glacial green eyes that bored into his.

Shepard's initial fear had turned to a calculated fury and her tone of voice sent chills through the ground team. "You've _all_ seen what TIM is turning his soldiers into... basically, Cerberus Husks which are most likely only one step away from indoctrination. So, we're going to do what we _always_ do with Cerberus troops when we catch them doing something they shouldn't be doing." Her eyes locked on James as she continued, "Just like you told me before Eden Prime; we're going to _kill_ the bastards and then let the Alliance take over."

The words themselves were not much different than other guidance they had been given, but even Garrus did a double-take at the _way_ she spoke the words; the seething _anger_ behind them. The only one in the group who didn't flinch was Javik, who actually nodded in agreement. "I _approve_, Commander. We had a similar group in our midst and they were our downfall. This... _Cerberus..._" his voice carried more venom than any of the Normandy crew had yet heard from the Prothean, "... must be eliminated."

The conversation was cut off by Cortez calling out from the cockpit. "I have visual contact. There's a small platform above the main landing pad."

Shepard smiled, "Drop us in, Cortez, then get clear of the guns until we call."

They split into their three groups as soon as they hit the deck; Ashley took Edi and Riana along the top rail while Garrus held Bethany and Sarah back as fire support. Shepard had Vega and Javik, and they moved quickly across the lower deck to the opposite side. Shepard pulled her shotgun and prepared to jump into her 'crash and blast' mode.

Shepard heard the bark of Garrus' sniper rifle and glanced up the ramp; Centurions were dropping from the upper level with the assistance of rocket boots and the minute she saw their shields spark and go down, she launched. As the first Centurion smashed into the wall behind him, Shepard leveled the group of three with a Nova shockwave and promptly added her shotgun to the firepower of the combined teams.

Standard Assault Troopers began to swarm and Sarah and Bethany lit them up with their Arc Projectors. Knowing exactly what would happen, Riana grinned and tossed a stasis on the foremost soldier; Shepard saw it and immediately charged, igniting the biotic explosion and destroying any chance the Cerberus troops had of surviving the surges of electricity coursing through their bodies.

Once again, Ashley watched the commander in awe as she thought back to Eden Prime and how Shepard had torn through the Husks there. It reminded her of _exactly_ who Commander Shepard was and any remaining doubts concerning Shepard's loyalty were absolutely _shattered_ along with the bodies of the dozens of Cerberus soldiers that laid dead at Shepard's feet.

Shepard rose from her standard finish position, down on one knee with one fist planted on the ground from having blasted out her last Nova shock wave, and glanced at her team. The deck was clear... as was their objective. "Alright, time to hit the control room." Shepard jerked her head to indicate the lower entrance to the facility as she looked at Ashley. "So, Williams. You want top or bottom?"

Vega coughed behind her and Ashley's face picked up a hue of pink as she responded. "You're such an ass, Shepard. Good to know some things never change... which means I'll take top."

"Oohhh, so dominant." Shepard laughed as Vega's cough changed to a strangling sound before she continued, "It's great to have you back, Ash."

The familiar banter was a balm on Shepard's soul as Ashley responded, "Roger that, Skipper. Meet you somewhere in the middle," and started into the upper hallway of the facility.

"Garrus. You guys hold the platform. Call if you get swamped." Shepard spun away and quickly slid down the ladder to the lower level, moving toward the far entrance with Javik and a recovering Vega in trail. The actual control center was not that well defended, most likely because most of the Cerberus troops had swarmed out to meet them.

Ashley's team ran into the lead Centurion as he moved toward the upper level and quickly removed him from the equation, while Shepard's trio found a squad of standard Assault Troopers, which they readily dispatched. Edi quickly brought down the defense grid as the rest of them either collected data from terminals or destroyed the occasional Cerberus troop who was stupid enough to stick a head in the door. As soon as the grid dropped, Garrus shouted on the comm, "A little help! I think you've finally managed to piss them off."

"On our way!" Shepard looked to Ashley, "Keep this control room secure, Spectre!"

Ashley grinned at the use of her new title as she answered, "We're on it, Shepard."

Shepard's team quickly departed the same way they had come in, through the lower entrance. Since Garrus was already up top, she decided that route would give them the greatest opportunity to flank the enemy... and it worked like a charm. The Turian's team was beleaguered by a full-on assault and faced a combination of Centurions, Troopers, Engineers and the occasional Nemesis, but Cerberus was completely unprepared for the approach of Shepard's crew from their rear.

They took down the Engineers first, to avoid any chance of them getting turrets set up, and then focused on the Centurions. A Nemesis dropped in and Garrus immediately slapped her with an overload, dropping her shields. Even though it would put her in the center of a pack of Cerberus Assault Troupers, Shepard pulled on her biotics and charged in.

Javik had started to get a good feel for the group's battle rhythm and surprised her. He reached out and hit the Nemesis with a biotic pull, lifting her slightly off her feet and priming a biotic explosion just as the commander arrived. Shepard had expected to smash into the Nemesis and then have to immediately execute a Nova shock wave to clear the Cerberus swarm from around her, but the resultant biotic blast took care of them and she was free to utilize her shotgun to kill off the downed Cerberus soldiers with much more conventional means.

As the gunfire fell silent, Cortez came on the comm, "Area clear, Shepard. I'm signaling all clear to the strike force... Wait! Shit! Sensors are picking up something coming your way... fast!"

The ground teams heard a klaxon blare followed by an announcement over the facility's loud-speaker system. "Proximity alert. Deploying armed response."

"Cover!" Shepard scrambled with her team to duck behind cargo boxes and short walls; anything they could find to provide them some shelter until they figured out what Cerberus was throwing at them next. Shepard was hoping it wasn't some type of anti-personnel guided missile system when an Atlas crashed down to the deck. The commander almost laughed in relief as the Normandy team lit it up with everything they had.

Garrus slapped it with an overload; combined with the fire from two Arc Projectors, its shields dropped immediately. The combined fire from Javik, Vega and the commander quickly ended the Atlas and it self-destructed before it managed to take five steps. Shepard stepped clear of her cover and docked her shotgun before rolling her shoulders to stretch the tense muscles. She slowly became aware of a presence in the back of her mind and it brought a light smile to her face. _{How long have __**you**__ been there, Dr T'Soni?}_

_{I told you I'd be monitoring the mission and I've been supporting you since the first bullet slipped your plates and embedded itself in your left thigh, Love.} _Liara sounded concerned and chastising at the same time. With a surprised grunt from the commander, she continued. _{You were so in the zone you didn't even notice it, did you?}_

A very sheepish commander responded softly. _{Actually, no. I didn't. Guess I'll be visiting Karin when I get back.}_

_{Yes, you will... and I'll meet you there, Siame.} _Liara's voice was soft and caring, and most definitely tinged with a trace of unease. _{I love you, Samantha. See you soon.}_

Once Liara pointed it out, Shepard recognized the dull ache in her thigh as she boarded the shuttle with her crew to return to the Normandy; the pain was subdued thanks to her suit's medigel auto-dispensing system. Knowing Liara was awaiting her return, she proceeded directly to the Med Bay as soon as the shuttle settled into the Normandy's hangar and Karin greeted her at the doorway. "Hello, Commander. Liara warned me to expect you."

The commander grimaced as she limped to the nearest table; her leg had stiffened up significantly during the short ride on the shuttle and now that she was aware of it, she could feel the muscle grinding uncomfortably against the metal in her leg. Liara saw the expression and walked over to her, halting her in her tracks. She brushed the back of her fingers lovingly across Shepard's cheek before kneeling and unclipping the fasteners on Shepard's armor, removing only the cuisse which covered the commander's left thigh. She flinched and apologized when Shepard hissed; since the wound had not been properly treated and blood had caked in the armor lining, it had stuck to the commander's ragged skin. "I'm afraid you'll have to strip everything below the waist for Karin to see to this properly, Samantha."

Liara helped Shepard remove the remainder of her armor and her liner pants as Karin opaqued the Med Bay windows; the doctor frowned with displeasure. "Atypical for you to not treat your wounds immediately, Commander. Don't become inattentive, simply because you know you heal fast." Chakwas' tone was scathing as she continued, "Up on the table, please. I'm afraid your lack of care _this_ time is going to give you a new scar."

Shepard frowned at the tone. "I didn't do it intentionally, Karin. I never even realized it had happened until Liara pointed it out to me."

Karin's eyebrows rose. "I'm not sure which of those two scenarios worries me _more_, Shepard."

Silence fell as Karin extracted the slug and set the stitcher to work. Shepard thought about Karin's comment while Liara stood next to the commander and maintained constant contact, as if afraid Shepard would vanish if she released her. The Asari's feelings of trepidation faded slightly when Samantha pulled her against the table and leaned into her hip, resting her head against the Asari's side and wrapping an arm around Liara as the medical device did its work.

Liara turned slightly so she could drape her arms across Shepard's broad shoulders. _{You need to not be so angry, Siame. You lost yourself in the battle and your... coldness... frightened me.}_

_{Sorry, Li, but I can't NOT be angry that someone tried to kill you. You can't ask that of me.}_

_{I just did, and I will __**continue**__ to do so, Commander. While the Normandy's Information Broker may not have the privilege to ask you for such a thing, your __**Promised**__ most certainly __**does**__. I would ask that rather than hate that they __**tried**__, we need to take joy from their failure... and that we are yet together.}_

Liara felt, more than heard, the resigned sigh followed by a light chuckle against her stomach. Shepard tipped her head back and peered up into a pair of deep blue pools filled with love and devotion. "You know it's impossible for me to say 'no' to you, don't you?"

"That is _not_ true, Shepard and you know it." Liara smiled and gently pushed Samantha's hair back behind her ears. "You simply have a tendency to acquiesce more readily to my requests when you know I care deeply about the matter under discussion... and there is nothing in this galaxy that I care more deeply about than _you_."

They were distracted by Karin's chuckle as she walked up to turn off the stitcher and move it away from the commander's thigh. "Give it up, Sam. I won't even pretend to understand the context of the discussion I'm sure you both just had in your heads, but you can't _possibly_ have any viable comeback to a declaration like _that_ one."

Shepard's chuckle turned into outright laughter as she sat up, turned and hung her feet off the side of the table. She guided Liara in, between her knees, and hugged her tightly; she continued to laugh lightly as she released the Asari and pushed her back a step so she could slide off the treatment table. She stood and glanced back and forth between the two. "Thank you. Both of you." She slowly drew in a deep breath and blew it out as she redressed. "I honestly don't know what I'd do without either of you."

Karin smiled. "Well, without _me_, you would have bled to death at least five or six times by now."

As Shepard looked at Karin with an expression of shock at the doctor's blunt assessment, Liara smiled and took her lover's hand. "And I have no intention of _ever_ finding out what could possibly become of you without _me_ around, so you never need to worry about such a thing. It will make your life much easier if you simply accept my permanent presence as inevitable."

Shepard opened her mouth, but closed it again without saying anything. She finally shrugged and spoke, "I can certainly think of worse fates than having you forever by my side, Dr T'Soni." She gave Karin one last glance of appreciation as she and Liara walked out of the Med Bay. Shepard squeezed Liara's hand and gave her a tug toward the elevator. "Come on. I still need to contact Admiral Hackett and I'm not ready to let go of you yet."

_**Chiroquol **_** SB-3**

"By the tides, how can one man be so damned persistent?" Arlyna cursed as Barla Von confirmed the report. "So you're _absolutely_ sure?"

"Unfortunately, there is no doubt." The Volus' speech was broken by the intermittent 'sshhk' sound of his rebreather. "Henry Lawson accepted a rather large sum from the Illusive Man, as well as a document that pointedly indicated Oriana Lawson's new location."

"Goddess be damned." Arlyna shook her head in disgust and made her way to the cockpit. She slid the door open and leaned in. "Niria. Emergency course change. We need to head to Demeter, just outside the Sol System... all speed. I think Oriana Lawson is about to find herself in an ocean of trouble without a lifeboat... assuming she's not already there."

Niria responded immediately, searching the navigation system and highlighting the new destination. "I assume you're going to call the _Aletheia_ immediately about whatever is happening?"

"I am." Arlyna's voice grew quiet. "Henry Lawson has found Oriana."

As Arlyna turned and walked away, she heard Niria mutter familiar words under her breath. "Goddess be damned."

* * *

**SSV Normandy, At Large**

"Seeing as you have both the _Aletheia_ and the _Chiroquol_ enroute, we will proceed to our current destination in Psi Tophet." Liara worked to remain calm as she responded to Miranda's statement. "Unfortunately, the _Rakhana_ is scoping the Far Rim, following up on a lead from Hackett concerning the Migrant Fleet... so we are both on the far side of the galaxy from where you need us. It is unlikely either one of us could reach you in time to assist, even if we tried."

"Understood, Dr T'Soni." Miranda's voice exuded tightly controlled professionalism. "I'll keep you posted on what we find there."

Liara nodded. "Good luck, Miranda, and know our thoughts are with you and Oriana."

It had been a quiet couple of days as the Normandy had worked her way toward Sigurd's Cradle, allowing everyone, especially Shepard, time for a deep breath and a chance to recover their balance. They had just completed the transit of the Omega Relay, which Shepard had insisted on, despite Liara's warnings to the contrary. Liara wanted to go via the Vallhallan Threshold to avoid the trouble spot, but the commander wanted to use it as a scouting mission. What they found, as they slipped through in full stealth mode, confirmed Aria's assertion that Cerberus was solidly in control of Omega Station. As they approached Psi Tophet, the Normandy's temporary tranquility was quickly coming to an end.

The communications network fell silent and Liara took a deep breath and steeled herself for the conversation ahead. _Goddess. If the Illusive Man sold out Oriana to Henry Lawson and Miranda doesn't make it in time, Shepard will be positively __**livid**__, but there is nothing to be done_. Knowing they only had a few hours of FTL to the Psi Tophet system, Liara didn't waste any time and called Shepard to the Broker office.

"Damn it!" Shepard growled at the news. "Though, if it's anything like _Illium_, Miranda and the commandos _should_ be able to handle it."

Liara agreed. "Yes. For obvious reasons, they will be leaving both Falere and Aresia behind to keep the _Aletheia_ in a geosynchronous orbit while the ground crew takes the _Chiroquol_ down to the planet. Its registry is less likely to draw attention and can easily transport the eight of them. While the commandos go ashore, Barla Von will remain aboard with the core running in the event a... _hasty_ departure... should become necessary."

Shepard's eyes softened as she saw the concern on her lover's face. "Hey. They'll be fine, Li." She stepped up and drew Liara into a tender embrace and swayed gently. "You need to focus on our upcoming mission with Leviathan; let Miranda worry about her own. She's a top operative... and all the commandos know what they're doing."

Liara's eyes slid shut as she reveled in the strong arms holding her safe and snug. They stood in quiet comfort for a long moment before Liara finally whispered into the silence. "I love you."

Shepard's arms squeezed her tight in reaction and then relaxed again as Shepard whispered back. "I love you too, _I__onúin álainn__._"

Liara pushed back just enough to look Shepard in the eye, her soft blues melting into the deep green pools she so easily lost herself in. "Goddess, how did I _ever_ get so lucky?"

"_Lucky_?" Shepard laughed quietly. "You've agreed to bond with a suicidal Vanguard who doesn't think the Reapers pose enough of a challenge so goes hunting for the Reaper _killer_, Leviathan. I don't think that's _lucky_, Dr T'Soni. I think that's _insane_!"

"_Shepard_," Liara growled playfully. "I'm being completely serious."

"Sorry, Blue." Shepard stopped her laughter but kept the crooked grin on her face. "I find it hard to imagine that _I'm_ lucky enough to have found _you_, not the other way around." Shepard pulled her back in and set their lips together gently so Liara could offer no argument, to which the Asari happily acquiesced.

* * *

**2181 Despoina, Psi Tophet**

Edi had scanned the three planets within the system and quickly determined Despoina to be the sole planet with an energy signature that matched Leviathan's. "I'm done arguing, Garrus! I'm taking Liara, Riana, Edi and James. Period." Much to Garrus' displeasure, she had split the squad in two. "We have no idea what's down there. If anything happens, as the remaining Spectre, Ashley gets command of the Normandy and you guys _have_ to continue the mission."

Garrus was getting ready to speak again when Ashley laid a hand firmly on his arm. "She's right, and you know it... but that doesn't mean we have to like it." Her eyes traveled to the commander. "Be careful down there, Skipper, and stay in touch. If you disappear off the scope, we'll give you twenty-four hours to reestablish contact."

"Thanks, Ashley. I imagine if we can't do it within twenty-four, we never will... because we most likely will be dead."

Shepard's head turned as Liara added, "Or enthralled. Either case is _not_ the outcome I prefer for this mission."

Shepard started to chuckle. "Damn, T'Soni. You really are getting _good_ at those deadpan deliveries."

Liara's lips quirked up into a smirk. "Who said I was _joking_, Shepard?"

The commander bit back a chuckle and pointed at the shuttle. "Alright, alright. Mount up, folks. Time to get this show on the road."

As the shuttle approached the surface, Cortez started reporting on the probe they had launched from the Normandy. "Commander. You're not going to like this, but there's nothing but water here."

"What the hell are we expecting to find then? Is Leviathan a whale, or what?" James sounded disappointed.

Liara raised her eyebrow markings as she responded, "Given what we know, if it's a waterborne creature, it will most likely be a member of the shark family... that doesn't want to be found."

Shepard turned from the cockpit and glanced through her ground crew, her eyes settling on Liara. "It doesn't have a choice. We're here."

Edi finally spoke up, weighing in with her analytical perspective. "And what if it is a rogue Reaper, Shepard? I do not imagine we can trust it enough to be allies."

Shepard scoffed, "We're not here to make friends... but if the Reapers are worried enough about it to try to find it, we need to find it first and see if it will help us."

"Commander. I've got new readings from the probe..." Cortez hesitated before he spoke again, "and while there are a lot of vessels floating on the surface, Leviathan is below... way below."

"We didn't come all this way for nothing." Shepard frowned. "Any way to contact it?"

Cortez smiled. "We can go knock on its door. Water isn't really any different than space. The shuttle is spec'd for nearly a thousand atmospheres." He glanced back over his shoulder as he continued, "Though I've never actually tested that."

Shepard raised her eyebrows. "I guess we're gonna find out."

Shepard turned to ask if anyone wanted to join them in the cockpit as they went swimming in the shuttle, but she never got the chance. Some form of electronic pulse slammed into the shuttle and the mass effect core hiccupped, tossing everyone from their seats.

Cortez yelled out, "Some kind of pulse hit us! Systems are shutting down! Brace for impact!"

Shepard's protective instincts kicked in and she scrambled back to her feet, searching out Liara. She staggered through the crew compartment as Cortez fought to bring the shuttle down on one of the floating structures rather than in the water. She had just reached Liara when another jolt tossed them all to the floor; she reached out and wrapped her arms defensively around the Asari as she shouted, "Stay down and bring up a..."

Shepard never spoke her last word, 'barrier,' because the shuttle slammed hard onto the deck of some unknown ship, skidded and careened off a bulkhead, tossing the occupants hard against the inner hull. Shepard grunted with the force of the impact and worked hard to not crush Liara between her own armored mass and the wall, keeping her arms stiff even as she felt a piece of jagged metal rip through her gauntlet and dig into her forearm.

The shuttle bounced off of something else, spinning the craft 180 degrees, and finally skidded to a halt... just before all the systems shut down completely, casting them into utter darkness.


	30. Leviathan

Notes: Sorry this is a bit later than usual... I hosted a two day construction safety class yesterday and today, and we didn't finish until 50 minutes ago. Hope you enjoy!

AI - Artificial Intelligence

_Ai'a me_: a trusted friend and unquestioned ally

_I__onúin álainn_ \- beautiful beloved (Irish/Gaelic)

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

* * *

**Leviathan**

**2181 Despoina, Psi Tophet**

Within a few seconds of the complete power failure following the crash, small, red emergency lights came on, giving the cabin an eerie glow. While not bright, they _did_ provide enough light to move around the cabin without tripping over obstacles. Shepard realized Liara was rather still in her arms and immediately scanned the immobile Asari.

"_Ai'a me_. What is her status?" A concerned Riana monitored Shepard's action closely.

Shepard glanced up. "She'll be fine, Riana... just a bit dazed, I think. Nothing coming up on the scan." The commander broke open her personal med kit and placed an absorbent pad along the right side of Liara's crest before pulling out a tube of medigel. "I felt something dig into my arm but didn't know what it was... but now I can see, of all things, it was the tie-down buckle of the damn shuttle medical kit; talk about ironic." She calmly dispensed some gel into her hand, pulled the pad up and gently spread a thin coating on Liara's head. "I took the brunt of it when we smashed into the wall, but Li must have slid across the edge of the kit itself. Nothing deep... more like a road rash from falling and sliding through gravel. I'm using the gel simply because Liara doesn't need to be losing _any_ more blood."

Riana frowned, "And what of you? How is your arm?"

"Nothing major, but I _do_ need to tend to it or Chakwas will have my ass." Shepard chuckled lightly. "Watch her and make sure she doesn't wake and scratch that gel off before it sets." Riana said nothing, but her eyes immediately dropped to Dr T'Soni's prone form as Shepard went to work on her own arm.

_{Shepard!} _Once again, Liara awoke shouting through the link for the commander; _this_ time her call was out of concern from the crash. Unlike the last time, Shepard's response was immediate.

"Right here, Blue. It's alright, we're fine." As she awoke fully, Liara realized Shepard was sitting directly beside her and tending a couple of cuts on her arm. Riana was on her other side, silently watching her closely.

"Are you alright, Shepard?" Liara sat up and studied the commander's face, relaxing when Shepard looked up at her and smiled.

"Yeah, _I'm_ fine... these cuts are pretty minor. _You_ took a good thump on the crest, though. How do you feel?" Shepard stopped what she was doing and studied the Asari's face, not completely trusting the scan results since Liara _had_ been knocked unconscious, no matter _how_ short the time period.

Liara felt fine but her hands instinctively reached up to find what Shepard had spoken of; the commander's hands snapped out to catch the Asari's. "Easy there. Don't go poking around. I just finished patching you up; it really is just a scrape, so give the medigel time to work." Liara looked again at the commander and saw the concern etched in Shepard's face. "If you want to see it, slip in and see it through my eyes. Don't touch. Not yet, anyway. It's truly not bad, but head wounds tend to bleed like crazy." Shepard suddenly smirked. "Don't worry. I got to it right away so it won't scar."

Liara countered, "You always take more care with me than you do with yourself, _Siame_."

Shepard turned her head away and called to the back of the shuttle, "James. You good?"

"You got it, Lola. Just a couple bumps and bangs. Helping Edi get untangled from the gear net so she doesn't rip it off the wall." James looked forward as he asked, "What about Esteban?"

A voice from the cockpit shouted back, "I was strapped in, so I'm good, Mr Vega. Thanks for asking!"

"Good to know, Cortez." Shepard glanced forward. "How's the _shuttle_?"

"Checking now, Commander. I'll see if I can get power restored." Cortez leaned out of the cockpit and felt along the wall until he found the switch he was looking for and a series of small battery powered lights came on, better illuminating the cabin with a more normal white light. "You might want to pop the manual hatch release and check out our circumstances." His voice cracked slightly as he finished, "That was one Hell of a pulse. I'm not sure how long we'll be here and, as of yet, I don't see any hostiles. Weather's absolute crap, though."

"Roger that, LT." Shepard stood and walked to the aft side of the hatch, opening an access panel from the wall to reveal a crank. She gave it a couple of hard turns and a button below it started to glow red; a few more rotations turned the indicator amber, then green. She stopped cranking and pressed the button, blowing out a breath through pursed lips when the hatch popped out and slid slightly to the side. Shepard put her shoulder against it and shoved it rearward until it was fully open and peered outside. Cortez was right; it was sheeting rain.

Liara had stood and now stepped forward to Shepard's side. "Well, that's just lovely. Shall we?"

Shepard gave her a comical look and shrugged. "No time like the present. Got nothing better to do... At least it's not cold." With a twitch of her head to indicate they should get to it, they hopped out onto the deck together, followed quickly by Riana, Edi and James.

Shepard signaled James and Edi to go up the port side, while she, Liara and Riana moved slowly up the starboard edge of the deck.

Liara's voice was heavy as she took in the view. "_Look_ at all this! Whatever that pulse was, we're not the first to get hit."

Riana took in all the ships bobbing in the water besides the one they were standing on. "It is most likely Leviathan's defense system."

Shepard had picked up a datapad from on top of a nearby crate and started reading, "Though from what we know about it, I wonder why it needs it." She tossed the datapad back to where it had been sitting. "No dates, but _this_ group was an eezo prospecting expedition."

They walked around a corner and looked down into what looked like a makeshift storage area. Liara voiced what Shepard saw and her tone carried the full weight of the implications. "Shepard. It's one of the artifacts!"

The commander wasted no time, pulling her pistol and blasting the glowing orb into tiny pieces. "Not anymore, it's not." She turned and shouted to Edi and James, who were running toward them after hearing the gunfire. "We found a damn Leviathan control orb. If there's one, there might be more." Her attention focused on the AI as she continued, "Edi, you're our safety net. If _any_ of us start speaking or acting out of character, you immediately call it out to the others." Her voice turned solemn. "I don't care _who_ it is, but _especially_ if it's me."

Liara frowned and queried, "Why would you _say_ that, Shepard?" Riana frowned at her mistress, wondering if Liara was being intentionally dense because she couldn't face the reality of Shepard needing to be... _contained_... if she became a threat to Lady T'Soni.

"Because, Blue." Shepard's face was anxious as she continued, "Without Chakwas here, I'm the only one who can't be sedated to be kept under control."

"Oh, _Goddess_." Liara's face fell and her heart clenched in her chest. "You _cannot_ expect us..."

She was unable to continue and James came to her rescue, "Then we eliminate the threat by destroying any orbs we find, right?"

"Absolutely, Lieutenant." Liara didn't wait for Shepard to answer, jumping in impatiently and looking at Riana. "Find them... quickly!" Her gaze then shifted to Edi. "Is there any way to scan for the energy signature to make sure we get them all?"

"Yes, Liara. I will begin the process immediately."

As the team scattered to locate the objects and destroy them, Edi worked on her omnitool and joined the hunt. Liara turned to Shepard and stared at her, her face pale and her voice pleading. "Shepard. Please. You can't ask me to do such a thing. Never."

"I wouldn't, Liara. That's why I asked Edi." Shepard also glanced at the retreating back of Riana. "And I'm pretty sure your _First_ wouldn't hesitate to do whatever was necessary to protect you either."

Shepard had no chance to continue as Liara's frustration overflowed, her voice biting. "That is _not_ the _point_, Samantha! _Goddess_! What part of me loving you more than life itself don't you _get_? I could _never_ do anything to hurt you, much less... _**that**_! And I would rip _anyone_ into a thousand pieces with my biotics before I let them _hurt_ you!"

Shepard's eyes flew open wide, seeing wisps of blue rolling off Liara's finger tips and she quickly holstered her pistol before stepping up and wrapping Liara in a tight embrace. She pinned the Asari's arms to her sides and held her close. "God's, Liara! I'm not exactly excited about the possibilities either."

Shepard held her and continued to whisper softly in her ear, soothing her. "It's strictly a worst-case scenario contingency plan, Liara. I _know_ how much you love me, Li. I count on that love _**every**_ _day_!" Shepard released her hold and dropped her hands helplessly back to her sides. "But there are both sides to our relationship... I love _you_, too, and I couldn't _live_ with myself if I ever did something to hurt you. Leviathan made Hadley _kill_ Dr Bryson. What if it takes control and tries to make _me_ do that... to _you_?" Shepard stopped talking as tears started to slip down her cheeks at the thought and she stared at the deck until her emotions were back in check. When she resumed, her voice was husky and so low that Liara had to strain to hear her above the wind and rain. "I'm too _powerful_ to let it use me as a weapon, Liara. I can't let that happen. I just... _can't_."

Refusing to look at the Asari, Shepard turned away and angrily wiped the tears from her face, but before she could pull her pistol and resume the reconnaissance of the deck, she felt Liara crush into her back and wrap her arms around her. A repentant voice whispered softly into Shepard's right ear. "I can be so _selfish_! I didn't think it through and I failed to consider it from _your_ point of view. I'm sorry."

Liara released her hold, but only to exchange it for a grip on the commander's shoulder, spinning Shepard back around to face her. Her hands came up and she gripped Samantha on both sides of her head, pulled her forward and kissed her ferociously. All her fears, hope and love surged through the direct link and words were no longer necessary for them to come to grips with the situation... from _both_ of their perspectives.

Liara finally broke the kiss at the sound of additional weapons fire, her chest heaving as they both gasped for breath. "By the _Gods_, Liara! If we weren't on a mission right now..." Shepard couldn't keep the grin off her face and had to lower her eyes and shake her head, lest she dive back in for another soul-mending kiss. _Get your head on straight, Shepard. Neither the time nor the place for that._

A soft blue hand caught her chin and gently tipped her head back up until their eyes met once more. "Remember when I told you I love you so much that sometimes it hurts?"

Shepard smiled at the memory of that day. "Yeah. This is one of those times, huh?"

"Yes. It is." Liara dropped her hand from Samantha's chin and continued. "So let's help the crew dispose of those dreadful things so we don't have to carry out your horrifying contingency plan."

They resumed their search, picking up various datapads and other useful equipment that lay scattered about. Nothing they found gave any indication of the age of the ships so Shepard finally voiced her question. Liara shook her head as she answered, "There's really no way to tell. As much as we've advanced over the years, our basic materials and ship design hasn't changed significantly enough to determine much about the ship, other than _this_ one being of Human design... so it can't be _too_ old. And we have no way to reach the other wrecks to compare them... though some of them look positively _ancient_."

"I wonder how many more lie at the bottom that we can't even see." Shepard glanced across the water. "How many lives of how many races has Leviathan taken to protect itself?"

"I imagine each ship will have a similar story. Crash, work their way to another ship to see what they can salvage and return with a seemingly rare, beautiful... and _deadly_ artifact." Liara's face twisted with distaste. "Little did they know they were dooming themselves to a life of slavery."

"A very short life, most likely. We haven't been down in the hold, but I can't imagine the food stores lasting that long... and Humans can't drink salt water. That would be the more critical need."

Shepard's evaluation came to an abrupt end as she heard James shout out, "Commander! Reaper inbound!"

Liara's eyes shot to the sky. "Sovereign class! They must have come in behind us!"

"Shit!" Shepard took off at a sprint to return to Cortez. "Protect the shuttle!"

As they started to fire upon deploying Marauders and Cannibals, Shepard yelled out, "Cortez! Situation?"

Steve sounded frantic, "Still swapping out parts, Commander! Hang on!"

The group continued the fight as additional Reaper creatures dropped to the deck, adding Husks into the mix. As the battle raged, the shuttle finally lifted off, Cortez swinging in low and providing fire support to the Normandy crew by blasting a couple of Brutes just as they hit the deck. Suddenly there was a 'boom' very much like the crack made by lightning and Shepard felt as if all her hair had suddenly stood on end. She would have attributed it to the storm, but Cortez suddenly shouted out, "Another _pulse_ hit me! Flight controls scrambled! I've got to set back down!" Steve's voice had gone from frantic to angry as he spit out the words; the shuttle dropped back to the deck, but on the other end of the floating wreckage.

"Damn it!" Shepard glanced along the deck and couldn't see Edi and James anywhere. "Cortez is in trouble. Get to him!"

James' voice came back quickly over the comm, "We're on it, Lola. Just a short hop away."

Shepard had been distracted by Steve's situation and suddenly felt the full weight of a Husk unexpectedly hit her back, causing her to stumble forward onto her knees. The struggle didn't last long, as Liara reached out quickly and ripped the Husk away with a massive biotic throw that tossed the beast far out into the water. Liara snarled, "Not today, you don't. Not _ever_!"

Shepard regained her footing and smirked, "Thanks, Blue."

Liara turned a steely blue gaze on the commander and, even given their somewhat desperate situation, Shepard couldn't help but laugh at the next words that came out of the Asari's mouth. "_Nobody_ messes with _my_ girl."

A couple more Cannibals landed, which were dispatched with great efficiency, and the commander surveyed the deck as the sounds of battle fell silent. "Alright. We're clear again... for now at least."

Cortez came across the comm, "Nice work, everyone. But Commander, there's been a development. We need to talk."

"That doesn't sound good, Steve." Shepard's eyes narrowed in displeasure. "Everyone rally at the shuttle."

Once everyone had arrived, Shepard looked to Cortez. "What's up?"

"That pulse knocked me right out of the sky. Even if I can fix it again, we're not going anywhere as long as that defensive system is still in operation." It was evident Steve was still angry as he finished, "We got damned lucky the first two times. I don't want to try for a third."

Riana looked on and queried, "What about the Normandy?"

"I don't understand how the pulse _works_ and I'm afraid the same thing would happen to her... and the landing would be more like this hulk we're standing on than what I managed with the shuttle." Cortez shook his head. "We can't risk it."

Another fireball delivery crashed down to the deck, revealing two husks. Riana glared at them and viciously launched them overboard with a well aimed lift grenade. Shepard nodded in approval and continued the conversation. "So we aren't getting out of here until we get to Leviathan. With the shuttle out of action, how the Hell are we supposed to do that?"

"That's why we need to talk, Commander. I've got an idea, but I'm sure it isn't going to be very popular." Steve shrugged as he continued, "But our options are extremely limited."

"Then let's hear it, Lieutenant." Shepard waited expectantly.

Steve pointed across the deck to a closed cargo compartment, indicating a protected diving mech. His plan was to use the spare battery cells from the shuttle to get enough power to open the door and access the mech. "The only difference is it'll be a solo trip for someone, instead of taking the whole crew down in the shuttle."

Shepard's eyes flashed in both curiosity and challenge. "Well, if that's what we need to do, then let's get started."

Liara's head snapped around and her eyes riveted the commander in place. "Wait a moment. Are you seriously considering..."

Cortez was so wrapped up in the project he didn't hear Liara's interruption and continued, "First, we need to restore power to get that door open." He grabbed a power cell which he had already removed from the shuttle and shoved it into the commander's hands. "There are several external power sockets; we stick one of these in each one until we get enough juice in the system to open the cargo door."

As Shepard nodded in understanding, Liara felt Riana's hand land on her lower back as her First whispered softly in her ear. "It appears she _is_, Mistress. But it _needs_ to be done... or we never go _home_."

Liara felt a chill run down her spine at the words and they firmed her resolve. "You are correct, Riana. Let's do what needs to be done."

A new wave of Reaper creatures hit the deck as the team scrambled to get the power cells in place. The Cannibals and Marauders weren't so bad, but Shepard started to get concerned about their heat sink supplies as Brutes started to drop onto the deck. Cortez suddenly shouted out, "The doors are opening, Commander! That mech is all yours... and it _should_ have weapons capability!"

Shepard's eyes met Riana's for only the briefest of moments, but that contact was enough for Riana to understand. With that single, pleading glance, Shepard had begged her to keep fighting and to keep Liara alive, as Shepard did one of the most difficult things she had ever done. She turned her back and ran away from the fight.

Shepard scrambled to the mech and prayed that Cortez was correct. She started flipping switches as she climbed up into the Triton; systems were powering up and the hatch was already closing behind her as she swung around and pulled the harness down over her head, locking herself into the seat. It was based off the Atlas chassis, so Shepard let her military training take over and operated on reflex, her hands and feet moving to where they needed to be without her having to think about it. The mech started to move forward and the targeting array popped up in front of her eyes.

"Alright, you _bastards_. _Game_ time." Shepard didn't realize the comm was open until she heard James whoop with glee.

"Get 'em, Lola!" Shepard smiled at James' comment as the first rocket launched and took out the Brute closest to her squad. The team rapidly fell back toward the mech, allowing Shepard to provide cover fire and focus on destroying the most dangerous threats.

It wasn't long before the battle was over and Cortez was back on the comm. "That did it. Looks like we're in the clear, Commander."

"Not quite." Shepard turned the mech back toward the cargo hold and launched a couple more rockets, blasting two more control orbs into nothingness. Her voice was smug as she growled out, "_Now_ we're clear."

"Roger that, Shepard." Cortez' voice carried a hint of humor as he answered her. "Walk that thing over to me and I'll check its systems and seals, Commander."

"Good. I want to get this mech in the water before they come back." Shepard lumbered across the deck to stop and hop out when she reached Cortez. "Timeframe, Lieutenant?"

"Depends on if the seals are still good. I'll let you know." Cortez immediately got to work.

"I knew you were crazy, Commander, but this? This tops it all." James looked at the diving mech. "I can't believe you're gonna go down there in this thing, all alone to face a Reaper killer."

A quiet voice came in from the side. "Me neither."

Shepard turned to Liara, speaking in her command voice and leaving no room for argument. "We've come too far to stop now. The way home is _through_ Leviathan."

Liara didn't flinch, other than to take a step closer and take Shepard's hand. "I know, Love." _{But you won't be going alone. I'll be with you the whole way.}_

Cortez spoke aloud, still facing the Triton diving mech. "Okay. Seals check out, oxygen pressures nominal, and systems are a go. It's as ready as I can make it."

Shepard went to pull away, but Liara held on tight for an instant, not letting her withdraw to enter the mech, as she whispered softly, "Shepard. Be _careful_, please. For _me_."

"You've got it, Doctor." The commander smiled as she slowly pulled her hand away and took a step backward. "Just stay with me."

Liara gave her a weak smile and a nod of assurance as Shepard disappeared behind the closing hatch of the Triton diving mech. The commander quickly reactivated the systems and walked methodically to the edge of the deck. "Commencing dive in 3... 2... 1..."

The mech took that last step and vanished quickly beneath the waves. It wasn't very long before Cortez was on the comm. "Suit holding up, Commander?"

Shepard smiled. "Looks good so far. You'll never believe the view down here. Too bad this thing doesn't have a video feed."

"There's already a bit of interference. I doubt the link would support a vid feed." Cortez' voice was filled with static. "Hang on. I'll try to clear it up."

"Copy that." Shepard heard Cortez fine, but it immediately became obvious the reverse was not true.

"Commander! Can you read me?" Cortez did not sound pleased. "We've lost your signal. Something is blocking your comm. Please respond."

Shepard tried again, but Cortez still couldn't hear him. _{Guess it's just you and me, Blue.}_

_{Apparently so, Shepard. I'll continue to relay your status to the rest of the team.}_ Shepard felt the smile in Liara's 'voice'; the Asari was obviously relieved she still had communication with the commander via the link.

The descent was smooth and Shepard marveled at the undersea environ. She described the sheer rock cliffs and various ships she saw as she dropped, finally settling into the silt on the bottom. The suit's exterior light had imploded on the way down, plunging Shepard into darkness. _{Going to be a bit tough maneuvering without any lights...}_ Shepard paused and Liara felt a sense of wonder come through the link before Shepard's thoughts coalesced into words to explain the emotion. _{There's bioluminescent __**life**__ down here... so __**much**__ so that I don't __**need**__ lights. I can see... practically __**everything**__.}_

Even though she could see, Shepard still understood how easy it would be to become disoriented in the unfamiliar surroundings, so quickly set a flare to mark her landing spot before moving forward. _{I can see a huge ship in the distance... it's in the direction of the signal from the probe.}_

_{Cortez wants to know how well the suit is functioning, Shepard.} _Liara's tone was a mix of wonder and concern. _{As do I.}_

_{It's holding up great. Emergency systems have come online. Life support is operational...} _Shepard tagged on a personal note as she finished her status update. _{I'm fine, Liara.}_

Shepard continued moving and came to an edge, necessitating another drop off the shelf she had landed on. _{The probe is below me. I have another drop coming. Already at 3085 meters.}_

_{Goddess. Please be careful, Shepard.}_ Shepard could feel the concern tearing at Liara's heart; the Asari wanted to be at her side.

_{I will love. Short drop. Only down to 3099 meters.}_ Shepard smiled softly. _{I'm shutting down all non-essential systems to conserve power for my return to the surface.}_

_{Aahhhh. Spoke too soon. Another drop coming up... looks like a big one.} _Shepard hesitated, not wanting Liara to know the answer, but had no other way to get the information so asked anyway. _{What's the depth rating on the Triton? Do I even want to know?}_

There was a long pause, during which Shepard assumed Liara was questioning Cortez. _{Steve says it redlines at 3000, but has a built in safety buffer... He's not sure what the real max depth is, but estimates you should be safe down to at least 3500 meters.}_

_{Wonderful.} _Shepard laughed nervously. _{Well... guess we don't have much choice.}_ She paused briefly before continuing. _{Liara?}_

Liara's heart threatened to beat out of her chest when she felt the apprehension behind the query that was no more than her name. _{Don't even __**think**__ it, Shepard. Do what needs to be done and come __**back**__ to me. You promised me little blue babies... and don't you __**dare**__ renege on that!}_

Shepard chuckled and Liara could feel the grin as Samantha responded to her. _{Thank you, I__onúin álainn__. I'll keep that thought foremost in my mind.}_

Liara couldn't help but smile in response. _{You'd better, Commander.}_

_{Here goes nothing.}_ Shepard stepped off the shelf and watched the bottom rise quickly to meet her. She grunted with the impact and glanced at the gauges. _{3274 meters. Room to spare... I do see another shelf, but I'm not sure how much more the suit can take. Let's hope I don't have to drop again.}_

Shepard moved out along a narrow peninsula that stuck out farther into the center of the deep trench she had dropped into. The probe looked good and she saw no indications it was malfunctioning, so the readings they were getting should be reliable. She took a deep breath as she kept moving forward; somewhere nearby, Leviathan lay in wait.

She launched another flare and as it passed over the edge she hoped to not have to drop over, something caught her eye; bubbles. Small bubbles were rising toward the surface and Shepard's heart sunk. _{Damn it. I think there's some kind of gas vent down here. I hope the probe didn't pick up on some false signal...}_

Shepard's thoughts tapered off and Liara felt a brief spike of anxiety pierce through the link before it was replaced by something else; nothing.

On the surface, Liara screamed aloud at the sudden disappearance. "Shepard!"

* * *

Shepard stood transfixed as a huge creature slowly rose from the looked extremely similar to the Reapers, yet differed enough for Shepard to realize it was most definitely not one of their kin. Suddenly a voice rang in her head... and it was most certainly _not_ Liara.

**"You have come too far."**

Shepard's mind... _skipped..._ momentarily and she suddenly found herself not in the suit. Instead, she was on a flat plain, somewhat similar to what she and Liara experienced when they linked deeply... a different level of consciousness. She shook her head, thinking Leviathan had no right to that space in her mind and she found herself once more in the Triton diving mech on the floor of the ocean trench. She growled, "I had to find you."

**"This is not your domain. You have breached the darkness."**

Shepard was not to be dissuaded. "You killed a Reaper. I need to know why."

**"****They are the enemy. One that seeks our extermination."**

"The entire _galaxy_ is at war with the Reapers." Shepard immediately saw common ground and tried to exploit it. "They seek to exterminate _all_ of us, not only you. Fight with us."

**"There is no war. There is only the Harvest."**

"Harvest. War. Call it whatever you will, but help us stop it!" Shepard didn't care to play a game of semantics. "Why aren't you fighting back?"

**"The Reapers are only echoes. We existed long before and we will exist long after."**

Shepard frowned, "Existed long before? You look a lot like them, but you're not a Reaper. What exactly are you?"

**"Something... more."**

Shepard felt her mind jump again and she was pulled against her will to that flat plain, finding herself on her knees and feeling like all the air had been pulled from her lungs.

**"Your mind belongs to me. Breathe."**

Shepard struggled to her feet, surprised to find the image of Ann Bryson before her. "You are _not_ Ann... What are you doing?"

**"Your memories give voice to our words. Your nature will be revealed to us. Accept this."**

"You could just _ask_. We were conversing fine _without_ you invading my mind!" The commander squared her shoulders and glared at the fake Ann. "I am no threat to you. All I came here for was to get your help to defeat the Reapers."

Leviathan almost sounded intrigued. **"None have possessed the strength in past cycles. Your own species could be destroyed with a single thought. But you are different. I have witnessed your actions in this cycle: the destruction of Sovereign; the fall of the Collectors." **The image before her shifted, and Ann morphed into the man they had chased across the mining colony as Leviathan continued, **"The Reapers perceive you as a threat and I must understand why."**

* * *

Back on the surface, Liara growled, "No you don't!" She glanced at Vega as she climbed into the shuttle. "I need to be able to concentrate!"

Vega gave her a quick nod. "_Go_! You bring her _back_ to us, Liara!"

Once inside, Liara could focus strictly on Shepard and not have to worry about shooting Brutes or dodging Husks; she had complete faith in the team outside the doorway. Steve Cortez was better with a pistol than he had any right to be. Liara never saw him practice, but he did run the armory and was apparently quite proficient. With him aiding the ground team, they had four, allowing her to focus solely on the commander.

She sat down, leaned against the wall of the shuttle, closed her eyes and searched the link for her lover. _{Siame. Where are you? Open yourself to me.}_

Shepard shook herself and, for the briefest of moments, felt Liara's reassuring mental touch before Leviathan once again gripped her mind. She opened her eyes again and looked at the new face of Leviathan; Derek Hadley; Garret Bryson's deceased assistant.

**"Before the cycles, our kind was the apex of life in the galaxy. The lesser species were in our thrall, serving our needs. We grew more powerful and they were cared for. But we could not protect them from themselves. Over time, the species built machines that then destroyed them. Tribute does not flow from a dead race."**

Liara cried, "Goddess! Please!" as she put more energy into her sweeping search. _{Samantha! Where __**are**__ you?}_ Finally, Liara's mind skipped across the periphery of the commander's thoughts, overlapping enough that she saw Ann Bryson and caught Leviathan's next statement.

**"To solve this problem, we created an intelligence with the mandate to preserve life at any cost. As the intelligence evolved, it studied the development of civilizations. Its understanding grew until it found a solution." **

Leviathan suddenly shifted and Liara was cut off once more; its avatar was suddenly the man from the mines again. **"In that instant, it betrayed us. It chose our kind as the first harvest. From our essence, the first Reaper was created. You call it Harbinger."**

Shepard scoffed, "You built that machine despite what you saw the other races experience... and now we all pay the price for your mistake... your arrogance!"

**"There was no mistake; it still serves its purpose."**

"No mistake?" Shepard shook her head in disgust. "If it wasn't a _mistake_, then why are you _hiding_? Why aren't you letting it fulfill its designed purpose?

**"Each harvest ends with the birth of a Reaper. Perfect in its design. Each formed in Harbinger's image. **_**Our**_** image. The purpose of the intelligence has yet to be fulfilled. Until the intelligence finds what it's looking for, the harvest will continue. The harvest of the galaxy has become an experiment, evolution its tool."**

"An experiment?" Shepard growled, "That is such bullshit! We aren't _experiments_! We are free, thinking, independent beings who want to _live. _Just like you... We want to live! Will you help stop the cycle?"

Leviathan paused for a second as it thought. **"****I have searched your mind. You are an anomaly - yet that is not enough. You will remain here as a servant of our needs and the Reapers will harvest the rest. The cycle will continue."**

Shepard's mind rejected Leviathan's version of the future and her mind broke free. She was suddenly back on the cliff, staring defiantly at Leviathan, and she felt Liara searching frantically for her. _{I'm here, Blue.}_

_{Shepard! Thank the Goddess!}_ Liara listened in absolute incredulity as Shepard stood under the shadow of the massive creature and actually had the audacity to _yell_ at it... especially as two more behemoths rose from the depth to join the first one.

The commander didn't seem to care if there was one or three; her anger overwhelmed her caution. "You're _responsible_ for this! Every race that's _ever_ been destroyed has been because of _you_... and now the Reapers want to destroy us all! _Including_ you! They know you're here now... there can be no more hiding. You _have_ to fight." Shepard was furious at the very idea the Leviathans would do nothing to help solve the problem _they_ had created.

Shepard felt three minds pressing down on hers and she pushed back, bolstered by Liara's presence. _{Fight them, Shepard! Don't you dare give up now! We can do this... together.}_

Shepard's head started to ache and she felt her nose start to bleed, exactly as Ann's had in the lab. She shouted out one last time in defiance, "The Reapers won't stop - _ever_. Release me, and we have a chance to end this once and for all."

The pressure eased and Leviathan spoke again. **"****Your confidence is singular."**

Shepard's head felt like it wanted to explode, but she growled out, "I've _earned_ it... out there _fighting_... where _you_ should be."

**"It is clear why the Reapers perceive you as a threat. Your victories are more than a product of chance. We will fight, but not for you, or any lesser race. We were the first, the apex race. We **_**will**_** survive. And the Reapers who trespass on this world will understand our power. They will become our slaves. Today... they pay their tribute in **_**blood**_**."**

Shepard's head suddenly dropped forward as if the Leviathan had been supporting her... and that support deserted her as the three descended back below the underwater ridgeline. _{Shepard! Please! Come back to me!} _The commander heard a pleading voice in her ears, relentless in its call... not allowing her to rest. _{Goddess, Samantha. I love you. Don't do this to me... not now. Not after all this. Come back to me, Siame. You can do this, Shepard! Please...}_

The commander blinked and her head came back up... slowly. She found it hard to focus but managed to activate the return boosters, sending the Triton rocketing toward the surface. _{Don't know... where I am, Li... You might... have...} She paused, then whispered. {Catch me, Blue.}_


	31. Rebound

Notes:

CIC - Combat Information Center

_Kaffe_ \- equatorial Thessian vine, the seeds of which are used to produce a non-alcoholic beverage of the same name, the taste described as a mix of coffee and chocolate; blends originating in Dassus are considered among the best

_Nara_ \- literally "bearer"; one who shoulders another's burden, aids others (Thessian)

Prat - an idiot

* * *

**Rebound**

**2181 Despoina, Psi Tophet**

She had won the battle of wills against Leviathan, but Shepard sounded incredibly tired and truly disoriented; Liara bolted out of the shuttle, her eyes anxiously scanning the surface for any signs of the diving mech. She breathed a sigh of relief when it broke the surface and actually landed back on the ship. _It must have a homing mechanism that automatically returns it to its launch point._ The Reapers were on the deck in force; a number of Husks and two Brutes were closing in on the Normandy shuttle's position.

The crew was ecstatic over Shepard's return and fully expected her to open fire on the Brutes. Cortez immediately returned to the cockpit to fire up the shuttle and none of them were prepared when the Triton ground to a halt without firing a single shot; even more shocking was when the hatch opened and a barely conscious Shepard tumbled out of the machine onto the deck, right at the feet of the two Brutes.

As the team opened fire, one of the Brutes seemed to freeze for a moment before suddenly turning on its heels and attacking the other Brute. Not understanding that Leviathan had taken control of the rogue Brute, Liara still took advantage of the distraction and sprinted out to Shepard, much to the extreme dismay of a quickly following Riana. They swiftly scooped the commander off the deck and dragged her back to the shuttle, Liara yelling as they very unceremoniously heaved Shepard in through the door. "Cortez! Status?"

"I don't know what the commander did, but that pulse is off line! We're good to go!" To prove his point, Cortez hovered the shuttle and spun it, pointing its guns across the deck and blasting the Brutes off the side. The team scrambled aboard and Liara immediately dropped to the floor at Shepard's side as Cortez called out, "Damn it! We've got a Reaper inbound!"

Without delay, Vega looked at Liara and ran forward, "Got it covered, Blue. Take care of Shepard!" When he reached the cockpit, he slid into the copilot's seat and strapped in quickly. "We're _fucked_, huh, Esteban." They both watched helplessly as the Reaper's arms opened and the main gun turned bright red, preparing to fire.

"Holy Hell!" James shouted as a bright blue wave passed over the Reaper, just as it had _previously_ done to the shuttle... twice. The lights on the Reaper winked out and the monster soared harmlessly over their heads, tumbling nose first into the ocean without firing a single shot, before vanishing beneath the storm-whipped waves.

Liara heard none of it; she was rapidly scanning the commander, trying to figure out why Shepard was so sluggish and nonresponsive. "Samantha! Goddess! She's freezing!"

Edi opened the medical kit and promptly handed an object to Liara. "We must remove her armor and wrap her in this emergency thermal regeneration blanket. She is suffering from something resembling severe hypothermia."

Liara didn't stop to process what Edi said; she simply followed her instructions, trusting in the AI's vast database to find the appropriate treatment. As Liara ripped open the package Edi handed her, Riana quickly stripped the commander of her armor and then assisted Liara in wrapping the blanket snuggly around her.

James returned from the cockpit. "We're almost there. Cortez already informed Doc Chakwas that we're inbound with the commander."

Shepard suddenly coughed and jerked awake. She attempted to sit up and both Riana and Liara planted firm hands on her shoulders to assist her. Liara quickly slipped behind her and wrapped her in a hug, making sure the blanket stayed wrapped tightly around Samantha's body as she pulled her close; only _then_ did she truly realize what Edi had handed her for the commander.

"Goddess. This is rather... _warm_." It amazed Liara how the commander could be shivering as violently as she was with such a thing wrapped about her. The level of heat generated by the blanket was uncomfortable and Liara started to sweat, but adamantly refused to let go. She whispered quietly into the still shivering Samantha's ear. "Are you... alright?"

Reassured by the soothing sound of Liara's voice, Shepard relaxed into the embrace and quietly stammered, 'Y-yeah... yeah. H-hell of a h-headache, though."

Riana leaned forward with a soft cleansing cloth from the med kit and gently wiped the blood from Shepard's nose, lips and chin. "You scared us, _Nara_."

"Terribly." Liara held her tightly, her voice reflecting both her fear at Shepard's condition and her relief at Samantha being alive in her arms. "Don't ever do that again."

Shepard snuggled back into the comfort of her Asari's arms and closed her eyes, still shivering fiercely. "I d-don't p-plan on it."

* * *

**SSV Normandy, At Large**

Shepard's eyes fluttered slightly before she finally managed to force them open. The sight that met her eyes told her she was once again in the med bay of the Normandy; her head still ached, but at least she felt cozy warm. "Welcome back, Shepard." Karin's voice carried no judgment as she leaned over and peered into her face. "How do you feel?"

"Like Liara warped me into next Tuesday for being reckless?" Her voice came out as nothing but a rough whisper. "Is it still what I know of as _'today'_?"

Chakwas smiled as a lighthearted chuckle filled with unspoken relief erupted from the opposite side of Shepard's bed. The commander turned her head toward the musical sound to see Liara standing next to a chair beside her bed. "It has been less than an hour... and you were _not_ reckless, Shepard; I realize you only did what was _necessary_. That does not, however, translate into my liking that you needed to do it." Liara leaned in and kissed the commander very gently. Her hand stroked softly through Shepard's hair as she continued quietly. "I am beyond delighted that you returned. When you fell silent just as it seemed you had achieved success, I feared I had lost you again." Liara's expression initially looked pained, but it was soon replaced by a grateful smile. "But you regained your senses and returned to me, as promised."

Shepard's hand covered Liara's blue one and Samantha pressed it tight to her cheek, her voice now lacking the shivering stutter Liara had last heard. "You nearly did, Liara. Had it not been for the link... and you calling for me, I very much doubt I would have had the strength to continue." Shepard pulled the hand to her lips and she kissed Liara's palm. "Thank you."

The sensation made shivers run down Liara's back and she leaned over, bestowing another soft kiss upon Shepard's lips. "Thank _you_, for coming home."

"It _is_ home, isn't it?" Shepard exhaled heavily and closed her eyes again, continuing. "Has anyone talked to Hackett about what happened?"

Liara nodded and answered, "Yes. And I've also passed a copy of the brief to Dr Ann Bryson. She sends wishes for a speedy recovery. As for Admiral Hackett, he's expecting a call from you once you are up and about, though we had no idea when that would be, so there is no timeline."

Shepard's focus drifted to Dr Chakwas who answered with raised eyebrows. "A _minimum_ of twenty four hours before you perform _any_ official duties, Commander... and that includes QEC communications with Headquarters. Your core temperature had dropped below 33° C, so no iced drinks, alcohol or caffeine..." She paused and glared at the commander. "Don't give me that _look_, Shepard. I _mean_ it; absolutely _no_ coffee or chocolate. Period. Your body needs time to recover, even _with_ your advanced healing rates. Anyone else and we'd be headed to Huerta Memorial to drop off an in-patient due to complications of pneumonia and who knows what else." She glanced at Liara before she continued, "Fortunately, I know you like _Kaffe_, and it is _not_ caffeinated. Drink either that or herbal tea instead. Understood? I've already informed the crew and they'll _all_ be watching you... so behave!"

Shepard suddenly smiled and sat up slowly. "_That_ means I'm free to leave, doesn't it? You're not keeping me here?"

Karin smiled. "That is correct, my dear; I'm trusting Liara to keep you out of trouble for the next few days. We're headed back to Council space, via the Vallhallan Threshold. Why don't you see if you can write up your addendum to the mission report; if you can sit at a terminal long enough to do _that_ without it giving you a headache, I'll reconsider."

Shepard groaned and slid off the bed to leave, sounding like a petulant child. "That's not fair. I can't complete a mission report on a _normal_ day without it giving me a headache!"

* * *

Liara led the commander directly to the loft and straight down to the couches, not giving her any choice but to sit. The Asari immediately sent a message to Riana, asking if she could please join them in the loft, and to bring some _Kaffe_ for them all, before planting herself on the couch next to Shepard.

"You don't need to worry about the main mission report. I've already sent the basics to Admiral Hackett. All he needs from _you_ are the details of the discussions you had with Leviathan that were blocked from me." The Asari gripped Shepard's hand and leaned her head against the back of the couch, closing her eyes. Now that Samantha was safe, Liara relaxed her guard and tears of relief began to trickle down her face.

Shepard was still very tired, but not so much that she missed the surge of despair slipping through the link. "Hey. What's _that_ about?"

The commander freed her hand so she could wrap her arm around Liara's shoulders and pull the Asari into a comforting embrace. Liara said nothing at first, merely turning to Shepard and burying her face in the crook of Samantha's neck as she attempted to stifle her sobs. After a couple of deep breaths, Liara apologized in a subdued voice. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to burden you, but I simply couldn't keep them in anymore."

Samantha frowned and kissed her lover on the forehead. "You're not _supposed_ to keep them in, Liara. Can you tell me what caused them in the first place?"

"Today scared the _blue blazes_ out of me, Shepard." Liara pushed away; abruptly standing, she began pacing the small space between the couch and the bed. "Here we are... in the fight of our _lives_ against something like the _Reapers_. We beat Sovereign, you escaped the Batarians, defeated the Collectors and then somehow managed to get off Earth in time to avoid the Reapers. It never _stops_!" Liara, however, _did_ stop to stare at the commander. "_Then_ we have today. _You_ go toe-to-toe, _alone_, with a Leviathan... and then _three_! They held an _entire_ mining colony in thrall... for a _decade_! Yet _you_ somehow managed to push them out of your mind... only for me to almost _lose_ you anyway to, of all things, _hypothermia_! By the _Goddess_! How insanely _ridiculous_ is that?"

Shepard had stood when Liara started pacing and now closed the gap with a small laugh. "Completely and utterly bonkers, Liara! I agree, but that pretty much sums up our entire life together!" She clasped Liara by the upper arms and looked deep into her eyes, the intensity riveting Liara in place. "And you _know_ I was never alone... because of _you_. You're in my heart and soul, Li. _We_ have done all those things... _together_. Not me, not you. _Us_, as a team." Shepard released her hold and ran a hand lovingly down the side of Liara's face. "Aren't you the one who told me that _together_, we could do anything?"

"Yes, but..." Liara's response trailed off as Shepard's hand wrapped around her neck and drew her delicately in for a kiss. Her breath hitched and her stomach flipped when she felt Samantha's tongue slide across her lip in a sensuous tease and she opened her mouth in invitation. In response, Sam's strong arms encircled her and crushed their two bodies together; Liara felt her body respond in ways she had never experienced before she met the dashing Commander.

Their brief interlude was rudely interrupted by the door chime and Liara groaned, "Oh, Goddess! That's _Riana_." She blushed deeply as she continued, "I invited her up and asked her to bring some _Kaffe_ for all of us!"

Shepard broke away, unable to contain her laughter as she walked to the door. She glanced back over her shoulder with a smirk on her face. "Yup... insanely ridiculous."

* * *

Riana stopped by the Mess to drop off the empty _Kaffe_ mugs on her way back to the Broker Office and her room. As she walked through, she saw Specialist Traynor sitting at a table chatting with one of the enlisted systems operators from the Bridge. She suddenly realized she had absolutely no idea what any of them actually did; there were multiple stations flanking the passageway leading to the cockpit and they always seemed busy, scurrying about with datapads and always moving with purpose, but Riana didn't have a clue what their jobs actually entailed.

Her steps slowed and she took extra time at the counter to rinse the mugs much more thoroughly than necessary, hoping Samantha would glance up and see her. When it didn't happen, Riana sighed in disappointment, walked the short distance to the office entrance and tapped the keypad for entry. Had she glanced back over her shoulder, she would have seen Samantha Traynor politely excusing herself and rising to follow her.

Riana stepped through the door and her eyes focused on the research terminal. "Glyph. Any findings of note from the latest mission?"

The glowing orb came to life and bobbed through the air to spin quickly in front of her. "Yes, Vanguard Iregos. Technical data collected by the UT-47 Kodiak Drop Shuttle regarding the Leviathan pulse weapon has been forwarded to the appropriate research agencies. Edi has calculated a 94.3 percent chance the data will prove useful in improving the efficiencies of the Thanix cannons against Reaper forces. The Broker network will be informed as soon as research results are available."

Riana smiled; that was very good news, indeed. Liara would be pleased, as well as the commander and anyone _else_ with the ability and time to modify their Thanix-based weaponry. She sat down at the terminal to see if any updates had arrived from the _Aletheia_, only to be disappointed at the lack of news. Frustrated, she closed the terminal and stood, placing her hands on her hips in irritation.

Riana was restless in more ways than one; after bringing the _Kaffe_ up to the loft, it was soon apparent Liara and the commander had something else on their minds. Liara's face was flushed and Riana was sure she had inadvertently interrupted at an inopportune moment but the couple said nothing and, since she _had_ been invited, Riana stayed and chatted with them as Liara had requested. Even so, Riana took her leave as soon as they had finished their _Kaffe_, begging off under the justification that Shepard required her rest... and that couldn't happen so long as they felt the need to entertain a guest.

Riana smiled as she left; the doors to the loft had barely finished closing behind her when she heard a hard thump against the door. Her face took on a hint of blush as an image of the commander pinning Liara to the wall flew unbidden through her mind and her body reacted with a rush of desire... but the image that had flashed through her mind _then_ was not either one of the people whose company she had just left behind.

_Goddess, Iregos. You need to build up enough nerve to _**ask**_ the woman to join with you if you ever expect it to actually __**happen**__! When did you become so damned shy?_

She did not have time to continue berating herself before a chime at the door diverted her from going down that path. Since the Broker terminal was closed, Riana gave no thought to who might be at the door before tapping the panel to allow them entry. She drew a quick breath and her heart rate jumped when the door slid open to reveal none other than Samantha Traynor.

"Sorry to drop in uninvited, but... I don't believe I truly am." Traynor stood at the door, curious about the almost _startled_ look on Riana's face. "Is this not a good time? You seemed to be very interested in what I was doing in the mess, so I thought... perhaps..."

Riana instantly blushed a deep blue as she stepped back to let Traynor enter the room. "Yes... well. I did not realize you saw me. I attempted numerous times to catch your eye and did not think you noticed."

"Oh, good! I was worried by the look on your face... almost as if you were expecting someone else." Traynor's face erupted into a happy smile that made Riana's face flush. Traynor saw the change and, to her, it seemed Riana had suddenly gone pale, so she stepped up, immediately concerned. "You're not, are you? Or are you not feeling well? You seem to have lost the color in your face..."

Riana took a step back and closed her eyes, trying to gather herself amidst the whirlwind of emotions that were twisting her insides in loops. "Sammi, stop for a moment. Please."

Traynor's mouth immediately snapped closed as dread settled into her chest. _Here it comes. Too much, too fast and you've done scared her off, you prat! _

Riana took a deep breath and slowly opened her eyes to see a very concerned looking Samantha Traynor. "I apologize for not speaking with you since Tuchanka. Much has happened and I have been unable to decide..." Riana paused, shook her head and rephrased. "I do not know how to explain to you all I have been thinking since the Monastery."

"Riana. It's okay. I understand if you're not ready yet. You warned me you wanted to move slowly." Traynor sighed heavily. "I'm sorry if I pushed you too quickly..."

"What are you speaking about, Sammi?" Riana shook her head again, this time in confusion. "I have been trying to find the courage to ask you to come see me! I have things I want to share with you... and there are things _we_ need to speak about." Riana finally stepped up to Traynor and took her hand. "I have wanted to ask you to join me in my room twice now and lost my nerve before I could go through with it either time."

"_What_?" Traynor's eyes flew open wide in surprise at the revelation. "You _wanted_ me to come over?" The specialist erupted in nervous laughter. "Oh! My God, Riana! Did you _actually_ think it was possible I would turn you _down_?" Traynor leaned forward and hugged a surprised Riana tightly. "Not a chance, Iregos!"

Traynor held on long enough for Riana to get over her shock and return the hug as a grin started to spread over her face. Riana pushed back and whispered, "It seemed a most realistic fear at the time, but I am glad it was completely unfounded." The Asari relaxed and once again took a step away, but held her hand out in invitation. "Please. Come, so we may speak in private."

* * *

_**Aletheia**_** SB-1, Demeter**

Miranda stood in a daze, her eyes traveling again around the small apartment in disbelief. Judea's arm slipped around her waist in comfort. "We'll find her, Miri. We have the entire Broker Network at our disposal. It is very obvious he doesn't want her dead."

Miranda didn't move, but she did respond, her voice cold and hard. "The only one who is going to end up _dead_ is Henry Lawson. His obsession with the Lawson legacy _ends_ this time around; never again will we need to worry about him finding either _one_ of us."

Miranda pushed away from Judea and narrowed her eyes as she studied the room. "Pack her personal things and leave everything else; Oriana won't be coming back here." She spun on her heel and headed to Oriana's home studio, personally packing up all of Oriana's art supplies and two canvases that were obviously works in progress.

Judea followed her to the room and, after watching Miranda move stiffly as she packed Ori's things, finally closed on her lover and attempted to wrap her in a comforting hug. Miranda shoved her arms down roughly and spun on her, stepping away. "What are you doing, Judea? We need to get this done and get out of here before the authorities arrive."

Judea's brow markings rose in consternation, her golden eyes clouded with irritation and she spoke with her typical blunt honesty. "Do _not_ take out your frustrations on the ones who _love_ you, Miranda Lawson. I am here to support you, _not_ be your punching bag."

"Oh, God." Miranda frowned and rubbed her forehead in exasperation. "You're right. I'm sorry, Jude. I simply... I can't _believe_ this and I'm at a loss. If something's _happened_ to her..."

Judea reached for Miranda one more time and Miranda's expression softened as she stepped into the embrace. "We'll figure it out, Miri. I'm sure she is physically well and, like I said, we have the entire network at our disposal. We'll find her... and woe be to her captors, your father included."

Miranda's normally blue eyes turned an almost bluish slate gray. "That man is _not_ a father. He's an egocentric DNA donor; that's all." She took a deep breath and relaxed, however slightly, into Judea's arms. "This feels... nice. Safe. Thank you."

Judea gave her another quick squeeze, accompanied by a reassuring pat on the shoulder as they separated. "You are very welcome. Now. Let us work on finding Ori... together. Remember, Miranda Lawson... You are _not_ alone in this."

* * *

**SSV Normandy, At Large**

Contrary to Riana's imagination, it was Liara who pinned Shepard to the door, but as she kissed the commander, she felt a sensation of exhaustion trickle weakly through the link. She broke the kiss and placed her forehead against Shepard's, her hands resting easy on Sam's hips. It was not a question when she spoke. "You are much too tired. You seem ready to drop on your feet."

Shepard smiled weakly and left her forehead leaning comfortably against Liara's, taking pleasure in the gentle contact. Her eyes closed as she responded. "I am. The mind is willing, but the body is weak."

Liara's forehead pinched in consternation. "You almost _died_; your body is certainly not _weak_, Shepard." Not understanding what was funny about her statement, she fell silent as Samantha started to laugh softly, her deep green eyes opening and glinting with mirth.

"It's merely an expression, T'Soni... meaning I'm too tired to do what I would _like_ to do to you right now." Shepard raised her head and shifted her weight forward, so the entire front of her body was leaning into Liara's. "What I would _love_ to do is take you to bed and ravage you... to let our bodies sing like they wanted to when Riana rang the door chime... but there's no way; I'm tired and my damned headache still hasn't eased. What little energy I had has deserted me. I'm sorry, Li."

"Don't be silly, Samantha; I understand completely. There is certainly no reason for you to apologize for something over which you have no control." Liara smiled and placed a chaste kiss upon her lips. "Come on. I'll help you get ready for bed."

Shepard pushed away and stood on her own two feet as she commented, "Only if you'll join me."

Liara's face lit with a contented smile. "Absolutely."

* * *

Two decks below, Riana grinned as Samantha Traynor slid a hand into hers and accompanied her to her room. Riana proceeded directly to the small couch to the left side of the bed, next to the beverage station; and pulled Traynor down to sit next to her. She did not relinquish the specialist's hand as she started to speak. "Please do not interrupt. I would like you to have the full story before you comment."

"Certainly, Riana." Traynor looked solemn as she replied, "Whatever you need."

Riana launched into a brief summary of events at the Monastery, including the comments directed at her by Falere... focusing primarily on those which were not in either the official report or Shepard's personal notes. She finished with her return to her room and the tumultuous thoughts concerning the Justicar Order and Samara, her need to meditate in order to still the shaking of her hands and finally find sleep. Traynor gasped and her face twisted with anger, but she held her tongue as Riana continued through the apology message she had received upon the team's return from Tuchanka, which only _slightly_ mollified the specialist. "That is why I was in a much better mood upon my return, despite the loss of Dr Solus. That, and thinking of _you_ during the shuttle ride back to the Normandy."

"I can't believe Falere _said_ such a thing to you in the first place!" Traynor's voice rang with antipathy and her normally soft brown eyes were hard as stone.

Riana graced her with a gentle smile. "I appreciate your concern over her perceived ill treatment of me, but having once thought I had lost Aresia, I could completely understand her pain and anger. Not that it made her earlier words hurt any less, but it certainly eased the road for my forgiveness when she asked for it so... _painfully_. Her voice was filled with self-reproach and condemnation."

Traynor squeezed Riana's hand in understanding. "I'm glad _you_ could forgive her... but _I'm_ not there yet. I promise I'll _try_, but that's all I can offer."

Riana laughed lightly. "You are allowed to be indignant on my behalf, but should your paths cross, I would ask you to please be kind to her. _I_ got my sister back; _Falere_ will never have such a luxury and berating her for deeds past will serve no useful purpose."

Traynor said nothing, but she swallowed hard and nodded as Riana continued, "When I came to you in the CIC, it was for more than simply letting you know I was well... but I could not bring myself to do it."

Traynor's face was pinched with concern as she gripped the Asari's hand a bit tighter and queried, "Were you contemplating telling me to piss off?"

"Piss... off?" Riana cocked her head in question. "I... do not understand what telling you to go to the toilet would have to do with anything."

Despite the potential for being told the relationship wasn't going to happen, Traynor practically choked on her laughter as she struggled to explain the phrase, much to Riana's embarrassment at the mistranslation. "Goddess! You really _must_ stick to Galactic Standard or else find some type of translator program that I may use! That was not my intent at all; I thought you would have figured out my purpose was quite the opposite, in actuality."

That stopped Traynor's laughter cold and she looked at the Asari with newfound hope growing in her heart. "You need to explain that to me, Riana, before I explode from the uncertainty!"

"I've wanted to invite you here, Sammi, but I couldn't do it. I asked myself when I had become so shy... but then realized the truth of the matter; getting close to you scares me more than anything else in the galaxy." To ease the suddenly apprehensive expression on Traynor's face, Riana took both of the specialist's hands in her own and looked her directly in the eye as her voice dropped to a whisper. "Getting past... _Ryati's_... death... was one of the most difficult things I have ever done... and I'm sure she will come to mind many times over yet. I will never be so foolish as to think I will ever get _'over'_ her; she was my first. But I also do not care to sacrifice any _future_ potential because of it; I cannot live in the past and I see a potential future with _you_."

"I would _love_ for that to happen!" Traynor couldn't help the grin that spread across her face at Riana's words, nor could she hide the excitement in her voice. "Honestly, I was afraid I had somehow frightened you off and you were hesitant about telling me because, as a friend, you didn't want to hurt my feelings."

"I do not understand how you could feel that way." Riana released Traynor's hands to lay one of her hands on Sammi's knee. "If anything, you have displayed an amazing level of understanding and _patience_ towards me. You have not pushed me and you seem to display an uncanny ability to read my moods, even _without_ a meld."

Traynor's eyes dropped at Riana's last words. "Uhm... about that; you... _know_ I've never been with an Asari... and the whole idea of you being in my _head_ is pretty unnerving in itself."

"Then we will take things slowly, exactly as we have been doing, but you must know that I _very_ much want this to happen, Sammi." Riana shook her head slightly in disbelief. "It has been a very long time since I have slept as well as I did that night after Lesuss, even _with_ everything swimming circles in my mind." Riana fell silent and Traynor's eyes came back up at the pause. When their eyes met once more, Riana continued, "I took great _comfort_ from your presence."

Traynor blushed lightly and smiled shyly as she confessed, "That's good, because _I_ didn't sleep a wink."

"_What_?" Surprise filled Riana's voice. "Why, by the Goddess, did _you_ not sleep?"

"Because I had a certain beautiful _Asari_ purring in my lap and all I could think about was making _love_ to you!" Traynor laughed as she continued. "God. I had you in my arms and I wanted to kiss you all _over_, but I knew you were stressed and upset... and still very unsure about where we stood with one another. So, I couldn't do anything but _hold_ you; I would never take advantage of a situation like that!"

"You wanted to..." In her surprise at Traynor's blunt honesty, Riana couldn't finish the sentence.

Traynor maintained her eye contact and her brown orbs returned to their normal velvety soft look. "Of _course_ I wanted to, Riana."

Riana looked into her eyes for a very long moment before leaning forward slowly. Her hand crept up tentatively, finally landing softly on Traynor's upper arm to pull Traynor gently toward her. Her breath whispered across Sammi's lips as she spoke softly, "May I?"

Traynor practically cried in relief as she whispered in return, "Oh, God. Yes, ple..."

The rest of Traynor's words, 'please do,' were swallowed as Riana's lips landed on hers without hesitation once the permission had been given. Riana's free hand gently cupped the side of her head and a calloused thumb lovingly stroked along the edge of Traynor's ear as Riana's lips tenderly caressed her own in a rather... _lengthy..._ first kiss. The Asari's lips were even more soft and supple than Traynor had imagined; she shuddered with desire and had to pull back to prevent things from progressing too quickly. Once she had taken a deep breath, she whispered, "Oh my God, Riana. You are _terribly_ good at that."

Riana laughed softly and drew a deep breath of her own before answering, "It was simply a kiss, Sammi... and you weren't so bad yourself."

"Oh, I don't know. It's been a long time." Traynor grinned and winked at Riana as she finished, "I think I may need to practice. A lot."

Riana's joviality faded slightly. "What we _need_ to practice is the meld, Samantha Traynor. It is an essential part of the Asari psyche... and we need to know if you will be ok with it, or this will never work, no matter how much we may want it to."

Traynor paled slightly and drew a deep breath before forcing it back out through pursed lips. "Alright." She swallowed down the lump in her throat and looked at Riana's eyes. "How do we start?"

"I will be gentle... and will not force myself in anywhere you do not want me. You will have to learn to open to me." Riana smiled softly. "It is largely an issue of trust... but I will be able to speak to you through the meld once we are joined. You need not speak aloud, but it may ease things in the beginning until you get used to it. Simply try to let it flow naturally."

"That's easy for _you_ to say." Traynor laughed nervously. "You grew up sharing your thoughts with others. For Humans, our thoughts are one of the few things we can truly keep to ourselves. To give that up is... disconcerting, to say the least."

Riana's eyes pinched with concern. "You do _not_ give that up! Ever! Such an invasion of privacy is one of the gravest transgressions one Asari can commit against another being. Such an act is punishable by death unless done under the most dire of circumstances, such as to provide support to an unconscious, dying individual. It is otherwise unforgiveable." Riana was adamant. "I will not enter anywhere you do not want me, though in the beginning we will have to be very cautious... until you learn the basics of mind barriers and how to shield those thoughts you do not want revealed. Until that happens, I will undoubtedly see things you wish to keep hidden... Will you trust me with those secrets?"

Traynor blinked very slowly, took a deep breath and swallowed her fear. "Of course I will, Riana. Just please... be... _gentle_?"

Riana nodded. "Certainly, Sammi. Always. Are you ready to begin?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." Traynor's eyes went wide with apprehension as Riana reached over simply to take her hand.

"Unlike Shepard and Liara, we need to be touching, skin on skin, to make this happen." The Asari smiled in reassurance. "But you _do_ need to be aware that yanking your hand away and abruptly breaking the contact once we are melded can be quite painful for both of us, so try to remain calm and let me terminate the meld if you become frightened. _Trust_ me, Sammi."

With a go-ahead nod from her partner, Riana closed her eyes. When she reopened them, her soft browns had been replaced by an unsettling black abyss as Riana spoke. "Embrace eternity."


	32. Recovery

Notes:

AI - Artificial Intelligence

CIC - Combat Information Center

Graal - Krogan double-barreled shotgun-class weapon that shoots large spikes; the oversized flechettes are designed to pierce Thresher Maw hide and create deep wound channels and massive blood loss

IFF - Identification of Friend or Foe

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

* * *

**Recovery**

**SSV Normandy, At Large**

"Oh, shit." Traynor remembered what Riana had said, so rather than yank her hand away, she clutched the Asari's hand even tighter as she felt the first odd... _tap_... against her consciousness. They remained sitting side-by-side on the short couch; the only things touching were their hands. "That is _really_... strange." Traynor had leaned back against the couch and closed her eyes, finding it both easier to focus her thoughts and _much_ less unsettling than staring into Riana's unfamiliar blackened orbs.

Riana chuckled softly. "Open your mind to me, Sammi. Seek out my _knock_ and you will find me at the threshold to your soul." Traynor focused on the ethereal pressure attempting to gain her attention as the Asari continued, "Simply remember I will not enter..." _{... until you open the door.} _Riana was surprised when Sammi's barriers suddenly gave way.

Traynor was ecstatic when she located the source and she could _feel_ the joy emanating from Riana as she allowed the beautiful Asari access to her thoughts. As the warmth that was Riana eased into her mind, Traynor managed an awed whisper. "That's... simply... amazing."

_{That was much easier than I anticipated. Well done, Sammi.}_ Riana smiled and gave her hands a brief squeeze.

"It's like riding a rollercoaster at a park! That apprehension you feel as the car crests the hill... followed by the wonderfully scary swooping sensation as you tip over the top and suddenly plunge down." Traynor let out a giddy laugh as she felt Riana's emotion of curiosity surge through the meld. "You've never heard of a rollercoaster?" She paused before starting to explain, "It's a small cart that you..."

"Stop talking, Samantha. _Show_ it to me, instead." Riana smiled. _{I will understand it much better if you show me a memory. Think about the last rollercoaster you rode upon.}_

"Gosh. It's been _ages_." Traynor shook her head. "I think I was only..."

Blue fingers came up to sit gently on Traynor's lips. "Shush. _Think_ it. Picture it in your mind." _{Simply... __**remember**__.}_

_{Oh, Goddess!} _Riana suddenly felt herself plunging down a steep incline and she looked around quickly, realizing she was in a small cart with someone screaming in her ear, their hands raised over their head as they whooped with delight. There was a whole string of carts, all connected to one another, traveling along a metal rail at a rather _significant_ rate of speed. She laughed aloud as she thought, _{I can see why you would like this, though I never pictured you as such an adventurist! When this is all over, I will take you out with Judea in one of her performance corvettes...}_

Traynor suddenly felt a flash of remorse and she 'saw' a slightly older Asari; even though they had never met, she immediately knew her to be Huntress Ryati Thaptos. Traynor _also_ somehow instantly knew that Riana had planned to ride with Judea in one of her sport corvettes, to swoop through the coastal spires of Tescani as a tribute to Ryati's love of the home republic where she had been born and raised. Traynor sensed that Riana felt _guilty_ because she and Judea had not yet managed the trip... and now, with the Reaper war, they may never get the chance.

"She was beautiful, Riana... and I can feel how much you loved... _still_ love her." Tears were in Traynor's eyes as she spoke, feeling Riana's sense of loss. "I'll never _replace_ her... and I understand she'll _always_ hold a special place in your heart." She squeezed Riana's hands in reassurance. "And you need to know I'm okay with that."

She felt Riana slowly withdraw and Traynor unexpectedly found herself feeling bereft and empty. "Wow. Is it always like that?"

"No. I... am... _sorry_." Riana closed her eyes as a single tear slid down her cheek. "Here I was concerned about _you_ letting something slip through... and _I_ barrage you with images of my lost love."

Traynor slid across the couch to be closer, turned to face Riana and embraced the Asari in a comforting hug. "That's not what I was asking about, and it's alright, Ri. I understand... _honestly_ I do. How could I _not_? The sensations and emotions that came along with the thoughts were so... _vivid_!" Traynor turned her head and kissed Riana lovingly on the cheek. "It simply makes me love you that much more."

Riana's eyes opened, their normal soft brown once more, and she looked at Traynor in astonishment. "You... _love_ me?"

Traynor smiled in response and gave a small nod of her head. "Yes. I do. I find you a wonderful, loving and caring individual... whom I desire to be with _much_ more often than our available time can _possibly_ allow."

Riana let out a little huff and shook her head in disbelief. "I feel very much the same about you, Sammi, and that you are not jealous over my love for Ryati is surprising to me. Do you _truly_ not feel threatened by it?"

"What sense is there in being threatened by a memory?" Traynor grinned. "Besides, your love of Ryati wasn't the only thing that slipped through."

Riana finally smiled in return. "_That_ was not a slip, Samantha Traynor. I _want_ you to know exactly how I feel when I am with you."

"Well." Traynor gave her a tight squeeze before letting go and leaning against the back of the couch. "It's a good thing then, because I don't plan on letting you go before we've even had a chance to _begin_. I play for keeps."

"I can understand that and I feel the same. I do not believe true relationships are to be treated casually." Riana nodded appreciatively. "And as such, I feel I must bid you goodnight. I have not yet slept since the mission and my slip indicates a lack of control which is most likely due to my weariness. Your inexperience and my exhaustion do not make a good combination for our beginning; it would be prudent to wait to continue this."

Traynor leaned forward and stood. "No problem here. That experience was... not quite _overwhelming_, but close, so I can use some time to think about it. Besides, I need to get back to work. Dr T'Soni has written the mission report and I should process it through the system and forward it to Admiral Hackett."

Riana stood to join her and placed her arms around the departing specialist; hugging her tightly, she kissed her on the cheek and bid her good evening as they walked to the outer door of the Broker office. "I look forward to continuing your education in the art of the meld, Sammi. It seems to come to you naturally."

Traynor blushed lightly and gave Riana a quick answering peck on the cheek before pushing away. "I think I will very much look forward to having you as my teacher."

* * *

"Commander. Good to see you up and about; you had Dr Chakwas concerned but, with only two nights' rest, it seems you recovered nicely." Hackett's _words_ expressed confidence but his voice sounded unsure, as if he were seeking confirmation that Shepard was back at full capability.

The only one other than Shepard who knew her true state of mind was Liara, both because of their link and because they slept together in the loft. The Asari had been awakened twice in as many nights since the confrontation with Leviathan; Shepard's nightmares had launched the commander out of bed at unpredictable hours, denying them both the rest they needed to function at their best. The nightmares had never been a repeating _nightly_ occurrence and Liara prayed to the Goddess the pattern didn't become the new normal. Liara could tell the commander was getting tired, both physically _and_ emotionally, due to their interrupted sleep and the dream's disturbing content, but Samantha always put on a brave face and pressed on with the mission, no matter the cost to her personal wellbeing.

So, in spite of how she honestly felt, Shepard smiled gently as she responded, "Yes, Sir. It was an... _interesting_... confrontation, but thanks to Karin and Liara watching over me, I'm fine."

"Yes. Well, I've finished reading your addendum to Dr T'Soni's mission report. _Interesting_ is an extreme understatement, if you ask me."

Shepard's lips quirked as she refrained from frowning, maintaining a tight rein on her emotions. "The Alliance wanted more intelligence on the Reapers. I'd say we got it."

"Our people are studying the data intently; knowing _now_ that the Reapers are machines that were created by Leviathan gives us a starting point in understanding them. We'll combine that with all the data we've collected on the control orbs and maybe find a way to interfere with indoctrination. That alone could prove immensely useful." Hackett had relaxed as Shepard spoke; she sounded like herself and seemed in good spirits. "All the data is being lumped together into a new 'Leviathan Codex,' for lack of a better name. What you discovered rewrites galactic history as we know it."

"_Whatever_ it means, it tells me the Reapers are simply machines." Shepard's voice turned hard as she finished, all her false cheer and good humor vanishing. "And _machines_ can be broken."

"And you'll be the one to break them, Shepard; you and the crew of the Normandy." Hackett gave her a nod. "So go out there and make it happen. This is a big step in the right direction. Good work, Commander."

After a quick salute, Hackett signed off and Shepard walked out through the CIC, only to be intercepted by Samantha Traynor before she could make it to the elevator.

"Commander! I found something you need to see." The specialist's voice held a tinge of urgency, so Shepard stopped immediately and approached her workstation.

"What have you got, Traynor?"

"As we transited the Crescent Nebula, I picked up some interesting comm traffic. A group of top-level scientists defected from Cerberus and vanished without a trace; the Illusive Man has been hunting for them ever since." Traynor keyed her terminal and the navigation map zoomed in to the region of outer Council space. "During one of our original meetings, Riana asked me to scan systems as we move about... and I actually picked something up. The proverbial 'needle in a haystack,' if you know what I mean. The signal was heavily encrypted, but with Edi's assistance on the codes, we managed to break it and the data is rather... worrying."

Shepard raised her eyebrows and sighed lightly, reminding herself that Traynor was not to blame for her frustration and to not take out her anger on the young specialist. "Thanks for the history lesson, Traynor, but I've been out of the loop for almost two days; I'm way behind and I need you to get to the point."

"Oh! Sorry, Ma'am. Of course." Traynor almost stood at attention as she finished. "I think we've _found_ them... the scientists, that is... on Arrae. Unfortunately, so has Cerberus and they're sending troops there now. _We're_ about to transit the Eagle Nebula and we _might_ be able to beat them to it if we divert _immediately_ to the Minos Wasteland; it'd be a full-up research team that we could keep from Cerberus, if we manage it."

Shepard didn't even bother to answer her, but spoke into the air instead. "Edi. You following this conversation?" Upon confirmation from the AI, the commander continued, "Divert from the Citadel and get us to Arrae. If we can take yet one more tool from TIM, it's worth it."

"Understood, Commander. We will need to transit from Fortis to Arrae via FTL; estimated arrival will be in approximately six hours."

Shepard looked back over at the nervous specialist. "Good catch, Traynor."

* * *

**SSV Normandy, Gellix, Arrae**

There was a high probability Cerberus would arrive before the Normandy's successful contact with and evacuation of the scientists, so Shepard opted once more to bring the majority of the ground team. During the pre-mission brief, she looked at her team leaders, Garrus and Ashley, as she summarized. "We need to be very careful here. These scientists are top-level Cerberus assets and I imagine TIM isn't going to give them up very easily." She glanced at Liara and gave the Asari an encouraging smile as she continued, "On the flip side, they may not necessarily be friendly toward _us_, either, and you know those scientist types... they can be very deadly when they put their mind to it." Her attention refocused on the remaining team members. "We have no idea how long they've been here, or what kind of defenses they may have set up, so stay on your toes, folks. I want everyone back on the Normandy in one piece."

_{That includes you, Siame.}_ Liara would never say such a thing aloud where the commander's subordinates would hear it, but wanted to give Samantha a reminder she was loved.

Cortez shouted out from the shuttle cockpit. "Commander! I'm picking up chatter from a Cerberus squad engaging the supply depot."

Shepard's head snapped around and she angrily walked towards the shuttle's cockpit. "_What_? They're already _engaging_ the scientists?"

"Aye-aye, Ma'am." Cortez gave her a glance over his shoulder as he continued, "... and it sounds like more troops are on the way."

"_Damn_ it." Shepard turned back to the squad. "Alright. You heard the man; looks like we're late to the party, so arm up. Sounds like Cerberus wants these scientists dead, so they must know something important. That means _we_ need them alive if we can manage it."

As the shuttle swooped in, Vega was in his normal location and punched the door panel control, sliding the hatch open so they could see what was happening on the ground. As they approached, they watched roughly a dozen armored Assault Troopers and a lead Guardian pressing the defenders, who were wearing nothing but light armor or standard duty uniforms. Vega growled, "Holy Hell. They're gonna get massacred!"

As Cortez guided the shuttle in low behind some crates so the Normandy team could deploy without being exposed, the squad jumped to the ramp as Shepard growled in response, "Not if _we_ can help it."

"I do believe they will come with us willingly, if for no other reason than to avoid death at the hands of Cerberus." Liara scoffed in disgust. "The Illusive Man has absolutely no regard for human life. I wonder how he has any followers left at all."

Javik was more than happy to answer the implied question. "Because, Asari. They are most likely all _indoctrinated_ and do not realize what they are doing."

"Can the chatter and focus on the _mission_, people," Shepard growled as she moved quickly forward. As soon as the door had opened, she'd immediately regretted bringing Liara. Gellix was snowy and cold... and reminded her of Noveria. The weather instantaneously turned the commander's mood sour with the bad memories it dredged up from the recesses of her mind.

Shepard led the way and moved ahead at a jog, engaging the Cerberus troops as soon as she had moved forward enough to get them in sight. She launched a biotic pull that yanked two Assault Troopers high into the air, her actions immediately gaining the Normandy teams the full attention of the Cerberus troops. With Vega and Riana hot on her heels, Ashley moved up quickly as she grumbled, "Jeez, Shepard. You in a hurry or something? Might have been nice to give the rest of us a chance to get into a flanking position."

Shepard's poor frame of mind lacked any inclination toward humor, so she snapped, "Suck it up, Williams. You should have been ready to fight the minute you stepped onto the shuttle to leave the Normandy."

Ashley frowned and was readying a caustic retort when Liara gave her a cautionary glance. It wasn't necessarily the _glance_ that stopped her from commenting, but the concerned look on Liara's face that accompanied it; not knowing exactly what was going on, it was enough to make Ashley pause and not vocalize what she had been about to say to the commander.

Shepard, however, didn't give it a second thought and charged forward, smashing into one Assault Trooper, sending him flying as she gunned down a second with a Nova shockwave and a blast from her Graal.

* * *

As soon as they had dropped out of the shuttle, Liara had felt the link _dim_ as Samantha withdrew into herself; Shepard had then closed down significantly and put up a mental barrier after Javik mentioned indoctrination. The fight started so quickly, Liara didn't have a chance to question her about it before Ashley had made what the Asari thought a _completely_ legitimate comment. The commander's reaction was extremely atypical and Liara's eyes opened wide in surprise as she glanced at Ashley, hoping the soldier didn't do anything to further aggravate the commander's disposition. She breathed a small sigh of relief when she caught Ashley's eye and got a quick nod of recognition at the silent warning.

Shepard had immediately shifted to her 'crash and blast' mode and was off like a bolt of blue lightening, right into the thick of an additional four Troopers and a Guardian. Fortunately, Garrus led the suppression team and reacted right away; he and Edi launched Overload tech attacks, dropping shields, while Javik and Sarah blasted away with assault rifles. Since the scientists were basically Cerberus personnel, Sarah and Bethany had been unable to pack the Arc Projectors for the mission; since the system's IFF had no way to distinguish the Cerberus scientists from TIM's soldiers, they were forced to utilize standard weaponry.

Shepard didn't stop there and she quickly tumbled to the side, ripping off another deadly spike and sending yet another dead Assault Trooper crashing to the far back wall before he even managed to shut off his jet boots and settle onto the platform.

Two more Troopers dropped in much the same way, but were held off the deck by a singularity from Liara, quickly detonated by a warp from Riana before Shepard had a chance to charge in. The commander hardly even glanced her way before standing and surveying the deck of the platform. One Guardian and eleven Troopers lay dead, along with three scientists that Shepard could see.

As she advanced forward, she heard Edi on the comms reporting all hostiles were down, so she finally allowed herself a small smile as she proceeded carefully forward. She heard a woman's voice emanating from a comm unit sitting on the deck. "Come in, Jacob. This is Brynn. Jacob, are you all right? Come in!" The longer she spoke without getting a response, the more frantic her voice sounded.

Shepard suddenly heard a familiar voice calling out, "Hello? Who's there?" Recognition dawned and Shepard realized the woman was calling for Jacob Taylor.

Her head snapped around and she ran to the crates behind which she was sure the voice had originated. "Jacob!" She quickly knelt at the soldier's side as he cradled his ribs. "How bad?"

"I'll live... I think." Shepard pulled out a tube of medigel and quickly handed it over.

"You'd better. This war needs you, Taylor."

As the commander helped Jacob tend to his wounds, Ashley picked up the still squawking communicator. "This is Spectre Ashley Williams. The deck is clear of Cerberus for now. Open the door."

The mystery woman simply asked, "Is Jacob there?"

Ash raised her eyebrows in question and held the communicator out toward Jacob while she depressed the talk button, giving the downed soldier a quick nod. Jacob answered promptly, "It's okay, Brynn."

The doors to the docking bay released and quickly split, each sliding away from center to reveal a lone woman in a Cerberus uniform standing inside the hangar. As the Normandy crew made their way inside, with Shepard supporting Jacob, the woman walked over to them quickly, her face etched with worry. "Jacob! Oh, my God."

Jacob ground out, "I'll be alright," before he directed his eyes to the floor and lowered his voice. "The others didn't make it." He then glanced over at Shepard. "I wouldn't have either if the commander hadn't dropped in on us. Typical; the Normandy crew swoops in to save the day. You haven't missed a beat, Shepard."

The commander frowned, "What the Hell are you even doing here, Jacob? I can't believe you went back to Cerberus!"

"Don't go jumping to conclusions, Shepard. I _didn't_ go back to Cerberus, but it's a longer story than we have time for now. The _short_ version is I'm supposed to be _protecting_ these people from the Illusive Man and his attack dogs!"

"Well, you certainly won't be doing any protection as you are. Get yourself to Medical and get that wound seen to."

"I'll be fine, but first things first..." Jacob's eyes travelled back to the woman who had met them at the door. "This is Dr Brynn Cole. She's in charge here."

* * *

Jacob had hobbled off after brief introductions and Shepard got the long story version from Dr Cole. She explained that the group _had_ been Cerberus at one point... until they figured out that after each cell finished their portion of the required research for the larger project, every person who had worked _within_ that cell mysteriously vanished. Cole shook her head in disgust. "Once a component was complete, everyone who had worked on it disappeared. No bodies. Just... _gone_. As we each worked toward our individual goals, we started to realize we were signing one another's death warrants."

Shepard growled, "TIM doesn't mess around. If he can't control it, he tries to destroy it. That's his modus operandi. Your folks are too smart for him to risk your defection to the Alliance... but if you're _that_ smart, you should have known he'd eventually find you."

"We _are_ a pretty smart bunch." Brynn sighed. "I thought we had covered all our bases... but apparently not."

Shepard grimaced. "Yeah. He can be a tenacious bastard when things don't go his way."

As Shepard finished speaking, the building was rocked by an explosion. Shepard tensed and stared at Cole. "I hope you're prepared; it's time to evacuate."

Brynn nodded, "Understood, Commander, but Jacob and his team had gone outside to get the AA guns on the roof back online... but Cerberus arrived and they didn't have a chance to complete the job. Now, the system is being _jammed_ somehow and our shuttles will be shot out of the sky if we try to leave without protection."

"Somehow? So you have no idea how to fix them?" Shepard's eyes narrowed in impatience.

Brynn shrugged, "We thought, perhaps, it was the network link, but it's not. I suppose we'll have to send someone to the roof to check and possibly reboot the entire system."

As they moved upstairs, Shepard realized the people outside weren't the only dead as she saw personnel hunched over others in what appeared to be a makeshift morgue. She felt sorry for them, knowing they weren't soldiers and had most likely never even given thought to the idea they could potentially be fighting for their very lives. Those feelings of compassion completely deserted her when her eyes fell on the figure of a man she had hoped to never see again in her lifetime; Dr Gavin Archer.

Shepard's rage boiled over. "What the _**fuck**_ are _you_ doing here?"

Archer spun at the sound of the voice and pushed his back against the wall as if he wished he could disappear into it. "Commander Shepard!" Archer's face was white with terror.

Dr Cole immediately stepped in front of her researcher. "Commander? Dr Archer is one of my best researchers..." She was obviously conflicted when she saw the level of tension between the two. "What's he done to merit such wrath?"

Shepard growled but had no chance to respond; Archer assumed correctly and spoke before the commander could condemn him. His head hung in shame as he spoke. "She's the one that thankfully made me _free_ David. He would be _dead_ now if not for the commander."

Brynn's eyebrows pinched with the painful memory of the story Gavin had told her. "It was not your fault..."

She didn't get to finish before Shepard exploded. "Not his _fault_? Did you ever _see_ the device he had plugged his brother into?" Blue wisps of energy started to roll off Shepard's fingers, prompting Liara to step forward and lay her hand gently on Shepard's arm. Much to the Asari's dismay, Shepard shook her off and continued, "It was _disgustingly_ inhumane and this poor excuse of a man tried to shoot me rather than let David go!"

Shepard glanced down at Archer's lower right arm as she sneered. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised your wrist is repaired... TIM clone you a new one?"

Purely on reflex, Archer flexed the wrist Shepard had crushed in her synthetically enhanced grip. "As a matter of fact, no. He did not. That was how I met Dr Cole and realized just how badly I had veered off any semblance of a moral path..."

Dr Cole interrupted him and confronted Shepard. "It was _not_ his fault! He had been subjected to the Illusive Man's early trials on some process he called _'integration_.' Thank God it was only the early trials and the effects were _reversible_; the newer subjects we saw had been turned into mindless obedient shells of humanity!"

Once again, Shepard's demeanor completely changed at the mention of 'integration,' remembering the files they had collected from the lab on Decoris. Her rage still simmered, but she took a step back and gave Archer some space as she ground out, "Fine, but stay out of my way, Archer. I won't check my temper a second time."

Archer nodded in agreement. "I'll make a point of it, Commander." Archer paused for a brief moment before continuing, "And I don't know if you believe it or not, but I _am_ very sorry for what I did to David, compelled behavior or not. I was weak... and I hurt my own brother. Way beyond _any_ acceptable level of scientific inquiry or legitimate research. I'll never forgive myself for that... and will always be grateful for your intervention."

The fire went out of Shepard's eyes and left only burning embers of her anger. Her eyes narrowed in contemplation before she forced additional words out from between her lips. "I don't know if you deserve to know or not, but I'll tell you anyway. Cerberus tried to take him again... from Grissom Academy, along with a number of the other students. You owe the _entire_ Normandy crew for _that_ one. We went in and pulled them out before Cerberus could get their hands on them. They are all nestled _safely_ under Alliance protection. As safe as anyone can be in this war, anyway." With that, Shepard turned away and gestured to Dr Cole to proceed upward toward the main research floor, leaving an appreciative Gavin Archer in her wake.

As they crested the top of the steps, Dr Cole glanced at one of her personnel. "Fredericks! Make sure those samples from Project Mia get out on the second shuttle."

Dr Fredericks stuttered his response, "I... I've al-already dropped one box. M-my hands were sh-shaking so bad."

Cole stopped and placed her hand gently on his shoulder. "We're going to make it, John. Relax, do your job, and we'll all be fine."

As he moved off, Shepard asked, "Exactly how many scientists are _here_?"

"Forty-three plus research assistants," Cole answered calmly.

Liara's brow wrinkled in puzzlement. "How ever did you manage to go dark with so many in your party?"

Brynn looked at her with calculated intensity. "When you fear for your life, it's amazing what you can accomplish. It's a rather... effective... motivation."

As they proceeded through the lab, a number of scientists approached and asked for further direction, with Dr Brynn Cole answering each one in a calm voice that lent confidence and reassurance to the scrambling scientists. The commander's head snapped around when she heard Cole tell one man he needed to tend to his family. Shepard's voice reflected incredulity as she stared at Cole in shock. "Wait. There are _families_ here? _Children_?"

Liara's face paled at the force of the anger and frustration she felt emanating from Samantha. Considering how much Shepard had limited the link connection, Liara was surprised at the vehemence that still managed to work its way through Samantha's barrier; she had to be _extremely_ agitated and it made Liara immediately think of the night in the shuttle bay. Under the circumstances, she directed her question not at Shepard, but at Dr Cole. "Oh, _Goddess_. What were you _thinking_?"

Brynn's eyebrows came up and she answered very matter-of-factly. "Simply that there was absolutely no _way_ we were going to run and leave our families to the mercy of the Illusive Man; it was an all or nothing proposition and we had to risk it. There _were_ no other options."

Ashley stepped up next to Shepard and gave her a concerned glance. "Shit, Commander. That ups the ante significantly." Her gaze locked on Dr Cole. "How many are we talking about?"

"I _know_ it was risky, but we were given no choice. We have seventeen kids here plus partners, spouses and parents." Brynn glanced down at the floor. "I promised these people freedom from Cerberus. I never imagined the Illusive Man would..." Her voice faded away and she looked pleadingly at Shepard and Ashley.

"That's what evil counts on... Surprise, when good people fail to anticipate things no decent Human would do to another." Shepard paused as she looked around the room at all the scurrying personnel. "Okay." She let out a deep sigh as she focused on Brynn and finished, "Everyone left gets out of here alive."

"So that leaves us with fixing the guns." Garrus chimed in and he almost sounded excited about having a new set of weapons to calibrate. "What's next in the troubleshooting checklist?"

Brynn shrugged, "I have no idea. You'll need to find Jacob in the medical bay and ask him."

* * *

Jacob's news wasn't good; it wasn't a software issue, which meant the team had to go outside onto the roof to destroy any jammers Cerberus had set up and then complete a hard reboot of the system. Jacob passed the override code to the commander, who promptly sent it to Liara, Edi and Ashley. "One of our teams will make it happen, Jacob. Stay on comms in case we run into any problems."

"Can do, Shepard." Jacob frowned as he continued, "And be careful out there... I'm the one who should be going. It's my job."

Shepard scowled at the ex-Cerberus operative. "Just because you survived one suicide mission, doesn't mean you get to try again."

"Yeah, well... This whole situation is crazy... and I never thought I'd even _see_ you again, much less work with you." Jacob let out a little huff as another blast rocked the facility. "Speaking of which, you'd better get to it or it'll all end right here."

"We're on it, Jacob. You get stitched up and be ready to roll these people out of here when the time comes." Shepard glanced up to find Liara watching her very closely. The commander wasn't even remotely ready to talk... now was not the time, so she gave the Asari an apologetic smile and turned away with a light shake of her head, Liara following close behind.

* * *

Once the team worked their way to the outside via a secure tunnel, Edi spoke softly. "Hostiles on sensors, immediately around this next corner, Commander."

Shepard pulled up and peeked carefully around the bend. She turned back and whispered, "We've got a shield pylon, a Centurion and an Engineer close in, and at least a couple of Assault Troopers farther out." She glanced across the squad as she continued, "Once we step out, we're committed. They don't know we're here yet, but once they do, we can't retreat or we'll put all those families at risk. We'll need to keep pushing forward and get to that damned gun-control console; we can't afford to give Cerberus time to regroup."

It didn't seem like anything new, so the entire team murmured their acceptance of the plan. Charge forward, kill all the Cerberus troops and push the big button at the end... but none of them wished for a change of pace, because _that_ normally meant a Reaper, a Thresher Maw, or something even worse that they had yet to discover. Shepard looked directly at Ashley the next time she spoke. "Sorry about earlier, Ash. Your team ready?" With an answering nod of both thanks and affirmation, the commander then looked at Garrus and got the same. "Alright. Let's do it."

She quickly flagged the Williams' team out to the left and followed them out; Ashley moved over to the left flank and Shepard's team, as normal, went straight up the center. Garrus quickly took down the shield pylon and Edi took down the Engineer's shields, which quickly sucked him into the singularity Liara had planted over the small group.

The team found nothing particularly dangerous as they moved steadily forward, closed quickly on the satellite link controller and rebooted the system. Once it was done, Jacob's voice came over the comm. "Shepard. The guns still aren't responding. You'll have to get to the towers and manually reboot each gun. Cerberus must have pulled the power conduits."

Shepard cussed and mumbled under her breath in disgust, "Of course they did."

Liara looked at her with concern and queried, "Shepard? What's the matter?"

The commander simply shook her head and replied, "Later, Liara."

"_Shepard_." Liara's voice was pleading.

"Not _now_, Liara." Shepard's voice had inadvertently hardened slightly and she concentrated on softening her tone as she continued. "I... can't. Not here." Her eyes looked pained. "Please."

Liara swallowed the lump in her throat and reluctantly agreed. "Understood, Commander."

Shepard grimaced, knowing she was hurting her Promised with her reticence, but couldn't give voice to her inner thoughts; she had a mission to concentrate on and there was no time for all the questions she knew Liara would ask.

"Sorry. Let's get this done so we can go home." Shepard's eyes pinched with regret and she forced a tentative smile as she opened herself up long enough to push feelings of thankfulness and love through the link to her partner.

A very brief smile crossed Liara's lips in answer as she replied in a whisper-quiet voice barely loud enough for Shepard to hear, "I love you, too, Samantha."

They moved quickly to the tower and between Liara and Edi, had both towers operational again in minimal time. The Normandy crew returned to the lab to speak with Jacob and Dr Cole, Shepard speaking as she walked up to the pair, "Okay. The guns are already picking Cerberus ships out of the sky."

Jacob stepped forward. "Excellent... and we've already got the first shuttle loaded with everyone under sixteen."

The commander drew a deep breath. "Makes our next move pretty obvious then."

Before Shepard could continue, Garrus spoke up. "Yup. Blow a hole in the perimeter and get that first shuttle out of here."

Brynn walked to the control terminal and activated the system, a computerized voice quickly announcing, "Evacuation is go. Evacuation is go."

The lead scientist turned once more to Shepard. "Thank you, Commander. We never would have made it, had you not arrived when you did."

Shepard gave Jacob a quick glance. "Oh, I don't know. Jacob's been pretty good at finding a way out of all the jams he's found himself in so far. I imagine he would have figured a way out of this one too."

Their celebration after the successful launch and escape of the initial shuttle was short lived, with a Cerberus fighter making a suicide run and crashing into one of the two guns that had just been returned to service. Jacob shouted out, "We're out of time! Everyone in their assigned shuttle and launch as soon as the door is closed! We can't let Cerberus get reestablished... We need to get out of here, _now_!"

"Go!" Shepard shouted at everyone standing still and looking around in shock. "Get out of here and we'll cover your retreat!"

The scientific personnel finally responded and bolted down the stairs to the shuttle bay; the Normandy teams falling in and conducting a fighting withdrawal from the station. Cerberus soldiers started pouring in from every angle as all but one of the shuttles launched. "Jacob! What the Hell are you doing?"

"The place is overrun! I'm headed to you with the shuttle! No time to wait for the Normandy!"

"Understood!" Shepard flagged her team. "We'll meet you on the outer landing pad!"

The Normandy team formed up and moved quickly out toward the pad where they had originally landed, having to battle past an Atlas on the way, but still making decent time. They heard the shuttle pass over their heads as the docking bay doors opened once again and Cerberus troops started flooding out. An amplified voice rang out from somewhere in the Cerberus line that made Liara draw in a sharp breath. "Take out Shepard!"

As the team retreated as quickly as they were able to the awaiting transportation, the Cerberus forces concentrated their fire on the commander. Liara growled in anger and lit up with a biotic barrier to shield her lover and refused to leave Samantha's side as they moved slowly backward toward the shuttle. Just when it seemed they would make it, an Atlas landed hard, shoved Cerberus soldiers out of the line of fire and launched a full salvo. Its rockets impacted the deck at Shepard's and Liara's feet and the resultant multiple explosions sent them both into an uncontrolled tumble across the deck.


	33. Just Breathe

Notes:

C-Sec - Citadel Security

Graal - Krogan double-barreled shotgun-class weapon that shoots large spikes; the oversized flechettes are designed to pierce Thresher Maw hide and create deep wound channels and massive blood loss

_Maanru_ \- a type of shoaling fish (Thessian)

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

VI - Virtual Intelligence

* * *

**Just Breathe**

**Gellix, Arrae, Minos Wasteland**

Shepard's eyes popped open and her biotics flared the instant she sensed an unfamiliar hand on her arm, only to discover Jacob leaning in and lifting her back to her feet. All the doubts and uncertainties that had been distracting her since before the mission began vanished immediately, consumed by the fire of a singular overriding concern. "Liara!"

The link fell wide open and she sensed her lover even as Jacob shouted, "She's fine! Riana's got her. _Move_, Shepard! We gotta _go_!"

Her mind snapped back to the situation at hand and she quickly scooped her Graal off the deck before turning and leaping through the shuttle door. Her complete attention immediately locked onto Liara; the entire ground team was expecting this and a path was cleared for her to move quickly to Liara's side. The Asari was leaning against Riana and looked a bit scuffed up, but not really _too_ much the worse for wear. Shepard's soul soared with joy when Liara cast her a loving smile, relishing the reopening of Samantha's consciousness and mentally embracing her. Shepard sighed softly with the words that slid easily into her mind. _{Siame. You're back.}_

As she sat at her bondmate's side, Shepard knew those words had absolutely _nothing_ to do with her reboarding the shuttle. Liara thanked Riana, who smiled with understanding and gently guided her mistress over to lean against the commander. As she wrapped an arm lovingly around Liara and pulled her close, Shepard looked at her fellow Vanguard with a solemn expression. "_Shit_. That almost got ugly. _Thank_ you, Ri."

Riana dipped her head in recognition of the heartfelt praise and spoke softly. "It is my duty... and my _honor_... to help protect _both_ of you, Shepard. You are most welcome."

* * *

**T'Soni Country Estate, Thessia, Athena Nebula **

A strong arm wrapped tightly around her waist, pinning her arms at her sides, and a hand was clamped firmly over her mouth as a soft voice whispered urgently in her ear. "It's _alright_, Mozia. Be _quiet_ and it won't detect us!"

Aethyta hissed almost silently as the behemoth moved past their position in the forest. The Reaper Destroyer had been patrolling the last few days and, thus far, the commandos had been able to easily avoid it; unfortunately, Mozia was anything _but_ a trained commando. She had insisted on getting out of the sealed compound and going with Aethyta to check the various stores and supplies so she could judge for herself how they were faring on the rationing, but she'd had no idea how truly dangerous it truly was outside the walls. She had assumed Aethyta's tales to be somewhat exaggerated in order to impress and instill caution amongst the younger commandos. She _now _realized how much her growing frustrations of feeling trapped within the estate had caused her to misjudge the relatively newly minted T'Soni Commando Chief.

Aethyta's ideas for a 'friends with benefits' arrangement had been enjoyable at first, but the close quarters eventually started to wear on everyone's nerves, and both Aethyta and Mozia had found less and less time to be together. It seemed as if one or the other was always out and about trying to resolve one dispute or another amongst either the house staff or the commandos... if not both. Mozia admitted even _she_ had grown short tempered and Aethyta, not one to suffer fools gladly, had distanced herself from Mozia's wrath.

As the Destroyer disappeared around a bend in the clearing, finally at some distance from the group, Mozia relaxed into Aethyta's body and felt the commando tense at the sudden contact. Aethyta's voice was sharp with concern as she queried quietly, "You still with me, Moz?"

"Goddess. I owe you an apology, Thyta."

Aethyta relaxed her arms and held Mozia in a comforting, rather than confining, embrace. Her familiar gravelly voice acted as a balm to Mozia's angst-ridden soul. "You don't _owe_ me anything. You're no commando, times are tough and we _all_ have our moments." Aethyta ran a hand gently over Mozia's crests in a soothing motion. "I take it you now _fully_ understand what I've been trying to tell you these past couple of weeks?"

"Absolutely... and I have treated you unfairly due to my own ignorance." Mozia shook her head in disgust. "Liara may be young, but she knew what she was doing when she sent you to us. Thank the Goddess for _that_!"

"Yeah. The kid's pretty damn smart... and don't worry, Mozia, I forgive you," the senior commando chuckled. "And, oh Goddess, how I do _love_ make-up sex!"

* * *

**SSV Normandy, At Large**

Liara sat quietly as Karin finished patching up her numerous bumps, bruises and scratches with a small hand-held wand, instead of making the Asari strip and lay out on a med-bed. "What has you so pensive, Liara?"

Liara managed a pained smile for the doctor. "Shepard, of course. Who else?" She remained silent for a moment and Karin waited patiently for her to continue. "She _blocked_ me when we hit the deck on Gellix and then the concern over our injuries overrode everything else in her mind, so I have yet to determine what she was hiding from me." Liara sighed quietly and her eyes glassed over with unshed tears. "I do not understand why she will not confide in me."

Karin surprised Liara by giving her a motherly hug and chuckling. "Oh, my dear child. That's our Sam. She carries the troubles of the galaxy on her shoulders and hates to burden others with what _she_ sees as her own shortcomings when she fails to successfully _solve_ them all." Karin's tone turned more serious as she continued, "She's too damn _stubborn_ about trying to hide her _own_ pain and we need to change her way of thinking; this war will _kill_ her, otherwise. Between the Reapers and Cerberus, it is too much for _any_ one person to bear, even the great Commander Shepard, Savior of the Citadel." Her last words were spoken in a biting tone; the good doctor hated how the galaxy at large basically expected Samantha to save the lot of them all by herself.

Unchecked tears slid down Liara's face at Karin's confirmation of her fears regarding Shepard not surviving the war. "Goddess, Karin. What can we do?"

Karin's eyes were sad as she considered Liara's desperate plea. "I'll start by declaring a mandatory two-day rest period on the Citadel in conjunction with our resupply run. Mandatory time _off_ _the Normandy_ for all personnel, Commander Shepard included. I'll make everyone leave and have Edi issue a lock-down command, to be overridden only by emergency orders from Admiral Hackett. I'll arrange it _personally_ with Steven."

"_That_ may make Shepard insufferable." Even with her evident concern, Liara couldn't help but smile at the notion. "There's always _something_ she feels we should be doing in support of the war, even when we have no direct taskings or outstanding assignments."

"And she's _correct_ in that regard... but that doesn't change the fact that we _all_ need a break." Karin's eyebrows were raised as she smiled at the young Asari in a rather conspiratorial manner. "Nor will it change my planned course of action. It should also give you some time to corner her and find out what's truly bothering her."

"Ha!" Liara practically snorted in frustration. "If only _that_ were so easy. The woman is a master of avoidance when it comes to personal issues and her mind is like a complex safe. Getting her to unlock it and let out her secrets is sometimes a mind-numbing challenge."

Karin laid a comforting hand on Liara's shoulder. "One I am positively _confident_ you will rise to meet, my dear."

* * *

Shepard finished up her after-action report to Hackett, letting him know about the forty-plus scientists headed his way for the Crucible project. He once again complimented her ability to bring such diverse talents to their aid. In typical Shepard fashion, she waved off the praise, simply justifying her actions as necessary to get the Crucible completed as quickly as possible. "The sooner we can get the Crucible finished, the better I'll feel."

"I'm with you there, Shepard," Hackett nodded in agreement. "Nothing's changed on our end; everything _we're_ doing is mostly being done to buy _you_ time to figure this mess out and collect everything we need."

Shepard's chin dropped and she stared at the floor for a moment in silent contemplation; she finally raised her head in order to look squarely at the admiral. She spoke hesitantly, but simply _had_ to ask. "Sir? Why me?"

Hackett studied the young officer for a moment; he had received a note from Karin Chakwas regarding Shepard's stress levels and her psychological state, but had dismissed her concerns as those of an overprotective aunt. With the tone of Shepard's question, he wondered if he needed to reevaluate that decision. "Because you're the best damned line officer we've _got_, Commander. You've been on the Reapers' trail since the beginning. You stopped Saren, you stopped the Collectors... and Bahak demonstrated that you don't pull any punches when it comes to making the hard decisions. We _need_ that."

Shepard scoffed, "I've just been in the wrong place at the right time, Sir. Any one of the N7 grads could do the same."

"The dossiers say differently, Shepard. Any one of those N7s could have stepped up to help, at any time. Yet they didn't." Hackett pointed at her. "_You_, however, never backed down. No matter _what_ the odds, you and your team got it _done_, and _that's_ the commitment we're going to need if we want any prospect of winning this war." Hackett sighed. "I'm sorry, Shepard, but you've made a name for yourself and you're the best chance we've got. I know that's a lot of pressure, but I'm _confident_ you're up to the task."

Shepard blinked slowly, a gesture lost on Hackett due to the poor quality of the QEC connection, and took a deep breath before answering, "Understood, Sir. We'll get it done."

"Thanks, Shepard, and be sure to keep me updated. Hackett, out."

Shepard turned and walked out to the War Room to stare at the situation display, soaking in how much work remained to be completed on the Crucible... and knowing they still had absolutely _no_ _idea_ what the Catalyst was.

She shook herself and proceeded to the elevator; this time, Traynor was not at her station and Shepard made it to the lift unimpeded, taking it down to the crew deck. She had planned on going to find Liara in the Broker office but her feet carried her directly forward, to the Memorial Wall, instead.

She stood there, arms hanging limply at her side for a moment, reading the names silently to herself; certain ones jumped out at her more so than the others. Kaidan, Mordin, Thane. Even so, the twenty five listed didn't come close to the total she held herself responsible for and she wondered how many more would be added before the end of it all... or if there would even be a Wall within the Normandy upon which to place them.

She brought her hands up to shoulder height and pressed her palms to the cold metal bulkhead before her as she whispered softly. "Hackett's asking a lot... and he knows it... _and_ I understand why he has to. But why do _you_ all haunt my dreams? What did I miss? What did I leave undone that got each of you killed?"

Her hands slid down the surface of the wall as she slowly dropped to her knees and leaned her forehead against the wall, as if hoping its penetrating chill would extinguish the raging fire of guilt in her soul.

* * *

"Glyph. Set emergency protocols to level three until further notice." It was a familiar phrase Liara had uttered multiple times before, but she did not wait for Glyph's acknowledgement before departing the Broker office. Shepard was tired and her barriers were down... and Liara heard every thought and every word her Promised had spoken to the names on the wall. She walked as quickly as she dared through the ship's Mess while trying not to garner undue attention, but her feet stopped when she rounded the corner and caught her first glimpse of Shepard.

Even though it would be considered highly unusual behavior for Shepard, to the casual observer, it would appear the commander was offering prayers for those who had passed beyond the realm of the living, but Liara knew such was most definitely _not_ the case. She forced her feet to move again and walked cautiously up to the commander, careful to not startle her. _{Samantha?}_

Shepard's shoulders hunched and Liara sensed embarrassment and something akin to _shame_ at getting caught in what she felt was a vulnerable position. Liara audibly scoffed at the idea and knelt quickly by her side, sliding an arm around her lover's waist and placing her forehead against the wall next to Shepard's. Samantha's voice came timidly through the link. _{How much did you hear?}_

Liara squeezed her firmly with the arm wrapped around her midsection in a gesture of comfort as she answered. _{More than enough to know you __**needed**__ m__e__... __**None**__ of this is your fault, Siame. We, and I use that term in the generic sense, can only do so much against the evils within our galaxy. It has always been so and always will be... but we fight them just the same, because we feel compelled to do so. We are not the type to sit back and let them win, so we do what we can.}_

_{What if it's not enough?}_

Liara smiled softly and swamped Shepard with waves of confidence and hope._ {It will be... because together, we can do anything. Remember?}_

_{That seems to be what everybody thinks.}_ Shepard's shoulders slumped even more as she relayed to Liara the conversation she'd had with Hackett. Given her earlier conversation with Karin, the Asari was a little bit _more_ than annoyed that even _Hackett_ would so blatantly lay that directly upon the commander's shoulders.

_{I never took the Admiral to be such a __**fool**__ as to think anyone, by themselves, could accomplish what he asks.}_ Liara paused for a moment, running what Shepard had said back through her mind. _{But Hackett is no such fool... he did say '__**you **__**and your team**__'... I can only assume that he meant 'you' in the plural sense and was referring to the Normandy and all those aboard. If that is the case, he is correct. We __**are**__ up to the task, Samantha, and we are going to __**win**__ this war.} _

Liara had started the rumination hesitantly, but by her final statement she had been absolutely positive her interpretation was correct and that Hackett had been talking about the entire team Shepard had managed to put together so far.

The surge of incredible _confidence_ that came through the link caused Shepard to push up off the wall and square her shoulders, purely by reflex. Still sitting on her haunches, Shepard began to chuckle when she realized what she had just done. She tilted her head and gave Liara a sidelong glance. Since Liara's arm had been wrapped around her waist, she had been pulled up along with Samantha when the commander sat up... and Liara was caught off guard by her mirth. She very briefly wondered if Samantha had finally cracked under the pressure, and when the thought trickled over the link, the commander only laughed that much harder.

Shepard drew in a big gulp of air and settled herself enough to talk to the bewildered Asari. She was still chuckling softly as she spoke. "By the Gods, Liara. How many times have I told you I couldn't do this without you, only to have you refute me? I rest my case."

Understanding blossomed on Liara's face and relief washed over her when she realized Shepard _hadn't_ cracked and somehow had managed to find humor in the situation. She reached up and gently pushed Samantha's hair up behind her ear before depositing a gentle peck on Sam's cheek. "Fine. You win."

Liara stood stiffly. "Now. Can we please go to our quarters to finish this conversation? I've been tumbled around one deck today; kneeling on yet another does not make my knees very happy... especially without armor to protect them."

Shepard's brow creased as she sprang to her feet in response to Liara's statement. "Did you not go see Karin?"

"Of course I did... to include the eezo level check... seeing as I was holding a barrier when those damn rockets exploded at our feet. But the medical wand only does so much, so my body is responsible for finishing the healing... and I don't have the benefit of your nanites. As such, I'm grounded again, for twenty-four hours..." Liara sighed, but it was followed without delay by a smile. "... but it doesn't matter since the whole crew will have a mandatory 48-hour shore leave when we arrive at the Citadel; _specifically_ including you and me."

"By whose authority?" Shepard's brow wrinkled in consternation, wondering who would levy that order with all the things that needed doing... especially considering the conversation she'd just had with Hackett.

Liara's voice indicated surprise that Shepard hadn't immediately guessed who had declared the rest period. "By Dr Karin Chakwas' authority, of course. She said our injury frequency is _much_ too high and we all need proper rest, including the support crew. They don't get regular breaks like the ground squads; if the Normandy is _flying_, _they're_ working."

Shepard opened her mouth in retort, but closed it again as she heard Liara's last words. "Damn. She's right. Their last break was probably when we brought Ann Bryson to the Citadel and we sat for our long overnight." Shepard kicked herself for not thinking about that, mentally adding one more item to her personal checklist. As they were talking, they had boarded the elevator and were now stepping out onto the loft level. "I suppose it can't hurt for us to pack a bag and spend a couple of nights at the apartment."

"My thoughts exactly, Commander." Liara smiled and her eyes twinkled in anticipation. "My entire _body_ is looking forward to sinking into the hot tub in the master bedroom. I may be tempted to never climb out."

* * *

**Citadel, Widow System, Apien Crest**

The Normandy had docked with little ceremony in one of the secure Alliance dry-docks to make it easier to load critical weapons parts for the Thanix cannon upgrades. Garrus wanted to stay aboard to evaluate the difficulty of the task and to determine how long the guns would be offline for the upgrade, but additional lockdown orders had come directly from Admiral Hackett and they were not to be ignored; every organic soul was ordered to depart the Normandy. Edi, being careful to lock her VI subroutine in place to avoid detection, utilized her mobile chassis to facilitate the resupply and storage of replacement parts; she also promised Garrus a full analysis of the Thanix upgrades upon his return to the ship.

As commander of the Normandy, Shepard remained at parade rest outside the main hatch until everyone had left the ship. Liara stood in the background with their bags at her feet, patiently waiting while Samantha completed her last official duty for the next two days. Riana waited by her side, keeping a watchful eye on the unknown Alliance personnel working around the ship. Liara looked her way and queried, "Where is Sammi?"

Riana smiled. "She has gone ahead to the apartment to drop our bags and start preparing dinner for us all."

Somewhat surprised, Liara queried, "What is she planning for us?"

"She is making something she referred to as _fish and chips_." Riana shrugged as she continued, "And she is stopping by the Asari market along the way, to purchase _maanru_ to ensure we meet our eezo intake requirements."

"She is very sweet," Liara grinned and gave the Vanguard a playful shove. "... _and_ she is good for you."

"Yes, well..." Riana's face turned a slightly darker shade of violet as she spoke in a hushed tone. "There is much she does not yet know about my past, so we shall see how it works out."

"Do not let such things concern you." Liara's playful demeanor took a short hiatus as she continued, "She will learn what I have known since I first met you; you are a loving person and you have a good soul, Riana Iregos. We are so _very_ fortunate to have you in our lives."

Their conversation was cut short as the last person exited the Normandy; the main hatch slid closed, accompanied by an alarm bell and followed by a brief announcement. "The SSV Normandy is now under lockdown for a period of no less than 48 hours. No assigned personnel will be permitted reentry except under express authorization from the Admiral of the Fleet."

The very last person to exit the ship was Karin Chakwas and she immediately turned to the commander. "Shepard. I was wondering if you would do me the honor of escorting me down through the wards to the clinic where Chloe Michel used to work. Since the attempted coup, they have had difficulty getting required gear from the medical warehouse. I need to pass a new personal authorization code to the current administrator to ensure he can requisition the necessary equipment and supplies."

Shepard's eyebrows raised and she glanced at Liara, who nodded quickly in agreement, having no other conflicting plans. The commander turned back to Karin with a smile. "It seems my social calendar permits me to accept your request, Doctor." Shepard held out her left elbow as she spoke, inviting Karin to loop her arm through; at the same time, she stuck out her right hand to accept her overnight bag from Liara. She slung the bag casually over her shoulder as the party of four made their way off the dry-docks.

* * *

Maya Brooks couldn't believe her good fortune. She had come to the Citadel on a fool's errand for the Illusive Man; he wanted Udina dead but, honestly, there was no good reason Brooks could think of. The man was a useless worm, had failed miserably at his task and knew absolutely _nothing_ outside of his little part in the failed coup. _The Illusive Man is just angry that Kai Leng was killed when he botched the job. His pet project is nothing but a grease spot on the underside of a bridge, so has already paid for his failure, but the Illusive Man won't be satisfied until there is a more 'public' reckoning. Udina is the scapegoat that __**I **__now have to make visible._

Her attitude about being on the Citadel changed as she had cleared security and heard a soldier mention the Normandy was inbound; upon hearing _that_ news, she had proceeded directly to the Alliance docks. The crew was surprisingly relaxed as they disembarked and, judging by the fact they all carried bags, it was easy to see they were starting a shore leave. Brooks found a secluded corner and pulled out a scope, zeroing in on the commander while trying to ignore the two irksome squids standing behind her.

She was attempting to ascertain where the commander would be staying; Brooks just might get her shot at eliminating the Illusive Man's _true_ thorn. Shepard was silent as everyone departed the ship... until the very last. The ship's doctor stopped to speak with the commander... and Brooks was an accomplished lip reader. _The clinic in the Wards! Luck smiles upon me... I couldn't have __**begged**__ for a better set-up!_

* * *

The cross-hairs of her scope sat squarely in the center of Shepard's chest as she walked with the Normandy's doctor and the two squids that never seemed to leave her side. The small group was just over 400 meters from her prone position in the catwalks above the shopping alleys of the Upper Wards. Maya Brooks mouth took on a feral grin at how simple this was all going to be; the great Commander Shepard... felled by a single bullet from an assassin who escaped easily in the ensuing confusion and panic. _How shameful of Citadel Security to allow such a thing to happen! _Brooks recognized that the commander was an extremely formidable enemy, but even _Shepard_ couldn't survive a shot through the center of her unarmored heart; she'd be dead before she hit the floor and there would be no one to bring her back a second time.

Brooks' weapon of choice for this job was an M-13 Raptor with Mag-lock equipped bipod legs. She could accurately and consistently hit slow moving targets out to 650-700 meters… this job would be like child's play for her. The main difference between her and The Illusive Man's Nemesis snipers was her steadfast refusal to use a laser sight for targeting. She felt someone like Shepard would be _instantly_ aware of being targeted and could easily avoid the kill-shot, either by throwing up a barrier or by simply dodging with her incredibly fast reflexes. _Reflexes given to her by the Illusive Man when Cerberus saved her worthless __**Human**__ ass, the squid-loving bitch!_

Maya took great pride in her natural abilities; she was _good_. Better than good... and not due to any special augmentation, seeing as the Illusive Man had apparently not yet deemed her _worthy_ of any such enhancements. Brooks hadn't decided if it was a compliment or a punishment, but she'd know the answer to that question soon enough... as soon as she reported back to him that the troublesome commander was no more. _That_ was something the Illusive Man's pet super-soldier Kai Leng had failed to accomplish. _Who in Hell brings a sword to a gunfight, anyway?_ Lying in her concealment up on the gangway superstructure, Brooks locked the rifle into position, took one more deep breath, exhaled, and slowly squeezed the trigger.

Down on the Ward floor, the Normandy group was relaxed and chatting amicably while they strolled through the shops, commenting on how trade was slowly picking up again as things on the Citadel migrated toward a new 'wartime' normal. When Karin's eyes focused on an absolutely _beautiful_ jade shirt she thought would be perfect for Samantha, she suddenly stopped and turned toward Shepard to point it out. "Sam! Look at th..."

Her sentence was cut off by the strident bark of a sniper rifle; her face reflected a combination of surprise and pain as she was thrown forcibly into Shepard's arms, knocking them both to the floor. Military training kicked in; both Asari threw up protective barriers as Shepard rolled over on top of Karin, reached down, activated her personal shield and pulled her pistol. "Where the Hell did that _come_ from?"

Liara and Riana crouched by the downed couple, their barriers each reinforcing the other's as Riana answered, "Unknown, Commander. I have direction but no range or slope!"

Liara quickly followed up, "It doesn't matter! We need to get to cover and help Karin!"

Up in the catwalks, Brooks cursed under her breath and froze in position, twisting only her wrist to activate her cloaking device. She watched through the scope as the pair of blue-skinned squids erected biotic barriers and hustled the injured women into the cover of one of the shops. Unlocking the rifle's mag-mounts, she began to slowly slide backwards until she was absolutely positive she was clear. Once safely beyond detection, she rose and began making her way towards the C-Sec detention block. _ Son of a bitch! Why does luck have to be such a fucking fickle mistress! Too bad that withered old battleaxe of a doctor couldn't have moved a fraction faster and ended up a bit more to the left… I could have killed them both with the one shot! Damned lucky bitches, the lot of them! But this trip won't be for nothing! I'll inform the Illusive Man the attempt was merely a distraction so I could get to Udina! That idiot won't have anyone to hide behind when I show up __**inside**__ his cell._ The Cerberus agent continued to curse her bad luck as she carefully made her way back to the Presidium. C-Sec would never see her coming.

Shepard holstered her pistol, relying on her teammates to protect them and looked at Karin; the doctor's eyes were glazed in pain and she spoke between gritted teeth. "Left... shoulder. _God_... it... hurts."

"It's going to hurt a bit more, Aunt Karin, I am _so_ sorry." As gentle as Shepard was, the doctor still cried out as the commander rolled her up on her side so she could get to her shoulder. She dug into one of her duty uniform utility pockets and pulled out a small tube of medigel, dispensing it through the torn science suit onto Karin's shoulder.

Shepard felt the pressure as Karin's fingernails dug into her thigh, even through the Vanguard mesh she _always_ wore under her uniform. "Remember to breathe, Karin," she whispered. "I know it hurts, but the medigel will kick in and you'll have some relief... soon, I promise." Shepard's eyes were pinched in concern as she gingerly ran the fingers of her right hand through Karin's hair in an attempt to sooth away some of the pain she saw written all over the older woman's face. "Just breathe, Karin."

The pain began to fade and, as she became more aware of her surroundings, Karin's eyes focused on the commander and she ground out, "Sam. You've been hit."

Shepard looked at her in empathy. "No, Aunt Karin. I'm fine... that's _your_ blood on my shoulder."

Karin growled, "I'm a _doctor_, Shepard! Splatter doesn't _ooze_. Check your _shoulder_, damn it! Quit being so stubborn!"

C-Sec had arrived and cordoned off the area; Liara felt enough time had passed to ensure the shooter had departed, so turned to the conversation at hand. "Let me see."

Ignoring Shepard's protests that she was fine, Liara reached out and quickly _poked_ her shoulder, causing the commander to immediately flinch and growl, "Ow! Gods be damned, Liara! That hurt!"

Karin chuckled painfully, "Told you, you stubborn child."

Shepard cast Karin a withering glance as she submitted herself to Liara's care, grumbling under her breath the whole time. "I'm going to find the son of a bitch who did this... and they will most definitely _not_ survive the discussion!"

* * *

**Citadel, Tiberius Towers Penthouse**

Traynor's eyes flew open wide when the long-delayed foursome finally walked in through the front door of the apartment. Riana had messaged her via omnitool that they had been delayed, but offered no explanations. They had stopped by the Ward clinic, so Doctor Chakwas had her left arm in a sling and Riana was carrying her bag... and Liara was carrying Shepard's, who also had a bandage, but on her _right_ shoulder. "What the hell happened?" Traynor's eyes roved over Riana's body in concern, but she could see no indications the Asari was injured in any way.

Shepard simply shook her head and looked to Liara to explain. The Shadow Broker was fuming and the look she gave Traynor made the specialist very, very glad _she_ wasn't the one responsible for whatever had happened. Before Liara had a chance to begin, the door chimed and Shepard growled, "Be sure to use the camera to verify who's in the elevator before clearing it to the penthouse level. Someone tried to kill us."

"Oh my God." Traynor's feet refused to budge, so Riana went to check the feed. It was the first of the many Normandy ground crew members who would be joining them for the evening.

Once everyone had arrived, Liara filled them all in, starting with the explanation of how Dr Chakwas had inadvertently saved the commander's life. "I am fairly certain the assassin had Shepard squarely in the rifle's sights. Had Karin not stopped and turned suddenly, interrupting the shot..." Liara's eyes closed and she drew a deep, trembling breath, in an attempt to maintain her composure.

Shepard stepped close and wrapped an arm around her lover. _{It's ok, Blue. It's over and I'm right here. Not like it's the first time someone's tried to kill me.}_

_{Nor will it likely be the last, my love.}_ Liara swallowed hard and continued, "Had Karin not interrupted the shot, we would most likely all be in mourning... again."

The entire crew exploded with angry statements and promises to end the life of whoever was responsible. It took a bit of work, but Liara managed to calm the group enough to continue her explanation of the data found through the Broker feeds. She finally projected the image of a woman she believed was heretofore unknown to anyone on the Normandy. "This is Maya Brooks, also known as Hope Lilium, Rasa..."

Ashley suddenly interrupted, "And Captain Channing."

"Ashley?" Liara's full attention riveted on the officer. "How did _you_ come by this information?"

Ashley frowned as she responded, "Because I _met_ her. Back when I was a Gunny Chief... shortly after Shepard scooped me off Eden Prime." She now also had Shepard's undivided attention as she continued. "The bitch posed as an Alliance psychologist and asked me a lot of questions about the events surrounding the attack and the beacon. She had the credentials and it's pretty standard protocol after someone in your squad dies, so I didn't think anything of it at the time."

"Damn. That means she's been on our tail for a long while." Shepard grimaced. "And probably knows a lot more about us than we do about her."

"Quite the contrary." Liara smiled her tantalizing little Shadow Broker smile that always got Shepard's blood pumping. "As Hope Lilium, she worked very closely with our very own Miranda Lawson. I have her _full_ Cerberus dossier. Miranda does _very_ thorough backgrounds on everyone she works with."

After Liara's briefing, when they all realized there was nothing for them to do, they all settled into the living rooms and kitchen to chat while Traynor and Riana made dinner. Traynor dug through the pantry and quickly zeroed in on pasta for the crowd. With canned sauce and dry noodles, it was the only thing available in sufficient quantities to feed all twelve people currently staying in the apartment. Since Traynor had already purchased it, Riana cooked the maanru, Asari-style, for the four biotics in the group. She glanced over at Traynor while she prepared the fish. "Don't worry, Sammi. We'll have plenty of opportunity to try your _fish and chips_, London-style." The glowing smile she got in return for her comment quickly put an answering smile on Riana's face.

After dinner, Liara and Shepard settled Karin into the second upstairs bedroom before retreating to the master suite. Riana wanted to remain close to those she was sworn to protect, so she and Traynor took the two upstairs couches on the landing between the two rooms. That left the entire downstairs for the remaining crew to spread out and find some privacy, but James and Ashley took it upon themselves to stand first watch. Once the others figured out what they were doing, they were quickly joined by everyone who was still downstairs.

"Obviously, this won't work. I know we're all concerned, but we'll all be so tired by morning it won't matter... and we've got a total of 36 hours to cover before we can return to the Normandy." Garrus typed something into his omnitool then looked at the group and flared his mandibles. "As XO, I'm making the call."

Riana was still in her leathers when she bounded down the stairs and gave Garrus a nod in response to his message. The Turian continued, "We've got eight folks, which means four shifts of nine hours each, plus a bit of overlap time. Since James and Ashley started this mess, they get to go first. After that, Sarah is with Steve, followed by Javik and myself, ending with Riana and Beth." Garrus glanced through the group. "Any questions?" When no one spoke up, he gave a quick nod. "Alright then. Set your alarms appropriately and all those not on shift get some rest. We need to be ready if someone makes another attempt."

* * *

Karin's eyes fluttered as she started to wake, somewhat disoriented until she went to roll over; the pain in her shoulder served as a rude reminder of where she was and what had happened the day before. She groaned in pain and immediately heard a concerned voice from beside her bed. "Aunt Karin? You okay?"

She smiled lightly and opened her eyes in the still mostly dark bedroom to see Shepard stand from a chair and move quickly to her bedside. "Relax, Sam. I'm fine... but most definitely sore." Chakwas couldn't help but chuckle softly at the roll-reversal. "You do realize how absolutely _backward_ this is, don't you? _Me_ in the bed and _you_ hovering over me and worrying? Your mother will never believe it!"

"I wouldn't either if I hadn't been the one you bled all over." Despite her attempt at humor, Shepard's voice turned husky and she sat gingerly on the edge of the bed. "I am _so_ sorry. I _know_ that assassin was after _me_ and if you had died..." She couldn't finish, and even the last couple of words had come out as a squeak as her throat closed with emotion.

"Stop that right now, Samantha Shepard!" Karin reached out and clasped the commander's forearm, her voice filled with vigor and passion. "I _didn't _die, and I don't plan on doing so any time _soon_, so there is no sense dwelling on it. And I am most _certainly_ not about to let some upstart Cerberus _lapdog_ get the better of either one of us! You hear me?"

Tears of relief ran down Shepard's cheeks at Karin's fire and a grin spread widely across her face. "Absolutely, Doctor." She paused for a moment before leaning over and kissing Karin gently on the forehead. Her voice fell to a volume pitched for only Chakwas to hear. "I love you, Aunt Karin... and yesterday? TIM made a _gross_ error in judgment by sending that assassin."

Chakwas raised her eyebrows in question, but said nothing. Shepard's eyes turned a glacial green and her voice turned to cold-hammered steel, all the love and compassion she felt for the woman she thought of as an aunt gone in a flash. "He's gone and made this personal."


	34. Tipping Point

Notes:

_A Grá_ \- My Love (Irish/Gaelic)

_Ai'a me_ \- a trusted friend and unquestioned ally

C-Sec - Citadel Security

_I__onúin álainn_ \- beautiful beloved (Irish/Gaelic)

_Nara_ \- literally "bearer"; one who shoulders another's burden, aids others (Thessian)

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

_Tá tú mo gach rud_ \- You are my everything (Irish/Gaelic)

* * *

**Tipping Point**

**Citadel, Widow System, Apien Crest**

Brooks had stashed her sniper rifle, exchanging it for her close-in weapon of choice, an M-358 Talon heavy pistol. As the Talon was anything _but_ quiet, she added an M-11 Suppressor she'd purloined from an Alliance weapons depot to the hardpoint on her offside hip; its integral sound moderator made it difficult for a targeted foe to locate the source of the shot, which would be critical if she was somehow detected while within the detention area. Still cloaked, she managed to enter C-Sec by following close behind a pair of officers as one used his omnitool to access the main entrance; she immediately went to her right and hugged the back wall as she looked around the circular lobby for the entrance to the prisoner lockup.

The cloaked assassin had to be exceedingly careful in this place – it was crowded, with a lot of C-Sec officers and a motley assortment of people, both Human and alien. There were some male Batarians (_Butt ugly, every damned one of them, and visually sensitive to infrared emissions, such as body heat… have to be very careful to avoid them!_) and a fair number of Krogan (_Oh! My! God! How __**do**__ they stand their own odor?_), but the majority of the aliens consisted of Turians (_not that many generations away from chickens_), both C-Sec and civilians. Her cloak would _not_ keep her from being discovered if someone bumped into her, so she took her time, moving, it seemed to her, with all the speed of a Terran snail.

Finally succeeding in working her way around the lobby unnoticed, she began to descend the stairs leading to the confinement-control level. The two detention levels were below that; the first was for non-violent criminals arrested for what were formally considered 'white-collar' crimes, while the deeper level housed those arrested for what was classified as _violent_ offenses... rape, murder and the like. Seeing as the former councilor was accused of an attempted coup with intent to assassinate the members of the council, the lower level was most likely where Udina would be held, but the fact he _was_ a councilor could potentially still carry some weight. So, unless she found an inmate locator, she would have to check both levels; she didn't want to waste time sneaking any deeper than necessary into the confinement cells.

The narrow stairs dictated that she dodge a C-Sec officer along with two aliens, all moving up the stairs. Brooks had timed her breach carefully; the last of the exercise periods was over, and the last few officers were returning to the upper level after securing their charges in their cells. There should be no further interruptions until dinner... and unless something went horribly wrong, she would be long gone by then.

Reaching the bottom, she quickly took note of the Turian guard, his lazy ass perched on a stool at a raised, semi-circular desk where he could visually monitor everyone coming and going on this level. The only way down to the detention levels was an elevator that was controlled by the slothful Turian, who also had access to monitors showing all the cell doors on both levels. She carefully worked her way around behind his position so she could see the vid-feeds from the cells… it would make identifying Udina's location a lot faster and easier.

Brooks brought up her left hand and carefully placed the palm-mounted generator several centimeters from his backplate, just above his shield generator. Quickly glancing around to make sure he wasn't being watched, she fired the weapon; the generated pulse penetrated his backplate and entered his spine, instantly paralyzing all of his voluntary muscles. He couldn't move or speak, and his unseeing eyes were now locked in position. Maya now had roughly thirty-five minutes to locate Udina, end his miserable life and get clear of the detention levels.

She peered around the paralyzed Turian to search for Udina's location within the monitors... top to bottom and side to side, thirty-six in all. _Gotcha! Cell echo-two-one._ _Lower level, naturally!_ She quickly hacked the video receivers, blocking their reception of anything in the cameras' fields of view during the next forty minutes, then used her omnitool to hack the computer controlling the cell doors to remotely unlock E-21; finally Brooks unlocked the elevator, smirking in satisfaction as the haptic interface changed from red to green. She ran to the split doors, pressed the access, boarded and hit the control for echo level.

Her internal timer ticked down past thirty minutes as the doors opened on the lower level – there were three passageways, all lined with doors… Udina's cell was only a short way down the corridor to her left. She moved quickly to door 21 and carefully pulled the heavy metal door open after peering through the meal slot. The inside of Udina's 'cell' was a bit like a single bed hotel room in the bowels of Omega… not luxurious by any stretch, but not totally Spartan, either. The erstwhile councilor was currently sitting at a desk with his back to the door, apparently looking at a terminal. _ A goddamned extranet connection! For a fucking prisoner?! Come on, Brooks! Focus! _ She studied the 'cell' and quickly plotted her execution of the bumbling councilor. She really wanted to blow his pompous head clean off his body, but the noise from her M-358 inside the cell would wake the dead; the M-11 Suppressor was quieter, but still not as silent as a knife. For this job, she intended to get up close and _very_ personal.

She blocked the receiver for the door latch so it couldn't inadvertently lock her in, before gently pulling the door closed and moving up behind the former councilor. Udina had no idea his life was in danger until Maya aimed her palm-mounted blaster at the back of his neck and fired.

* * *

Donnel Udina had hated Samantha Shepard for a long time. If asked about it, he probably would have said his dislike for her began during her hunt for the rogue Spectre Saren Arterius and his Geth army. It wasn't any _single_ act that caused him to hate her with every fiber of his being; it was all the little things that continually piled on, culminating with her brazen theft, in collusion with David Anderson, of the SSV Normandy from a lockdown he himself had instigated to keep her from traveling to the Terminus.

His plans to have Shepard stripped of her command and brought up on charges of treason were for naught… Alliance HQ and the Council rolled with the popular support of the commander and decided that Udina, not being in the military chain of command, acted outside the scope of his authority on the lock-down to begin with, so made him retract the accusation or face charges of his own for abuse of authority.

He had dropped the issue with a great deal of reluctance… it would not serve his ambitions to be convicted of the bogus charges. Since that day, he had nursed a personal grudge against the so-called 'Savior of the Citadel.' _Bah! Savior indeed!_

After ensuring Anderson became the first Human appointed as a member of the Citadel Council, Shepard had thankfully disappeared for two years after the destruction of the Normandy SR-1, only to return alive and well and working for Cerberus! She had not only been a thorn in _his_ side, but had blatantly worked for a terrorist organization... and _still_ managed to be protected by the Council!

Of all the council members, only Sparatus had been truly vocal about Shepard's propensity to operate on hunches and supposition; not once had she provided solid evidence concerning the Reapers... even though she _had_ ultimately been proven correct. To make matters worse, Sparatus became impatient and had been replaced by a more moderate Turian, and Udina lost his only advocate on the Council. _Finally_, luck decided to favor him and he ascended to the position of power he had desired for so long when David Anderson had unexpectedly resigned and returned to Earth. Udina's happiness was short-lived; Shepard had returned yet again, asking for the council's help in defeating the Reapers... now proven to be a very real threat. Having learned from his mistakes the first time around, he tolerated her rants and awaited a proper occasion to achieve justice.

It was shortly after Shepard had rescued Primarch Victus from Menae that the Illusive Man had contacted Udina, offering him exactly such an opportunity... one where he would be able to show _all_ the races what real leadership, real _power_, looked like. All he had to do was facilitate the kidnapping and murder of the other council members by crippling the station's defenses and the ability of C-Sec to respond. The number of credits the Illusive Man paid him over a period of weeks and the promise of a position of _genuine_ influence had blinded him.

While the Illusive Man had _tempted_ him, Shepard and her crew had _ruined_ him. The Normandy team defeated Cerberus, prevented the murders of the council members, and had ultimately been his own undoing. He had been within a finger-twitch of ending Tevos' life when her bitch of a bodyguard had shot the pistol from his hand and knocked him to the ground with some sort of blue-tinged spell. Adding insult to injury, Shepard had actually struck him across the face with her own gun, knocking him unconscious. His injuries had been treated and he had regained his senses in this place, fifteen square meters of solid, windowless concrete.

So now, here he sat. The extranet terminal seemed like some sort of sick joke – he had only been allowed access to reports concerning Shepard and her crew aboard the Normandy SR-2 and it seemed she was keeping a step ahead of the Illusive Man at every turn. Just this afternoon, there were bulletins of how she had somehow evaded an assassination attempt by pure, dumb luck!

He heard the door open and close; he had quickly discovered that sitting with his back to the cell door was advantageous, in that he did not need to acknowledge anyone entering his cell. He would take his meal trays at the appointed times each day, but ignored the door and whomever entered at any other time. Now was certainly _not_ the time to break routine; undoubtedly, it was that annoying friend of Shepard's, Commander Bailey, coming to taunt him on yet another Illusive Man failure.

Udina went rigid as the weapon's pulse paralyzed all of his voluntary muscles… his heart would continue its slow, measured rhythm, his diaphragm would continue to fall and rise, alternately filling and emptying his lungs with air, but he may as well have been held in place by a stasis field used by some of the detested Asari Commandos.

Maya walked around the table, pulling the assassin's blade from her calf mounted sheath and decloaking as she moved to stand in front of him; she leisurely placed the point of the knife against his throat just below the hyoid bone and pressed lightly, producing a single drop of blood as she smiled pleasantly and said, "Good afternoon, _former_ Human Councilor!"

Fear was apparent in Udina's eyes when he recognized Maya Brooks; he attempted to scream, quickly realizing the futility of the effort when he couldn't make _any_ sound at all. _What… what the hell are you here for? _ In his mind, he was screaming at the top of his lungs, but the only sound that could be heard was the rapid, forceful exhales of a man suddenly without any hope.

"I can see the question in your eyes," Brooks purred as she leaned down low in front of him. "Wondering _why_ I'm here would be... misguided. _What_, my dear Udina, is the question you should be asking... '_What_ am I'm going to _do_ to you' would be the proper inquiry." Maya grinned seductively, relishing the terror caused by her taunts that was evident in his eyes. "The Illusive Man paid you a lot of credits… credits for which he received nothing more than dead personnel and a lot of expensive hardware destroyed by C-Sec and Commander Shepard. I was sent here to collect on that debt. That bill has come due, my dear, unfortunate Donnel." Maya pursed her lips and made a loud kissing sound a mere fingers width from his face. "Good bye, Udina."

Brooks quickly shoved her knife into his throat, viciously moving the blade slightly to the left and right to ensure the larynx was completely severed before slowly withdrawing it. She casually wiped the blade off on his sleeve and Udina's eyes betrayed his increasing panic as the blood leaking from his wounds drained into his trachea and trickled down into his lungs, which began sending frantic messages to his brain, demanding he cough to clear the liquid that was threatening to drown him. He gagged repeatedly as his windpipe also protested the leakage, but it wasn't enough. As his level of panic increased, he continued to gag and sputter at a faster rate; his heart rate increased, pumping faster and faster, pouring more of his life's fluid into his lungs. As the lack of oxygen slowly overcame him, his heart began to spasm, beating wildly and arrhythmically before stopping abruptly. Udina's last conscious thought was to curse Shepard and damn her to Hell for bringing him to such an ignoble end. As his brain ceased functioning, his artificially paralyzed muscles finally relaxed, allowing his now lifeless body to slowly slump forward in his chair.

Brooks smiled grimly as she watched life evaporate from Udina's eyes; she reengaged her cloak, raised her shields, and laid the bloody knife on the table in front of him – the Cerberus insignia in the hilt would serve as a warning and lesson. Her internal counter clicked on fifteen as she moved back to the door. _Damn it, Brooks! That took way too much time! You need to get moving!_ Carefully opening it, she looked down the passageway in both directions… empty. After removing the block she'd placed on the door latch receiver, she left Udina's cell and closed the door behind her, then ran back to the elevator, fortunately still on her level. She entered and pressed the control for the top level, which would put her on the floor from which she'd started.

Her counter clicked on eleven; she stood to the left side as the elevator stopped on the lower level below the C-Sec lobby and peeked around the bulkhead while the door segments completed their retraction sequence. The Turian she had paralyzed with the pulse was still rigid as stone.

She carefully approached him from behind, remotely relocked Udina's cell, and then locked out elevator access; she still had fifteen minutes remaining before the video receivers would return to life. After deleting all evidence of her intrusions in C-Sec's computers, she turned and left the level, carefully retracing her steps back up the stairs to the C-Sec lobby. She glanced around to see if anyone had potentially detected her presence; seeing no one looking her way, she shadowed a stinking Krogan out the main door, turned to the left and walked through a patch of shadow, where she decloaked and blended into the crowds of people by sticking to the edges of the main avenue. Her follow-on plan of action was to retrieve her sniper rifle, get to her shuttle and report back to the Illusive Man.

* * *

**Citadel, Tiberius Towers Penthouse**

Karin stared at Shepard for a brief moment before speaking very softly, "Sam. Don't _let_ this become personal. _Please_." She squeezed Shepard's arm firmly, her eyes pinched in concern as she continued, "When things become _personal_, people tend to react _emotionally_... and the Illusive Man is nothing if not a master manipulator. He's _very_ dangerous. You _need_ to stay logical and keep your wits about you. _Promise_ me!"

Shepard sighed and laid her free hand over Karin's. "Yes, Ma'am. I'll do my best."

Karin smiled and her voice reflected relief. "_Thank you_. I am confident your best will be more than enough. You've never failed at _anything_ you've ever put your mind to; this won't be any different, I'm sure."

Shepard grinned and let out a chuckle. "I swear. You have _got_ to be president of my fan club, Aunt Karin!" Her grin faded as she finished, "Though, there's lots of people who would disagree with you about me never having failed."

"Commander Shepard. You are _not_ responsible for all the people who have died in the line of duty under your watch. That's why the people we fight are the _enemy_. _They_ are the ones who have killed those people, not you. You know damn _well_ people die in war, Samantha. You can't possibly save them _all_, so stop blaming yourself and put the fault where it _truly_ belongs."

Shepard's face twitched as she tried to refrain from smirking, but she couldn't help herself and the words that came to mind found their way out of her mouth before she could stop herself. "With the _politicians_?"

Karin snorted and released Shepard's arm, but only so she could give her a hard swat. "Oh, you! You can be so damned impertinent!"

"Sorry." Shepard grinned, not a single remorseful bone in her body.

"Sam?" Karin's voice had suddenly turned serious and Shepard's smile quickly fell from her face as she gave the doctor her undivided attention. "It's not even light yet. Please tell me you didn't spend the entire _night_ sitting at my bedside. You need to get some _rest_... that _was_ the whole point of this mandatory shore leave, you know."

In the darkness, Karin couldn't see the blush that formed on Shepard's face, but she could certainly 'hear' it in her tone of voice. "No, Ma'am. Not the whole night..." She paused, but knew the woman wouldn't be content with that short response, so continued with a sigh, "I had another nightmare and wanted to keep from disturbing Liara, so I got up and came in here."

"_Another_ nightmare? I thought you were done with those." Aunt Karin had vanished, to be instantly replaced by Dr Chakwas. "How long have you been having them, and how often?"

Shepard sighed in resignation and confessed, "Ever since we left Earth... but they haven't been bad until recently. They weren't as bad if Liara was with me while I slept."

"_And..._ you're speaking in past tense... which is why Liara is also now becoming so tired. She's Asari... you're dream-sharing, aren't you." The comment about dream-sharing was _not_ a question.

"Yes!" Shepard was incredulous. "And how do you even _know_ about that?"

"I'm a _doctor_, Shepard, and Liara has been one of my patients for over three years." Karin scoffed. "I've read everything I could find that I felt pertinent to Asari-Human relationships. For _both_ of your sakes!"

"So what do all those articles tell you?" Shepard huffed, suddenly feeling like a medical case study.

"Don't pout; it doesn't become you," Karin chided. "I only did it because I care deeply for _both_ of you and I want to provide you the best care I possibly can." Her tone switched back to that of the doctor. "As for the dream-share, there really isn't much to be done unless you are both willing and able to _separate_ for a time... which, with your _link_, would mean by at least a Relay jump. I believe the adverse emotional stress _that_ would most likely cause would be _far_ worse than the original problem."

"So... _what_? I have to let my nightmares run us _both_ to exhaustion?" Shepard pulled her arm away from Chakwas' grip and stood, her body rigid with resentment at the situation.

"Absolutely not." Dr Chakwas was perfectly calm. "We simply need to find a way for you to honestly _sleep_... but we'll save the discussion for later. Liara needs to be a part of whatever decision we come to." Karin let out a long, tired sigh. "Speaking of which, _I_ am going back to sleep. It's _much_ too early to be awake." Her eyes traveled sleepily to the shadow that was Shepard. "Go back to her, Sam. Try to get some rest."

"Alright," Shepard sighed. "I probably _can..._ now. It just takes me a while to wind down after one of those." She stepped back over to the bed and leaned over Karin, placing one last kiss on her forehead. "You too. Rest so you can heal... and I'll see you after the sun comes up."

With that, she slipped out of the room and headed back toward the master bedroom, only to be intercepted by Riana. Her whisper cut through the silence. "_Nara_. Is everything alright? Dr Chakwas?"

"Is fine, Ri." Shepard whispered in response. "I woke up and figured I'd check on her. She was also awake for a little while... but she's resting again, as _you_ should be."

Riana chuckled quietly. "And how am I supposed to do that when my charge is up, wandering the apartment?"

"Garrus info'd me on the schedule, so I happen to know you're currently _not_ on duty." The commander smiled. "Besides, I'm not _wandering_ any longer. I'm headed back to bed and you won't see me until morning light, so get some sleep."

Riana said goodnight and Shepard slid as quietly as she could back into the bedroom, but it was hopeless. Liara's sleepy thoughts quickly caressed her mind. _{I missed you. Where did you go?}_

Shepard purposely said nothing of the nightmare. _{I woke up concerned about Karin so went to the other room to check on her. She rolled on her shoulder and woke herself up while I was there, so we chatted for a bit_._}_ She quickly stripped and slid in next to the sleepy-warm body of the Asari.

Liara's quiet voice cut the silence. "Did you tell her of the nightmare that drove you from our bed?" Shepard thought she had managed to not disturb Liara, but her efforts had either failed or Liara had made an accurate educated guess.

Shepard blew out a resigned breath. "Yeah, I told her I had one... but not the details of it." She snuggled in under the covers and ran a hand up Liara's hip and side, not stopping until it rested softly on a blue breast. The Asari's breath caught and she purred contentedly as the commander massaged her breast and continued, "She knows about Asari dream-sharing and wants to talk to us about it... _together_... and I got the feeling she wants to do it sooner rather than later."

"That... is probably... not. a. bad... idea." Liara growled, "Oh, Goddess," before reaching out and pulling Shepard quickly on top of her. "Make love to me, Sam. I've missed you." Liara's hands lit with a pale blue aura and ran tantalizingly down the commander's muscular back, not stopping until they sat upon her butt cheeks, pulling their hips tightly together as she arched into the commander's weight.

"Oh, Li..." Shepard's lips captured Liara's and she opened her mind to the link. Liara dove in, only to be caught in a rip tide of regret. Shepard's thoughts were fragmented... but Liara got the distinct impression that Shepard felt as if she had been neglecting the Asari. By the time each day was done, the lack of sleep combined with the non-stop operations tempo left both of them with barely enough energy to get undressed and fall into bed... and Liara missed their normal closeness. _{I am so sorry.}_ Shepard's unexpected apology 'sounded' forlorn.

Before Liara could reply that she didn't hold Shepard responsible in any way for their lack of personal time, she was suddenly submerged in the cold and falling snow of Gellix... but it quickly mutated into the facility on Noveria. Then she heard the echo of Javik's voice mentioning indoctrination and had a flash of her mother. She sensed that Shepard had barely managed to control her temper, which was why she had clamped down so tightly on the link, but the most prominent thought that flashed through the commander's mind was that Javik was _wrong_. Those poor people knew _precisely_ what they were doing... exactly as Benezia had known... but were trapped in their own minds and could do nothing to stop themselves. Rage at the Reapers and their ilk flashed through the link.

Liara gasped in surprise as she felt Shepard biotically charge Benezia, smash into her and fire the final, killing shot into the Matriarch; the _instantaneous_ regret was overwhelming. Shepard had never before shared _that_ particular memory with her. The entire string of thoughts had moved through Liara's mind in a mere moment of time and, after the final vision of Benezia's death, their connection somewhat painfully slammed shut without warning. Liara had grit her teeth, thankful they had been only linked and not in a full meld, as Samantha surged out of bed to stagger to the bathroom; Shepard turned to the sink and splashed cold water on her face.

An extremely concerned Liara followed quickly and she draped herself lovingly over Shepard's back, wrapping her arms around the Human and holding her tightly. "By the _Goddess_, Shepard! Have you not yet _forgiven_ yourself for that?" Liara squeezed her and planted kisses all over the back of her neck. "Do not torment yourself so! I _never_ blamed you, my love! Never!"

"Gods, Liara!" Sam's voice was a hoarse croak. "I didn't mean for you to _ever_ see _any_ of that!"

Liara released her, but only to encourage her to stand up and turn to face her. The Asari cupped her tear-lined face softly with both of her hands and leaned in, placing a loving kiss on the commander's lips, tasting a hint of salt and feeling the chill left behind by the water. "Samantha. I am glad I _did_. You have to let it _**go**_, _Siame_. Be with me. Here. _Now_. Do _not_ live where the past is able to torment you."

Liara's hands went to Shepard's abdomen and traced the muscles up around her torso to the commander's back, until Liara's arms captured her and she drew their bodies close. She nestled under Sam's chin and placed a trail of kisses up her neck, turning Sam's chin away so the kisses could continue to the base of her ear.

Shepard initially tensed at Liara's touch, but as the Asari's arms lovingly encircled her, she began to tremble. She felt Liara's warmth infuse her when their bodies were drawn together and Liara reinitialized the link. When the kisses climbed up her neck, Samantha felt the Asari's love for her and couldn't stop the groan of desire that crawled out from deep in her throat. Liara whispered softly in her ear, "I _love_ you, _Siame_. Unconditionally. Do not deny me your love in return because of some misplaced guilt or fear of failure. I..."

Liara paused and inhaled sharply when she felt powerful hands grip her hips, but her voice never climbed above its tantalizing whisper as she continued, "I _need_ you, Samantha Shepard. You have become the other half of my soul and you hold my heart in your hands. No more guilt, no more apologies. Come _home_ to me."

Liara squeaked and adjusted her hold when those same strong hands slipped off her hips and scooped under her legs to lift her off the floor. Liara clung to Shepard's neck and wrapped her legs around the commander's waist as Shepard walked them effortlessly back to the bed. Samantha placed one knee as far up onto the bed as her thigh would reach, until her back foot lost its grip on the floor and they tipped over. One of Shepard's hands shot out to arrest their fall and she lowered Liara gently down onto the bed.

Samantha's eyes were a smoky green... clouded by desire yet tempered with uncertainty. Liara reached up and gently clasped the back of her neck, pulling her down for a kiss. She initiated a light meld with the touch of their lips, letting her love and desire pass freely to Shepard's mind. Shepard moaned, the exquisite torture reawakening the raw passion she held for the beautiful, naked Asari lying beneath her. When their kiss broke, she whispered, "What did I _ever_ do to deserve you, Liara T'Soni?" Shepard's voice was thick with emotion.

Liara smiled up at the striking, auburn-haired goddess of war hovering over her and laughed gently. "I _love_ you, Samantha Shepard... and you love _me_ in return. Finding my one true love is more than I had _ever_ dared hope for in my life." Her hand brushed adoringly across Samantha's lightly freckled cheek. "To have found you so early in my life is a blessing I will never take for granted and I don't want to waste a _moment_ of it, so _please_... make love to me, Sam. I've missed you."

A small smile graced Shepard's features as she whispered breathily, "You know I can't say no to you, _I__onúin álainn_."

Liara smiled at the continuing joke between them and closed her eyes. When they reopened, they were a shining obsidian that drew an eager Samantha into the void. Shepard wrapped herself around the beauty beneath her, both physically and mentally, and they made love as they had when they first discovered their link; nothing was held back.

Liara cried as she pushed through the anguish of Shepard's self-doubts and the nagging fears generated by the specters in the shadowy forest. She then shouted in triumph as she found the familiar spark of Shepard's soul and fanned its flame until it burned bright once more; the ashen wisps of gray dispersed under the brightness of the couple's reformed union. She had found the commander of old and the Shepard _she_ knew surged forth, once more the dashing, confident commander, determined to do whatever was necessary to protect those she loved... and to see those little blue babies nestled securely in Liara's arms. When _that_ image collided with her mind, Liara fell madly, passionately in love with Samantha all over again.

The _true_ strength of Shepard's love reignited and Liara felt herself lifted to new heights she never thought possible. She screamed in pleasure as Samantha filled her, both body and soul, and she came undone. Eventually, her eyes faded to blue and she curled herself, exhausted, into Shepard's warm comfort. They both slept serenely, confident in the solid foundation of love and unwavering support shared between them once more.

* * *

Shepard woke gradually, a dead weight sprawled across her body. She blinked her eyes slowly open to see a mound of pebbled blue skin covering her; Liara had turned her into a body pillow and there was no way she was moving without waking the blue beauty sleeping, quite literally, atop her. She couldn't help the devoted smile that spread across her face as she lovingly stroked up Liara's right cheek and across her crests, remembering how much she loved to see Liara's relaxed, _peaceful_ face as she slept. The Asari began to stir and murmur appreciatively at the tender touch. Shepard whispered a barely audible, "Good morning, _I__onúin álainn_," before turning her head to press her lips softly against the top of Liara's forehead, right at her crestline.

"Mmmmmm." Liara quivered at the sensation as she whispered quietly in response, "Morning, Love." She let out a contented sigh and shifted to settle herself even more comfortably, but Shepard ruined the attempt by starting to chuckle, bouncing Liara lightly with her laughter. "That makes it somewhat difficult to sleep, _Siame_."

Shepard sighed with happiness and gathered the stretched out Asari into her arms, hugging her tenderly and rolling them over to place Liara beneath her and at her mercy. She quickly scattered playful kisses across her freckled face, drawing an answering laugh from her blue beloved. "Thank you, _A Grá._"

At Liara's somewhat bemused look, Shepard leaned in and kissed her... _very_ thoroughly. When she broke, leaving a rather breathless Liara in a slight daze beneath her, she continued, "For last night... and for finally pulling me out of my own head. I was lost, Liara... and you led me _home_."

Understanding dawned and Liara smiled broadly. "Believe me, Samantha; it was most _definitely_ my pleasure." A light blush took over Shepard's face as she laughed, but Liara's brow markings wrinkled with disquiet. "I simply hope we never get that far down the wrong path ever again. It was... not easy... to face all those things at once."

Shepard's face clouded and Liara instantly lamented her statement, fearing Samantha was going to apologize again and the cycle of regret and withdrawal would begin anew, but the commander did no such thing. "I _am_ sorry I kept them from you for so long. I don't know what I was thinking, Liara. _Tá tú mo gach rud__..._ and I won't ever risk losing that again."

They were interrupted by a light knock at the door. Shepard rolled her eyes as she shifted position and rolled off the bed onto her feet, slipping easily into a robe that lay on a chair by the door. She tapped the control panel and the door slid away to reveal a distraught Riana. "_Ai'a me_. Something else has happened." Liara's First spared no words and got directly to the point. "Someone assassinated ex-Councilor Udina... in his _secure_ cell."

"_What_?" Liara rolled quickly to the side of the bed and started searching for her omnitool, somewhere in her pile of clothes on the floor. "Shepard, if we are to spend any time here, we simply _must_ get nightstands for beside the bed!"

Riana suppressed a grin as she continued, "Mistress, I have already alerted the Broker network and various agents are collecting and searching all available footage for any clues." She looked at Shepard and practically growled her next words. "Before I sent out the order, I attached the image we have of the Cerberus operative who tried to kill _you_."

As Shepard and Liara got dressed, Riana explained everything she knew so far, which wasn't much. Every single camera within C-Sec had been looped for a solid forty minutes, so she had Broker agents searching _outside_ the facility, an hour each side of the service interruption, to see if they could detect anything odd. All they could do _now_ was wait for the reports to come in.

* * *

Liara had sighed in disappointment as she watched Shepard finish her preparations. _So much for a rest._ Shepard had donned her Vanguard mesh and opened her gear bag to dig out full armor. There would be no standard duty uniform... or worse yet, no civilian clothes; Liara had hoped to be watching Shepard stroll the apartment in her boots and jeans, but it wasn't going to happen. As soon as Liara had watched her pull the first piece from the armory closet, she had cursed Cerberus yet again and followed suit.

Liara knew the commander; if she was donning armor, Shepard already had a plan forming in her mind and it most _certainly_ involved leaving the apartment. Liara hesitated only slightly before donning her medium armor, refusing to traipse the Citadel in her heavy combat armor. _I wear that against __**Reapers**__! I refuse to wear it walking the heart of the Citadel!_

As usual, Shepard finished getting dressed first and automatically stepped over to help the Asari as she put on her last few pieces. Liara had gotten faster over the past few years, but she still couldn't roll out of bed and be dressed in full armor in less than a minute like Shepard could. "So, why are we dressing out?" Liara smiled as her lover reached over to check the fasteners on her left shoulder pauldron.

Liara's heart melted when Samantha's eyes met hers; the beautiful green orbs once more held a burning emerald fire Liara hadn't seen in a long while. Shepard's eyes twinkled mischievously as she answered, "Because we're going to take a _walk_. I'm going to go buy the _shirt_ Karin wanted to see me in. We're going to make sure _everyone_ sees us alive and well on the Citadel." She moved her head in the direction of the door and held her hand out in invitation. Once Liara took it, they walked out and headed downstairs, a grinning Riana in trail. Shepard continued, "_We're_ going to make the Galactic News... and we need Diana Allers to be our press correspondent, who will be able to report on something _other_ than us kicking ass. Message her to meet us on the platform in front of the Cipritine Armory shop in the Presidium Marketplace." Shepard paused and then, as an afterthought, added, "Oh! And before we're done, we're going to have a chat with Commander Bailey to find out what the Hell happened in lockup."

* * *

**A/N: **Many, many thanks to **Old Gamer** for this chapter and those yet coming. Our writing relationship has progressed far beyond that of reciprocal beta reading and we are now true co-authors on this story. Thanks, OG!


	35. Back in the Groove

Notes:

_A Grá_ \- My Love (Irish/Gaelic)

Graal - Krogan double-barreled shotgun-class weapon that shoots large spikes; the oversized flechettes are designed to pierce Thresher Maw hide and create deep wound channels and massive blood loss

_Gráim thú_ \- I love you (Irish/Gaelic)

IFF - Identification of Friend or Foe

_I__onúin álainn_ \- beautiful beloved (Irish/Gaelic)

_Nara_ \- literally "bearer"; one who shoulders another's burden, aids others (Thessian)

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

* * *

**Back in the Groove**

**Citadel, Widow System, Apien Crest**

Liara's curiosity was piqued as soon as Shepard mentioned needing Diana Allers and making the Galactic News, but Shepard would tell her nothing and the link was frustratingly silent once again. The full team had gone downstairs ahead of them and secured the lobby, except for Shepard, Liara and Garrus. Once the team was ready, Riana messaged Liara and the threesome departed the penthouse; _they_ had emerged from the elevator three abreast, with Shepard in the center, one step ahead of her XO at her right hand and Liara on her left. The crowd scattered as they strode purposely forward with the remaining Normandy ground team forming up behind them, creating a rather imposing three-by-three block of nine, all fully armored with weapons docked. Steve Cortez had remained at the apartment to watch over Karin while the rest had left to take care of what Shepard referred to as 'just a little shopping trip.' Cortez also had the critical job of calling ahead to Commander Bailey, so the C-Sec commander knew what was happening and didn't send an armed response to intercept the commander as she marched on the Presidium.

They first stopped at the shop where Brooks had made her attempt on the commander's life and the Salarian shopkeeper had veritably begged Shepard to take the shirt at no charge. Refusing the special treatment and not wanting to spend time arguing with him, Shepard simply issued a credit chit for the listed price and placed it on the counter. "Take it or leave it. Use it to pay whoever delivers the shirt to Tiberius Towers for all I care, but I'm sorry. I can't accept free merchandise... from any store." The shopkeeper eyed the chit for barely a second before scooping it up off the counter and giving the commander a brief nod before the team moved on.

* * *

A somewhat nervous Diana stood in awe as the Normandy ground team arrived and efficiently deployed; the six secured the platform and kept anyone other than Shepard, Liara, Garrus and the reporter from occupying the space overlooking the Citadel gardens. Allers had interviewed the commander a number of times after major missions and had reviewed battle footage from the individual armor cameras, but had never seen the _entire_ team assembled in full battle-dress. She was suddenly very glad to be aligned with the Council, the Spectre corps and the Alliance.

Her camera panned across the growing crowd; many stopped to stare in awe at the spectacle taking place before them. Almost all of them had seen the Savior of the Citadel as she hustled around the Presidium, working and purchasing necessary equipment, but to see the entire Normandy team in full battle gear was an impressive sight to behold and spectators began to line the balcony rails, trying to find a good spot to observe whatever was about to happen.

Shepard stepped away from the railing she had been leaning against and looked out upon the crowd. They fell silent as the commander started to speak. "I'm sure most of you have seen the news reports concerning the attempt on my life yesterday. If you hadn't already figured it out, you must now realize that Cerberus is looking out solely for _themselves_, damn the Galaxy and the war with the Reapers. They have to be _stopped..._ and I plan to do just that." Shepard's eyes narrowed and scanned across the crowd, easily picking out a few Cerberus sympathizers as they cringed when her eyes swept over them.

"But more importantly to _me_, personally, you can see the Cerberus assassin failed. Miserably." She smiled as titters of laughter cascaded through the audience. "I, for one, am very _happy_ about that fact. Another who is _not_ disappointed in the outcome..." Shepard turned and clasped Liara's hand, pulling a suddenly very worried Asari up beside her. "... is my Promised. I'd like all of you to meet my fiancée, Dr Liara T'Soni."

Liara gasped and her eyes flew open wide at Shepard's open acknowledgment of their pending union. Her eyes glassed over with unshed tears of joy as Shepard turned to her. "I had the distinct pleasure of asking this wonderful person to be my future Bondmate..." Shepard flashed a huge grin at the crowd as she finished, "and to my _immense_ delight, she actually said yes."

The crowd exploded with chatter, hoots and catcalls as Shepard turned back to Liara and kissed the deeply blushing Asari. Even though terribly embarrassed to be kissed so publically, in front of a huge Citadel crowd, and _knowing_ they would be all over the Galactic News Network in mere moments, Liara couldn't find it within herself to be even the slightest bit angry. When the kiss broke, she peered into the commander's eyes. _{Why __**now**__, Siame?}_

Shepard looked at her with deep emerald orbs positively _filled_ with purpose. _{Because I __**love**__ you, I__onúin álainn__. Last night, you gave me back myself and it made me realize I don't want to hide the fact that we are __**promised**__ to one another. I want us to be free to __**act**__ on our feelings, anytime and anywhere we get the urge, without having to worry about someone __**seeing**__ us and revealing our big secret. No more, Liara.}_

Shepard waved at the crowd one last time before she wrapped an arm around Liara and turned to Diana Allers. "I assume you got all of that on vid?"

"Absolutely, Commander!" Diana glanced around nervously. "Uhm... Is it a personal copy for you... or...?"

"We'd like one, yes, but you are welcome to release that, however you see fit, but I want you to maintain exclusive rights." Shepard laughed. "No selling them for profit... Not because I don't want you to make money on it, but because I'm afraid what others would do with it if given the freedom of ownership."

"Understood, Commander." Diana Allers nodded vehemently in agreement before a happy smile began to spread across her face. "Obviously, I've known for a while but now I'm free to speak of it... so, let me be the first to offer _official_ congratulations, to both of you."

* * *

After the public announcement, the visit to Bailey was rather anticlimactic, though he _was_ somewhat surprised when they transferred a picture of the assassin, along with a full dossier, to his omnitool. "Well. Thank you, Shepard. Dr T'Soni. This certainly makes my job a whole lot easier." Bailey grinned at the couple. "By the way. Congratulations on making it official. Hope you're ready for all the media hounds that will be chasing you now. Damn reporters."

Shepard smiled and squeezed Liara's hand as she shrugged. "No big deal. We've got our own personal reporter on staff and she has exclusive rights, so we simply tell anyone else who may ask questions, 'no comment'."

Bailey laughed. "I think you've become delusional, Shepard. 'No' isn't going to keep the leeches away from the news of the decade."

"Decade?" Shepard shook her head sadly. "I could only wish. I'm sure the Reapers will take over some other world tomorrow and our happy news will be buried under the weight of thousands or millions more dead."

"Unfortunately, I am sure some opportunist will put a negative spin on the story..." Liara looked to Samantha, sadness evident in her blue eyes as she continued, "... saying Commander Shepard was more concerned about her Asari _lover_ than about saving whichever world happens to be next to fall."

"_Let_ them, Blue; I'm _done_ worrying about what others think." Shepard's eyes were filled with determination as she continued, "I'm _more_ concerned with ending this damn _war_. The sooner the better."

* * *

**SSV Normandy, At Large**

"I'm sorry for recalling you." Hackett frowned, "After your announcement this morning, you two deserved to have your second day off to celebrate, but it appears you weren't able to truly relax at the Citadel, anyway. How's Karin?"

"She's tough, Sir. Her shoulder closed up nicely and she slept in late today, while Liara and I stirred things up. She'll be up and about tomorrow, probably back at full capacity in two or three days." Shepard's voice was hopeful as she continued, "In the meantime, we've got the two med-techs, Ash is trained in emergency triage medicine and Karin upgraded the automated diagnostics and treatment system to handle all races a long time ago, shortly after she came aboard, so we're covered."

Shepard glanced uneasily at the Admiral. "So, why _did_ you recall us, Sir? I'm sure it _wasn't_ because you were worried about our safety on the Citadel. Maya Brooks is long gone."

"You're right." Hackett clasped his hands behind his back as he continued, "I need you to go to Cyone; your pilot already has the coordinates. It's an Asari-held fuel depot, critical to our joint operations in the sector... They've been joined by a small, private Turian militia and they _were_ holding tough against multiple Reaper attacks... but 72-hours ago, one of the orbital stations went silent. I sent an N7 engineering friend of yours, Captain Lee Riley, out there to fix whatever she found and she reported a heavy Reaper presence."

At the mention of Lee's name, Shepard had already made the decision to go. "We're on it, Admiral. Lee is a very capable soldier and great at adapting on the fly. If _she_ can't handle it, the Reapers must be hitting them hard."

"Scans of the station were cold. They found the station abandoned, so she asked for some backup while they get the systems back on line; she can either fix it or defend it with her team, but she can't do both. I can only guess what's happened to the staff." Hackett shook his head. "We need that station back, Shepard. No fuel means no fleet presence in the theater and the Reapers will operate unchecked in our own damn backyard."

"Roger that, Sir. We'll get to the bottom of it and you'll have the fuel soon, Admiral."

* * *

**Cyone, Kypladon, Silean Nebula**

With Lee Riley already on station, Shepard took only a team of six and when they entered the orbital station in question, the grinning Marine captain met them on the main floor. "Shepard! Damn good to see you! The old man said he would send some help; had no idea he was going to send me the Savior of the Citadel!"

Knowing how much Samantha hated that moniker, Liara tensed, so was surprised when Shepard laughed and punched the captain lightly on an armored shoulder. "Good to see you too, Lee. Cheeky as always, you little piss-ant!"

"I live and die by these guys." Shepard pointed at each member of her team in turn. "This is Dr Liara T'Soni, my Chief of Information Operations, an _excellent_ biotic _and_ my fiancée. And that one with the Arc Projector is Lance Corporal Bethany Westmoreland... a super troop who saved my ass on Tuchanka." She then pointed at Ashley. "Fellow Spectre Ashley Williams and her team, Lieutenant James Vega and Vanguard Riana Iregos."

Lee quickly returned the favor and introduced her second, a Turian Corporal named Surim Nyrek, and her Human tech specialists, Private Kozlo and Specialist Sims. "It's ugly, Shep, and I'm not sure how much time we've got before another attack. They flooded the place with toxic radiation, and it would have taken some fancy footwork to get the fans operational without getting fried while fighting Reapers at the same time, so I'm mighty glad you're here."

Riley stepped over to a balcony overlooking the reactor floor, pointing out important features. "It's a dual-reactor system, so we'll have to break into three teams. Once your folks unlock the fuel rods for both reactors, my guys can prime the system and initiate the restart... unless, of course, all Hell breaks loose. We've already tagged a couple of Reaper barrier engines, so who knows how many are out there that we can't see."

"Sounds simple enough." Shepard nodded her head. "Let's do it."

Riley laughed, "Not so fast, Commander. There are a number of obstacles... They placed movable partitions. Nothing hard to handle, but slow to get around; they block access until you move them with a big overhead crane system... and then block any retreat because the consoles are exposed so you can't operate them and fight at the same time to get back, at least until the radiation is cleared, so be careful out there."

Shepard smiled. "Roger that, Captain. You too."

"Shit." Lee shook her head, her voice positively oozing with sarcasm. "You've gone all formal; Anderson must be having a fit."

Shepard chuckled, "Alright, let's get moving." Turning more serious, she continued, "First stop for all of us is the circulation fan control. Then, we'll take the rods for reactor one and Ash, you get number two. We all know what those damn barrier engines do, so destroy any you see and keep your eyes peeled for motion. There are some pretty dark corners in here and I want to avoid surprises."

Using a facility map Riley sent to all their omnitools, the control console was easy to locate and, once the fans kicked on, the radiation soon cleared from the facility, enabling free movement within for all three teams. They split out for their individual assignments, with Riley's team moving to the actual reactor, ready to restart the system as soon as they had enough free fuel rods to prime it.

Progress to the fuel rod controls was unimpeded, but as soon as the rods were unlocked, everyone's IFF scanners started flashing in warning. "Shit. We've got movement!"

All three teams were suddenly engulfed by a combination of Husks and Marauders, dropping from hiding spots amongst the piping and the catwalks up in the ceiling. The hardest part about it was that they seemed to be coming from everywhere. Shepard immediately regretted having brought a short team instead of the full squad, because they were instantly surrounded.

Her regret, however, was short lived as Westmoreland started to snicker. "Oh wow. I might actually get to test how many jumps this thing can handle!" Shepard glanced over to see Beth standing confidently before the rushing Husks, Arc Projector held out in front as she pulled the trigger. The entire team was abruptly surrounded by a ring of electric blue light as all the Husks lit up, leaving Shepard and Liara to tag-team on the Marauders.

When silence fell once more, Shepard called out for a report. Ashley's team was fine, but Riley called back, "Lost Kozlo, but holding strong. Not sure what's wrong, but the system won't prime. I have a warning indicator on the coolant system, so the damned Reapers must have taken that offline as well. There are four temperature moderator tanks that will need to be checked and resealed if they're open; two sets of two."

Shepard glanced at Beth and Liara as she quickly evaluated the teams; her lips carried a slight frown as she spoke. "Ashley. Send Riana and James to join Riley and then you head this way." _{Sorry, Love. I know Riana probably wants to be here, but Riley needs a biotic on her squad.}_

Liara grinned, "Don't worry, Shepard. She'll get over it," as Ashley's acknowledgment came over the comm.

The teams realigned and dispersed to the cooling tanks; once again the trip to their target was easy and it wasn't long before an automated voice announced, "All systems operational. Reactor on standby for reactivation."

Riley provided a short countdown and she and Shepard easily synchronized the dual cores. The automated voice spoke again, "All systems green. Initiating restart."

Their celebration was short-lived; along with the restart came multiple pings on the IFF scanners. Riley quickly shouted out, "Incoming!" which Ashley quickly followed with, "Round two. Here we go!"

The second wave was much heavier on Marauders and Shepard regretted not having Edi or Garrus along for the ride. Riana was having a grand time working with Engineer Riley and her Overload tech skill; along with Vega's fire support, she was able to operate in full Vanguard mode. Shepard was afforded no such luxury unless she wanted to put herself at considerable personal risk by charging a fully shielded Marauder.

She knew Liara would be angry, but the Reaper creatures were coming too fast and the team was on the verge of being overrun. Shepard had to shift into her crash and blast mode; for the first time in a long time, Shepard centered herself and slipped into a meditative battle trance, knowing full well there'd be Hell to pay later... both from the physical abuse it enacted on her body and the scathing anger she'd have to face from her Promised.

Ashley caught the impossible look of serenity that suddenly fell over Shepard's face and immediately recognized it for what it was. "On your toes, Westy! Commander's about to open a can of whup-ass!"

Bethany gave a quick thumbs-up and pulled the trigger on the last charge of the Arc Projector, dropping the shields of a number of Marauders just before Shepard let loose. Liara heard the comment and was looking at Ashley in question when the commander let out a primal yell and bolted across the decks. Liara's eyes followed the commander in terror. _Goddess! There are too many! She'll burn herself out!_

What followed could only be described as a massacre. Liara had helped Shepard find herself and the commander was more focused than she had been in a very long time. Her body flowed in a rhythm all its own, utilizing her enhanced Cerberus strength to handle the Graal with only one hand while wielding an extended omniblade in the other; she tore through Husks and Marauders alike.

Determined to keep Shepard alive, Liara lit up as she had on Tuchanka after Samantha had come so close to dying, but for the quick grab by Bethany. Holding a full barrier, Liara launched warps and singularities in support of the commander's Vanguard charges. Even in the battle trance, Shepard recognized and took advantage of the potential for biotic explosions, wreaking havoc on the enemy.

Liara almost froze in fear when a Brute appeared and prepared to charge the commander, but her mind flashed back to when she had accosted Shepard aboard the Normandy after Garrus told her what had happened on Menae. She growled, readied a warp and concentrated on the Brute; her timing would be critical. The beast flew across the room, only to be halted in its tracks and stood almost upright by the combined force of Shepard's Nova shock wave and a perfectly timed warp from the Asari.

The commander rolled away and popped back to her feet before spiking the Brute yet again with her Graal; she biotically charged a second time to restore her barrier and promptly dumped all the regained energy into another shock wave. When she accomplished the maneuver on Palaven, the Brute had stumbled and collapsed forward to the ground at the commander's feet; with the combined effect of the second Nova and an additional warp from Liara, the monstrous beast actually tipped over and crashed _backward_ to the deck, never to rise again.

Dead silence fell in the facility as the echoes faded, the final encounter having been observed by the majority of the team. Riana grinned proudly at the outstanding performance of Shepard and Liara... until she saw Shepard take only a single staggering step before collapsing to the deck. "_Nara_!" Both she and Liara sprinted to the commander's side.

Liara gently cradled the commander, sitting her mostly upright between her legs and pulling Shepard back against her chest. She knowingly reached into one of Shepard's utility pockets for an energy drink as she spoke. "She'll be fine, Riana... She _does_ this if she exhausts herself too much before coming out of the Asari meditation trance. The first time it ever happened was at Elysium... before I even knew her."

Liara then focused solely on Samantha as she popped open the drink and gently placed it to the commander's lips. "Come back to me, _Siame_."

Shepard's eyes were half-closed but, unlike Elysium, she remained _conscious_; she simply had no strength left in her limbs, so was grateful when Liara tipped a small amount of the drink into her mouth. What no one else realized was that Liara had also initiated the link and was pouring support into Shepard, both body _and_ soul, as well as continuing to administer small sips of the drink. It wasn't long before Shepard drew a deep breath and sat up on her own, taking the drink from Liara's hand and downing the rest of it quickly. The entire group breathed an audible sigh of relief and everyone started talking at once, but Vega's booming voice overrode them all.

"Holy Hell, Commander! I thought _Menae_ was impressive... but that? Combined with a repeat Tuchanka performance from _Blue_, I'd hate to be on _anyone's_ side but yours!" James hesitated only slightly before he blurted his final words. "Fuck; you guys _rock_!"

Shepard smiled and stood shakily to her feet. "Don't be too impressed, Vega. I won't be able to do shit for probably thirty-six hours or so... other than crawl to my bed and sleep."

Riley walked over and clapped her on the shoulder. "Uh huh. Don't believe _that_ for a second. I've seen Shepard walk out of a shuttle crash that killed eight... with nothing more than a concussion, and _then_ take down an antiaircraft cannon and a damn platoon of pirates. _That's_ how she earned her N7 status."

Shepard huffed and shook her head. "And exactly like _now_, I wasn't alone. It takes a great team to accomplish _any_ of those things. It's not about what _I_ can do; it's about who I bring to the fight _with_ me." Shepard leaned into Liara for support and wrapped an arm around the Asari's waist, playing it off as a hug, but Liara knew better and pushed yet a little more energy Shepard's way, even though she was also very tired.

"Yeah, maybe." Riley shrugged. "But the bottom line is you still saved our asses and I'm in your debt. No way we would have completed this mission and walked away if you guys hadn't shown up."

A frown flashed across Shepard's face as she responded. "And had you not been here, I would have brought my whole team down." Her head hung for just a moment. "Sorry about Kozlo. Makes me wish I had brought my whole team _anyway_."

"No way, Shep." Riley took a step forward and struck her sharply under the chin to get her to pick her head up, pointing an accusatory finger as she finished, "You tried that shit when Mackey crashed that damn shuttle too. I guess some things never change... but neither does fault. You weren't responsible then and you aren't responsible now, so get over yourself, Commander."

Liara bristled when Riley caught the commander under the chin. Shepard felt her ire through the link and quickly squeezed with the arm still around the Asari's waist. _{It's fine, Li. I'm actually surprised you're not agreeing with her.}_

_{I can understand the sentiment without approving of her __**striking**__ you!} _Liara fumed silently, but Shepard felt her relax a tad bit with the reassurance that she was fine.

Diffusing the situation even more, Shepard laughed softly. "So, you standing in for Henderson, now? Think you can fill his shoes?"

Riley laughed. "He _was_ a big dude, wasn't he? A lot like your Mr Vega, here." Riley reached over and gave Vega a shove on the arm and he flashed a big grin at the engineer. "I always wonder how the Alliance finds armor to fit them. It can't be standard issue!"

Vega rolled his head and flexed his shoulders. "It starts out that way, but I'm no different than the next guy. Once I get it, I modify it to suit, so it isn't standard issue for very long."

She couldn't tell if Riley was actually _hitting_ on Vega, but Vega was certainly playing into her hand, and for some reason it bugged Ashley enough that she rolled her eyes in disdain; she couldn't help herself and had to say something. "Yeah, well. Loving old home week, Skipper, but we should get rolling. I'm sure Hackett's eager to hear his fleet has fuel again."

Shepard nodded and stood up straight, dropping her arm from around Liara and sticking a hand out to Lee, who promptly clasped it and drew the commander into a hug. "Damn good to see you, Shep." She pushed back and dropped her hand as she turned to Liara. "And it's good to meet you, Dr T'Soni." Riley smirked as she continued, "And I saw that look when I tagged Shepard on the chin... Protective; I like it. You hold onto that and keep her _safe_; she's a good person and a great commander... and the galaxy needs her leadership, now more than ever." Riley actually had the audacity to _wink_ at her when she finished speaking.

"Yes, well... I disagree with your assessment." At the surprised looks from both Riley _and_ Shepard, Liara smiled and looked lovingly at Samantha. "I would say she is a _good_ commander and a great _person_, and that the _galaxy_ needs to step up and help _themselves_ instead of relying on someone _else_ to save their collective asses."

The second half of Liara's statement was delivered in a biting tone, and when combined with what Liara had actually _said_, it caused some raised eyebrows... Shepard's included. "On _that_ note, I think we all need to be going." Shepard smirked and shook her head. "It was really good to see you, Lee. We'll catch up again when we all come out the other end of this mess."

* * *

**SSV Normandy, At Large**

Hackett stood at ease, obviously pleased with the report. "Good work down there, Shepard."

"It's a temporary fix, Admiral. I'm pretty sure the Reapers will be back." Shepard was tired and stood at parade rest, more to maintain posture and keep from slumping than for any measure of military protocol.

"Don't worry about that. I'm allocating a task force to maintain and defend the facility. If the Reapers return, we'll be ready." Hackett actually smiled. "I read Captain Riley's report; it says she and her team wouldn't have made it without you."

"No team of four would have made it alone." Shepard grimaced. "She still lost one in the fight."

"I saw that; Private Kozlo." Hackett's smile vanished. "Damn shame, but I'll see what I can do to find and notify any family."

"Thank you, Sir." Shepard felt ready to drop and ceased to care about proper military protocol. "Anything else, Sir? I'm beat and would really like to see my rack."

"Sorry, Shepard." Instead of being offended, Hackett actually chuckled. "I know you worked hard down there and I should be more considerate of that. I've got nothing else for now... other than you're to report back to the Citadel and make a second attempt at that shore leave; this time, it's a three-day minimum, but no lockdown."

Hackett paused and pursed his lips as if trying to make a decision. He nodded, mostly to himself, and then finished, "Councilor Tevos wanted to speak with you and I want your engineering and weapons teams to get together and make the Normandy the first to upgrade her Thanix cannon. You've got a crack team; I want any additional tweaks and fine-tuning done by your personnel to be recorded so we can repeat it on our remaining ships. Take a break, Shepard. Hackett, out."

* * *

**Citadel, Widow System, Apien Crest**

"Please, Shepard. I know you're extremely busy, but I would really like you and Dr T'Soni to come to dinner at my flat. I assume you remember how to get here?"

Shepard laughed, "Only if we're sneaking in your private entrance like I did last time, Tevos."

The councilor had the decency to blush, "Well... yes, actually. That _is_ what I envisioned."

Shepard didn't intend to embarrass the councilor, so stifled her urge to laugh again. "Sorry, Tevos. I was just joking." Shepard cast Liara a glance as she continued, "Actually, I am pretty tired and was _really_ looking forward to spending the night quietly at home with Liara. We don't get much time to do that."

"I see." Tevos sounded disappointed. "I didn't want to do this, but I really must see you both." She looked down at the floor, angry at herself for what she felt she needed to do. Her eyes came back up as she spoke. "I'm afraid I must _insist_, Commander. It's... important. _Very_ important."

Shepard's hackles came up, not because Tevos was practically ordering her to her flat, but because she suddenly had a gut feeling that something was wrong. Liara sensed the concern through the link and answered for them. "We'd be pleased to accommodate, Councilor. What time do you need us there?"

Once the conversation concluded and the screen went to black, Shepard turned sharply and ran up the stairs to the armory closet, quickly pulling out her gear bag. Liara was close on her heels. "Shepard? What in the galaxy is going on? What did you see or hear?"

"I don't know..." Shepard stopped and her troubled green eyes met Liara's. "I can't count the number of times I've spoken to Tevos... and I've never gotten the feeling I got from her on that vid call just now. Something's wrong, Liara... but I can't put my finger on it. We're not waiting for dinner; we're going right now."

Liara didn't hesitate; she pulled out her bag and started getting dressed as well. "We didn't get this far by doubting your instincts, Shepard. What am I wearing to dinner?"

The commander laughed, "I think your light armor ought to be sufficient. If nothing's wrong, you won't be _totally_ uncomfortable eating dinner in it."

Liara smiled, "And what of you in your full combat armor?"

Shepard smirked. "I'll just strip to my combat mesh. Won't be the first time Tevos has seen me without all my clothes on."

"And while I certainly appreciate the care she gave you when you were injured..." Liara gave her a smoldering glare, "That does _not_ mean you get to make a _habit_ of it, Samantha Shepard... _my_ Promised."

"Ooohhhh." Shepard growled playfully, "I _love_ when you get all possessive, T'Soni."

* * *

They arrived at the flat relatively quickly and Shepard waited at the door, while Liara and Riana hung back to give themselves time to react if things did not go... _favorably_. Shepard relaxed slightly when a very puzzled Huntress Nizia Tenir answered the door to see a fully armored Spectre standing before her. "Commander. It is very good to see you, but you are... a bit... _over dressed_... and somewhat _early_ for dinner?"

Shepard peered over her shoulder into the interior of the flat and saw nothing awry, before speaking very cautiously. "So... Nothing's going on? Nothing's wrong?"

"Not that I am aware of Shepard." Tenir frowned and glanced around nervously, "Please, come in from the balcony and we'll discuss it."

Shepard glanced at Liara and the three walked in, fully alert to their surroundings, only to find a startled looking Councilor Tevos staring at the fully armored _and armed_ individuals standing before her. "Goddess, Shepard! Has something happened?"

"I'm here to ask you the same question, Councilor. Your call was rather... disturbing. I got the sense there was something wrong, and I am seldom mistaken about such things."

"I am so sorry." Tevos shoulders slumped. "I have been needing to speak with you, and then after the assassination attempt... I simply could not put it off any longer, but I did not mean to alarm you."

"So you're good? You're not being held hostage or anything, being used as bait to lure us to our death? You're not indoctrinated and going to poison us at dinner?" The more Shepard spoke, the more ludicrous it all sounded, and her face was split with a smile by the time she ended with, "So, everything here is truly okay?"

Tevos' face had paled at the mention of being held hostage, but as Shepard continued, she realized the commander was saying whatever was coming to her mind. She finally laughed. "By the Goddess, you're _joking_. Yes, we truly are well. Thank you for your concern."

Shepard's smile turned to an expression of feigned irritation. "Then what the Hell was so urgent as to steal a rare night alone with my future bondmate?"

Tevos' laughter died away and her face turned somber. "You jest, but it truly _is_ a matter of great importance. Come. Let us sit and I will tell you why I asked you here."

They moved to the sitting room and Tevos' aid, Dalis, was setting up a decanter with wine. She stood, smiled and dipped her head in recognition. "It is good to see you all again. We were very pleased to hear of your escape from the assassin." Dalis didn't bat an eye at the unexpected third member of the party and casually tipped over an extra glass and poured an additional serving of wine for Riana.

"Thank you, Dalis." Liara smiled. "I never got to thank you for all the arrangements you made for our crew when we returned from ... the Terminus Systems. Your consideration and professionalism were noted. It is no small feat to impress a _Justicar_."

Dalis maintained her professional demeanor, but both Liara and Shepard could tell she was extremely pleased with the praise. "Thank you for your kind words, Doctor. If you need anything, please ask, but for now I must leave you to your business."

As soon as the door closed behind Dalis, Tevos got directly to the point. "The situation is growing urgent for the Asari homeworld. Reaper incursions are happening with more frequency and it is only a matter of time before they attack in force. We are not ready."

Shepard scoffed, "No one's been ready for the Reapers, Tevos. Not us, not the Turians. _Certainly_ not the Batarians."

Tevos took a deep breath and closed her eyes, gathering her courage for a major confession. "I am aware your Crucible is still missing a key component, and I fear the answer lies somewhere on Thessia."

Shepard folded her hands together and leaned forward in her chair. "The Catalyst! Do you _know_ something, Tevos?"

"Not exactly. But there is evidence of an... _artifact..._ on our homeworld, but its location is known only to the _highest_ levels of my government."

"An artifact?" Liara frowned. "On _Thessia_? What _kind_ of artifact?"

Tevos looked at the young researcher with regret written all over her face. "I honestly do not know, Liara, but everything I've heard about this artifact says that in the wrong hands, it would upset the balance of galactic power."

"The Reapers are doing that _now_!" Liara rolled her eyes, "_Goddess_! What are the Matriarchs _thinking_?"

Tevos shook her head and frowned, "For the first time in our history, the Matriarchal Forum is unsure what to do, so they do _nothing_. Their inaction makes Thessia vulnerable, yet they will not give you what you need. Revealing the information would constitute treason so each is loathe to be the first to suggest it, even though _all_ are thinking it."

Shepard stood and stared at the councilor. "So why would _you_ risk telling us if you can't give us any details?"

"Because I feel compelled to help you, Shepard. As the Asari Councilor and... as your _friend_. There has been _enough_ doubt on the part of the council and I can no longer abide with sitting and waiting. With _any_ luck it will be the means to help you locate the Catalyst." Tevos glanced around nervously, as if afraid of being discovered in her own home. "I have supporters who are trying to find it. As _soon_ as I have a location, I will provide you the coordinates and arrange for a team of scientists to meet you there."

"Thank you, Councilor. I appreciate any help you can give us." Shepard bowed gracefully. When she stood back upright, her expression was clouded. "Please, Tevos. Be careful in your search. Treason would be a difficult charge for even a _Spectre_ to protect you from."

Tevos stood and stepped forward, laying a hand gently on Shepard's forearm. "Thank you for your concern, but the information is much too important to let it remain hidden any longer; you _need_ it to help _all_ of us survive." Tevos paused, her eyes flicking to Liara and back to the commander before she continued, "Whether you realize it or not, Shepard, you and the Normandy have become the sole ray of hope in a _very_ dark night."


	36. Twists of Fate

Notes:

_Elasa_: pale green drink of complex flavors; sharp, cold, strong, lingering, bitter with undertone of tangy sweetness, nicknamed "Sorrow's Companion."

_Grá mo chroí_ \- Love of my heart

_Gráim thú_ \- I love you (Irish/Gaelic)

_I__onúin álainn_ \- beautiful beloved (Irish/Gaelic)

_Práta_ \- whitish root vegetable similar to a potato (also, Irish for potato)

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

_Tuinnín_ \- large, predatory schooling fish found in warm Thessian seas (also, Irish for tuna)

* * *

**Twists of Fate**

**Cronos Station, Anadius, Horse Head Nebula**

Maya Brooks had wasted no time in flying straight from the Citadel to the Pax System in the Horsehead Nebula. The FTL trip from the fuel depot to Anadius had taken a lot longer – over seven hours, compared to the half hour relay hop. She had set her ship's auto-pilot to the task of navigating to the outer boundary of the system; as it only had an asteroid belt circling the dying sun, she wanted to be awake for the final part of the journey to Cronos Station.

She left the ship as soon as she had touched down in the auxiliary hangar bay, pausing only long enough to instruct the service tech to refuel her ship and make it ready for an immediate departure – no telling where the Illusive Man would send her next, but she didn't wish to stay on this station any longer than necessary.

She only had to wait for a few minutes before the door to the inner sanctum was opened. Seeing the red giant Anadius through the massive rectangular viewport had always fascinated her; Cronos was orbiting close enough to the dying star that its entire northern hemisphere was visible from the 'throne', as she liked to think of it. The highly polished floor panels reflected the view, creating an illusion that the entire circumference could be seen. The Illusive Man's chair – his throne – sat right in the middle of the image when viewed from the entry door. She walked slowly towards him, heading for the spot in the floor to his left and ahead that allowed conversation without getting too close to him. She paused for a moment before turning towards the enigmatic man.

"Rasa. It would appear you had some success on the Citadel." He paused to take a drag from his ever present cigarette, continuing as he blew out a cloud of smoke. "Udina is dead, murdered in his secure cell by…" he paused to sip from the glass of bourbon, "… an assassin working for… Cerberus." He pinned her with his eyes. "I fail to see _any_ possible advantage to having Udina's murder credited to Cerberus. You should _not_ have left that dagger in his cell."

Brook's hackles came up instantly at his criticism. "I felt it necessary to show others that _any_ betrayal of Cerberus has _consequences_. I stand by my decision to leave my dagger behind."

His voice took on a sterner tone. "Do you also stand by your decision to attempt an unsanctioned murder of Commander Shepard in the middle of the Presidium?"

"I used _that_ as a distraction to slip into C-Sec Headquarter to get to Udina." Brooks was starting to regret coming here directly after killing Udina. "C-Sec sent a lot of manpower to investigate the shooting, making getting in and out of the detention blocks a hell of a lot easier." Throwing his own words back at him, she finished with, "You _said_ how I accomplished it was up to me."

The Illusive Man took another drag from his cigarette before stubbing it out in the ashtray on the right arm of his chair. Swirling the ice in his glass, he downed the rest of his drink, set the glass down and stood to face her. "Damn it, Rasa! I'm not _ready_ to give up on Shepard. You overstepped your bounds, and thanks to that little stunt you pulled, everyone in council space now knows what you look like, your aliases, all of it!" He pressed a pair of controls on his chair, bringing up a holographic Alliance News Network report on the incidents. He continued as it played in front of her, "With Kai Leng dead, the number of blade-wielding assassins working for Cerberus is quite limited. Shepard took her suspicions to a former operative of mine and was able to obtain a complete dossier on you… it was only a short leap for the commander to figure out _you_ were the assassin in Udina's cell _and_ the shooter on the Presidium."

Maya found it hard to believe her image and history was all over the news, but was really pissed at being pilloried by the Illusive Man for completing an assignment. "You tasked me with killing Udina and left the 'how' and 'when' up to me! The damned stupid bastard is dead, and except for a spot of ill luck, Shepard would also be _just_… _as_… _dead_. I very nearly accomplished what your augmented 'super-soldier' Kai Leng could not."

"Leng did not have _authorization_ to kill Shepard…" the Illusive Man's voice was dangerously cold. "…and neither do _you_! _I_ will decide when the commander's actions have become too intolerable for me to abide. Do not presume to know my wishes on this, am I making myself clear?"

Inside, Brooks was livid! How dare he berate her for doing her job? Outwardly, she schooled her expression and voice to reflect a calm demeanor as she simply answered, "Crystal."

"Good. And now that you _have_ tried… and thankfully _failed_ to kill Shepard, your usefulness for field assignments is virtually nil. You cannot safely show your face in Council Space again; even if I _was_ willing to spend the credits it would take to change your appearance, events taking place in the galaxy are moving too fast. We don't have the luxury of time that'd be needed for you to heal from the necessary radical changes. Your next assignment will have to be in non-council space." Lighting another cigarette, he took a long drag, blew out the fragrant smoke and dismissed her with, "Go get cleaned up and changed… Get something to eat and get some rest. I already have something else in mind for you; come see me in six hours." The Illusive Man retook his seat in the chair, crossed his legs and once again directed his gaze to the dying star around which Cronos Station orbited.

Having been casually dismissed, Brooks turned her back on the view and stalked away from the infuriating bastard. It never ceased to amaze her that _her_ way of completing assignments never met with approval, while Kai Leng, for all his many blunders along the way, including getting squashed like a cockroach against the underside of a Citadel bridge, was _still_ thought of as an ace, able to do no wrong. _ Shit! If I'm so bad at my fucking job, why doesn't he just fire me and be done?_ She knew the answer to the question almost before she finished thinking it. _No one gets out of Cerberus alive, not if __**he**__ can prevent it! Dirty son of a miserable bitch!_

* * *

**Embassy Housing, Citadel, Widow System**

Tevos stepped back, released her hold on Shepard's arm and closed her eyes. "Weighty subjects to be discussing on an empty stomach." She reopened her silver-gray eyes and placed a practiced councilor smile on her face as she finished, "I was planning on having the discussion after dinner, but..." Tevos' eyes brightened and her smile turned honest as she looked to the commander. "... as always, Shepard managed to turn life on its edge and make the galaxy move to her own rhythm. Let us sit as friends and enjoy some wine until dinner is ready."

Tevos gestured to the glasses already poured by Dalis. "Please, help yourselves. I'll let Dalis know it is safe for the staff to start the fish and move about the flat."

Shepard picked up a glass and leaned back on the couch with a smile on her face and eagerness in her voice. "Fish? Wouldn't happen to be _maanru_, would it?"

Tevos looked at her, eyes alight with wonder. "Shepard. You never do cease to _amaze_ me. I know it's not biologically possible, but I would swear you have Asari blood in you. You speak our language flawlessly... and, of all the fish on Thessia, how could you possibly like _maanru_? Most Humans find it much too pungent for their palate."

"Really?" Shepard looked curiously at Liara. "I find it rather tasty... but I also like Elasa, and I've seen the reactions of some of my crew when they drink it. Maybe because I'm a biotic and my body craves the sharpness of eezo?" She shrugged and took a sip of her wine.

Liara warmed with pleasure that Tevos would think of Samantha as Asari, no matter how illogical or vague the reference. She smiled as she spoke, "It's one of my favorites, and I introduced it to her. Based on the foods she enjoyed while visiting Thessia, I anticipated the _maanru_ would please her... and my assumption proved correct."

Tevos nodded with an approving smile on her face. "I will keep her predilection for the spice of Asari foods in mind for the future. Tonight, however..." Her gaze returned to the commander as she continued, "... we will be having _tuinnín_, much milder than _maanru_, with a mixed fruit salad and a root similar to your potato, called _práta_."

It wasn't long before a light knock at the doorway drew their attention to Dalis, who had stuck her head into the room. "Dinner is ready, Councilor."

* * *

**Citadel, Tiberius Towers Penthouse**

Dinner was excellent and it came as no surprise that Tevos had proven to be an excellent hostess; she, Dalis and Nizia maintained light and entertaining conversation, so much so that had the evening not started on such a tense note it may have been possible to forget they were at war with the Reapers. Shepard very much enjoyed the evening and was quickly reminded of how much pleasure she actually took in eating Thessian food at a table surrounded by beautiful Asari. Liara was quick to comment about that being a very good thing, since they planned to eventually settle at the Estate on Thessia, at some unknown date after the war.

When they finally returned to the penthouse, they were quickly reminded they were not alone by Traynor's exuberant welcome and a quiet Karin Chakwas sitting comfortably, sipping from a snifter of Serrice Ice Brandy and soaking up soothing heat in front of the fireplace. Shepard walked over and checked on her, found her quite content and, with a quick glance at Liara, bowed out to head upstairs and remove her armor. Karin smiled knowingly. "Go with her, Liara; I won't be the one responsible for keeping you apart during our extremely rare downtime."

"Thank you, Karin." Liara blushed slightly. "In case you hadn't noticed, Shepard and I... _reconnected_... and things are much better than they were the last time you and I spoke." She suddenly grinned like the Cheshire cat. "She gave me a key to the safe."

"Oh! Good for you, my girl!" Karin couldn't help the loud laugh that escaped her. "Did I not tell you that you were up to the challenge?"

"It was more _her_ doing than mine. I am simply happy to have the Samantha I know back at my side." Liara blew out a heavy breath through pursed lips. "It gives me hope that we'll actually _win_ this war."

Karin was still smiling as she patted her on the arm. "Believe in her, Liara, and she'll move the heavens for you. That woman would do _anything_ for you."

"I know, Karin." Liara smiled shyly. "And I love her dearly for it." She suddenly stood up. "And now, I'm going to take your advice and go join her. We'll see you in the morning."

Liara said goodnight to Riana and Traynor and moved up the stairs with much less patience and poise than befitted the leader of House T'Soni. She walked into the room and touched the control panel to the right of the door; the door slid shut with a hiss as she stepped into the armory next to Shepard to drop all her armor back into a gear bag.

Liara was focused on the task at hand and was nearly done when she felt... _something_... tickle the back of her mind. She stopped and turned to look back over her shoulder, to find Shepard leaning against the opposite wall in nothing but a pair of loose fitting, Alliance-blue cotton lounge pants and a compression tank top. Samantha was standing on only one foot, with her second placed idly across at the ankles, her arms crossed loosely below her chest and one shoulder to the wall. Her face carried a smitten grin and her eyes were narrowed in concentration as she watched the Asari get undressed. For her outwardly relaxed appearance, Shepard almost had the look of a hungry predator watching its prey.

Shepard's smile turned up a notch once she realized she had been caught. "Hey, you."

Liara blushed without really knowing why, other than being self-conscious under such scrutiny. "Hey, yourself. What are you doing?"

Shepard laughed lightly as she dropped her arms, pushed off the wall and took a couple of steps to get closer so she could run her fingertips gently up the Asari's right arm. "Me? I'm observing the angel of my dreams slowly getting naked before my very eyes... one article of clothing at a time." Shepard's voice dropped, both in pitch and volume. "And I think I like the show. A lot."

With that, she stepped up directly behind Liara and ran her left hand up the Asari's left side and onto her back. Her right hand came up to join in and she started to massage her lover's shoulders with soft, gentle strokes. Her voice was low and husky as she spoke. "You're tense. You worried about Thessia?"

Liara drew a deep breath and attempted to relax, but had little success. "Yes and no. I am, but not in how you imagine. This artifact Tevos spoke of. The Asari were major players in the establishment of Council Law. The punishments are severe for hoarding Prothean technology, and if we _are_ holding an artifact of such importance..."

Liara's voice tapered off and Shepard picked up her train of thought. "Then why don't any of the other races know about it, and why hasn't it been brought forward to assist in the war?"

"Exactly." Liara's shoulders slumped. "_Goddess_, Shepard. If the Catalyst data _is_ contained within whatever this artifact is... and the Asari have kept it _hidden_ all this time, the Matriarchy is responsible for _millions_ of deaths!"

"None of which you can change at this point and which is nothing every other race isn't also doing at the same time. We _all_ keep our secrets. The _main_ thing is that the Crucible isn't _ready_ yet." Shepard turned Liara around and looked into her stormy blue eyes. "As long as Tevos is successful and we get the Catalyst data before that time, it will make absolutely _no_ difference in the war, whatsoever." Shepard sighed. "However, if we _finish_ the Crucible and the Asari government is keeping essential data from us, everyone who dies between then and whenever we get the information... _That's_ on their heads. Every last one of them."

Shepard drew her close, pulling Liara to her until their cheeks were touching. "And there is no sense in you worrying about it, because you can't change it. Simply trust that Tevos will make it happen in time."

"I'll try." Liara leaned into the embrace and let herself be encapsulated by Shepard's reassuring strength. "I've always thought so highly of the Asari long-view. The other races, Humans included, always seemed to be in such a hurry... which I _understood_, because of their shorter lifespans." Liara exhaled heavily and snuggled into the crook of Shepard's neck as she continued, "But now, I realize there are times when one _must_ be able to act quickly and, at present, the Asari seem unable to respond to the need. The ruling matriarchs are much too set in their ways."

"That's why people like Tevos..." Shepard hugged Liara tightly. "... and _you_ are so important right now. To push those issues and take the necessary actions to force the Matriarchy to open their eyes." Shepard pushed back a bit and looked into Liara's eyes for the briefest of moments. "_Gráim thú, I__onúin álainn_." She closed her eyes and took Liara's soft lips upon her own, kissing her sweetly as she felt her heart patter with happiness and devotion for the Asari in her arms.

When they broke, Shepard's voice was hushed as if in denial of what she was about to mention. "Now, as much as I hate to say it, I have some work to do. There are probably a dozen messages that came in during dinner that I need to at least _listen_ to, if not respond to as well." Shepard reluctantly pushed back as she finished, "So, I'll be downstairs in the office."

Liara inquired teasingly, "Can't we just snuggle on the bed while you work from your omnitool?"

Shepard smirked in response and laughed as she answered, "We certainly _could_... but _you'll_ have to put clothes on or I won't be able to concentrate in the slightest."

Liara's brow markings rose and her hand feathered tantalizingly down Shepard's cheek and across her chest. Her voice remained teasing as she spoke. "Did you think I would be so brazen as to endeavor to distract the great Commander Shepard while she attempted to focus on such important work?"

"There isn't any doubt in my mind, Liara." The radiant lopsided smile that erupted onto Shepard's face almost broke Liara's resolve to permit Shepard to do what she needed.

The Asari much preferred to leave the messages for the morning, but knew Shepard wouldn't sleep well unless she was confident nothing important had slipped her notice. "_Goddess_. I have every intention of letting you work, but you do make it _terribly_ difficult sometimes... and you accuse _me_ of being the temptress."

Shepard let out a robust laugh before responding. "Fine. You get dressed and I'll be perched on the bed, eagerly awaiting my _Little Wing_ landing beside me."

Shepard climbed up on the bed and opened her omnitool; her messages were mostly routine, including notes from XO Vakarian regarding the cannon upgrade. Garrus anticipated it would take the engineering crew, Edi and himself a solid three days to complete the upgrade and additional calibrations the new system would require. He had hoped to get Shepard to the Armax Arena, but it didn't seem like it was going to fit into his schedule this trip.

The one message that truly caught her attention was from an unrevealed sender; Shepard smirked, thinking Liara had sent her something from the Broker Network to beguile her, and opened it. Liara entered the main bedroom just in time to hear Shepard exclaim, "Shit! You have _got_ to be fucking _kidding_ me!"

"Shepard?" Liara's eyes pinched in concern and she hurried to the bedside. "What's the matter? What's happened?"

Shepard's eyes were closed and her countenance grim. She opened her eyes and played the encrypted message again, her troubled frown never wavering; it was from none other than Aria T'Loak. "Shepard. It's time to repay that debt you owe me. I've assembled a team to retake Omega and the only thing I'm missing is a ground assault specialist. That specialist is _you_. I've attached the coordinates. And Shepard... remember our agreement. Make sure it's _only_ you... let's just say I want you all to myself for a few days. Have a shuttle drop you off... solo. The fleet is awaiting your arrival so we can depart; I expect you first thing in the morning. Don't keep me waiting, _Commander_."

Liara's countenance shifted immediately from concern to malice. "The _nerve_! She may be Queen of _Omega_, but who is she to demand your presence as if you were her personal _servant_?"

Shepard stood from the bed and gave her head a light shake as she clenched her teeth at the timing of Aria's request. "I have to go, Li."

Liara glared at her. "You _have_ to do no such thing. You are on a rest period... which we both sorely need."

"Liara." Shepard's green eyes came up to meet Thessian blue ice. "The debt she is speaking of...? I agreed to provide my services at some undesignated time in the future... in exchange for the safe passage of all the personnel still aboard the Normandy when we returned from the Omega-4 Relay."

"That's not even possible, Shepard!" She would have explained further, but Liara cut her off. "You were hurt... _terribly_... and weren't even _conscious_! How could you possibly have made any type of deal when you arrived at Omega?"

"You know me better than that." Shepard looked at her with tremendous forbearance as she stepped up to the obviously distraught Asari, "It's not something I could leave to chance. We decided on that course of action the same time we prepared my announcement... which _Jacob_ ended up giving because of my post-mission injuries."

"_We_ did no such thing... So you must be referring to you and Miranda." The Asari's eyes glittered dangerously. "You're smarter than that, Shepard!" The commander took a step back and crossed her arms, trying to remain calm and resisting the urge to argue as her lover continued her tirade. "With such an open-ended offer, you had to _know_ T'Loak would demand some _ridiculous_ compensation for safeguarding the lives of known terrorists!"

"_Liara_!" Her last statement had gone too far for the commander to maintain her silent restraint. "Those _terrorists_ were my _crew_ when the Council and the Alliance _both_ gave me nothing but grief! Those people put their lives on the line and almost lost _everything_ in order to support me and the battle against the Collectors!" Her arms dropped to her sides and her hands balled into tight fists as she tried to divert her displeasure through physical exertion. "_You_ personally handed me the list of the eighteen who _did_ give the ultimate sacrifice! I was actually _relieved_ when T'Loak didn't ask for anything _more_..."

Shepard paused and her eyes took on a shadowed look, almost haunted, as she continued. "To guarantee the safety of everyone aboard after we returned, _including_ Riana... and _you_ at that point, I would have given Aria just about anything. Hell, I would have given her the damn _Normandy_ if she'd asked for it!"

"So instead, you promised her _you_?" In her frustration, Liara spat the words out before she thought of how they could be interpreted.

Shepard fell silent and stared at her lover in a mixture of distress and surprise, her hands falling open in shock; her blood ran cold at the very _thought_ of 'promising' herself to Aria T'Loak. Of all the words Liara could have chosen, _that_ one definitely had additional connotations that Shepard would _never_ entertain in regards to the Queen of Omega. She turned her back on Liara, unable to look her in the eye as she choked out her next words. "I can't believe you just _said_ that, _Grá mo chroí_." Shepard walked to the door and tapped the control panel. "I would _never_..." She couldn't finish the sentence and simply walked out, leaving a frustrated and confused Liara behind.

Liara sat down on the edge of the bed, dumbfounded that Shepard had actually walked _out_ on her, and uncertainty gradually replaced her blind anger at the gall of Aria's request. The link was a jumbled mess of confused images and, at first, Liara couldn't tell what Shepard was thinking nor why she had looked so... _anguished_... when she left. She took a deep breath and focused her mind on the conversation, replaying it in her head. Liara was about to tell herself she had no idea what had just happened when her memory recall finally zeroed in on a word that carried great significance to the Asari... and apparently to her Human as well. _Promised_.

"Oh, _Goddess_!" Liara leapt to her feet and rushed to the door to track Shepard down and beg forgiveness as she realized that she had basically just accused her _siame_ of infidelity... with _Aria T'Loak_, of all Asari! Shepard had _always_ been sensitive to that very issue... honest relationships were _never_ to be treated casually in her mind; Shepard would _never_ be with someone else while promised to Liara. _**Goddess**__, T'Soni! When will you learn to __**think**__ before you speak under the heat of emotion?_

Liara almost tripped down the steps in her haste, only to find the downstairs mostly dark, with little but the glow from the fireplaces to light her way. She had assumed Samantha would go to the penthouse 'gym' but, as she got to the bottom of the steps, she remembered the room was occupied by Traynor and Riana. She paused and glanced around, her heart clenched in regret as she thought, _you are such an __**idiot**_. She had just begun to think Shepard may have left the apartment to take a walk, when she heard the clink of ice in a glass... somewhere off to her right.

Liara walked timorously around the corner and immediately spied Shepard behind the bar, _downing_ a glass of Elasa. Her feet were determined to falter, but Liara took a deep breath, pushed herself forward, and slid onto the first barstool, Shepard all but ignoring her arrival as she refilled her glass. Liara stared at the bar for a moment and finally managed to squeak out a few quiet words. "Might I have one of those, please?"

Liara's eyes and wet cheeks glistened in the flickering light from the fireplace off to her right as Shepard pulled out a second glass; the tinkle of ice seemed to roar like the calving of a giant glacier in the oppressive silence. Shepard poured her a drink and set it softly on the bar in front of the Asari; their fingertips brushed as Liara took the glass and the Asari blanched as Shepard snatched her hand back from the inadvertent contact. Liara took a long pull from the glass before looking up to meet Shepard's hooded eyes, but the commander immediately looked away, turned and walked slowly to the fireplace, staring into the flickering flames as her thoughts continued to scatter and jump around in her head.

Liara swallowed the lump in her throat and corralled a sob, but was unable to stop additional tears from forming in her eyes. She stood slowly and walked up behind Shepard, laying a hand gently on the commander's shoulder; her heart skipped painfully when she felt Samantha tense under her touch, but grateful when Shepard did not pull away. They spoke at the same time.

"I would never _do_ that to you, Liara." "I did not mean that how it _sounded_, Samantha."

Shepard shrugged off her touch and turned slowly to look at the Asari. Her expression was shielded as she asked, "Then what exactly _did_ you mean, Liara?"

Liara's voice was soft and full of contrition as she whispered, "Certainly not that. _Promised_ was an extremely poor word choice on my part. I didn't intend to infer... I know you would never... It's simply that..." Liara blinked and sighed quietly, tears running unchecked down her face. "Goddess. There's nothing _simple_ about it. All I know is I'm an _idiot_ and didn't think before I spoke. I know you would _never_ do such a thing as my words implied. You must _never_ doubt that I trust you implicitly, _Siame_. I am so sorry."

Shepard sighed and took a sip of her Elasa, her free hand coming up to rub her forehead after the glass dropped away from her lips. "I know you trust me, Blue... So what, _exactly_, distresses you about me going to Omega with Aria? You _know_ we need the resources she can provide for the war, Liara... and we _can't_ leave Cerberus unchecked in the Terminus."

"Can we sit, please?" Liara was still extremely tired from the earlier mission on Cyone, and even though the evening at Tevos' apartment proved to be more relaxed than they had anticipated, they hadn't yet had any opportunity to rest. She also knew Shepard _had_ to be feeling the same sense of exhaustion.

Shepard nodded and they moved back to the bar, sitting in silence on adjacent stools.

Liara set her glass down and pushed it away, crossed her arms on the bar and dropped her head down, mumbling into her sleeve. "I can't believe I'm actually _jealous_ of Aria T'Loak." She sat back up and shook her head at Shepard's snort of... what? Amusement? "No. _That's_ not right, either. It's not jealousy... While I trust _you_, I hold a terrible _distrust_ of that pompous, glorified, merc who calls herself queen. And it makes me _incredibly_ angry she would pick _now_ to decide to retake Omega... and dictate that you _must_ go alone. I feel, somehow, she did this purposely to disrupt our scant personal time."

"I won't argue _that_ point with you." Shepard reached over tentatively with her left hand and laid it gently upon Liara's arm. "Li, I'm _sure_ she knows we declared our engagement... and she _loves_ to play mind games. She probably _practiced_ that little speech before calling, solely with the purpose of getting under your skin."

"And _I_ can't help but let it work... and knowing you are most likely correct makes it even _worse_!" Liara growled in frustration, "Damn it all. I'm sorry, Shepard, but when it comes to _you_, I have very little tolerance of those I feel are a threat. I _truly_ did not intend to infer, in any way, that I do not trust you; I would never question your love for me. I _know_ better. I simply don't. trust. _Aria_."

Shepard pulled Liara's arm and swiveled both their stools so they were facing one another. She took Liara's hands gently in her own and spoke very softly. "On that point, we are in complete agreement, because neither do I. You know... in a way, it's flattering. That you would get so worked up over my spending time with another woman." For the first time since the beginning of the entire conversation, Shepard let a small laugh escape her lips. "And I know you'd _much_ prefer to go with me, but it _is_ Omega... so it's Aria's rules."

Liara's eyes darkened as she growled, "Her _rules_ only go so far when it comes to _us_. I do not like that she plays games with our _relationship_... and she has no _idea_ what I am now capable of." Liara's eyes suddenly brightened as a new string of thoughts crossed her mind. "Unknown to her, the rules of the game have just changed." The Asari let out a little laugh and she noticeably relaxed. "Oh, she'll _get_ Omega back... but she'll never truly _rule_ it again. I swear to you, she'll be a figurehead Queen if it's the _last_ thing I do."

"Liara?" Shepard looked at the Asari worriedly. "_That_ makes me a tad bit nervous. You're not planning to take _over_ Omega? Are you?" Shepard's brow furrowed with worry lines.

"No, Love." Liara reached up and brushed her fingertips tenderly across her lover's forehead as if to sooth away her concern. "But I _am_ going to find someone who _will_."

The commander's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Please talk to me before you actually _do_ anything?" Shepard felt a bit better about the idea, but was far from feeling comfortable with it.

"Absolutely." Liara reached back and reclaimed her glass. She downed her Elasa and glanced over at Shepard's glass, still sitting on the bar. The commander took the hint and tipped hers up as well, the remnants slipping easily down her throat. As the glasses hit the counter, Liara slid off the stool and held out her hand in invitation, smiling with contentment as Samantha interwove their fingers. "Thank you, Sam."

"For?" Shepard stood quietly and pulled the Asari to her.

"For forgiving an insecure and flighty maiden, inexperienced in love, her foibles." Liara felt heat rush to her cheeks and knew it had nothing to do with their proximity to the fireplace.

Shepard laughed quietly. "Not exactly how _I'd_ describe Dr Liara T'Soni, leader of House T'Soni, savior of the Savior of the Citadel, and Shadow Broker extraordinaire."

They both let out relaxing sighs and leaned their foreheads together, standing in the warmth of each other's embrace. After a few moments, Shepard whispered quietly, "I'm tired, Blue. Shall we retire for the evening?" Liara's response was a quick peck on the commander's lips before she turned and started toward the stairs. Her hand caught Samantha's and she gave it a small tug, to which Shepard happily responded. They climbed the stairs hand-in-hand, stripped and slipped into sleep, each wrapped in the comforting embrace of the other.

* * *

**Enroute - Omega, Sahrabarik, Omega Nebula**

As they approached the rendezvous coordinates provided by Aria, Shepard quickly realized the Asari had somehow commandeered a Cerberus heavy cruiser. The commander had been delivered solo to the flagship of the Omega fleet, but the Normandy shuttle had carried an extra passenger; Liara was still feeling terribly guilty for raising such a fuss about Shepard's departure to help Aria and had insisted on coming along. Even though she recognized the necessity of locking in Omega's resources, Liara absolutely _hated_ the idea of Shepard spending two full days under the thumb of that _particular_ Asari. The Queen had already shown a predatory interest in the commander, and on her own station, well... Liara didn't want to think about what Aria might attempt. She trusted Shepard to the ends of the universe but didn't trust Aria enough to have her watch over a pet _fish_, much _less_ the love of her life.

Hence, Liara had found herself on the shuttle begging last minute forgiveness from the person who meant more to her than life itself. Shepard, of course, had already forgiven her after they talked it through the night before, but Liara needed the reassurance... _and_ she wanted to give Shepard an _unforgettable_ reminder of the love held for her... just before the commander stepped over the threshold onto Aria's command ship. A little bit of her even hoped Aria would come to the shuttle to personally welcome Shepard aboard and witness the farewell between them.

Shepard had been surprised when _those_ thoughts came through the link and Liara had blushed deeply when she realized Shepard had 'heard' her but, combined with the actual farewell kiss the Asari imparted upon her, it certainly did leave a _lasting_ impression. So lasting, as a matter of fact, that Shepard suddenly realized she had absolutely no idea what Aria was saying because her mind was _still_ on the shuttle... more appropriately, still on a certain Dr T'Soni she had just left behind. Aria glowered at her. "You didn't hear a damn thing I just said, did you?"

Shepard scratched at the back of her neck and smirked. "Nope. Gotta admit my mind was still on the Normandy shuttle there."

"Athame's tits, Shepard. Pull your head out of your Asari's fucking azure and pay attention. I wanted you along because you're supposedly the best... but if you're not going to be focused, tell me now so you don't get me fucking killed." Aria's glare and tone of voice had her staff taking a couple of steps back, ensuring they wouldn't get caught in the explosion, if it came.

It became quickly apparent to Shepard that Liara's little ploy had worked very well at making the queen extremely agitated and she smirked. Even though she hadn't been at the hatch when Shepard came aboard, it was apparent she had at least seen it through a surveillance camera. "Nice. Threaten the help. That may work on Omega, Aria, but it won't work with me. Not now. Not ever." Shepard raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms, not in the least bit intimidated. "Don't you worry about _me_; when we hit the ground, I'll _be_ focused. Make sure _you_ are as well, so you can keep up."

The bridge crew on Aria's command vessel all turned away and tried to melt into obscurity and become invisible, every single one acting as if they hadn't heard a single word of the exchange. Aria's eyes narrowed to dangerous slits but, after a few seconds, she started to laugh. "Goddess be damned, Shepard. That's why I like you... You stand up to me and there isn't a trace of false bravado in the package. You _actually_ think you could _beat_ me."

It was Shepard's turn to laugh. "There's no _think_ about it, Aria. Now get on with it; what the Hell's the plan?"


	37. Omega: The Landing

Notes:

Graal - Krogan double-barreled shotgun-class weapon that shoots large spikes; the oversized flechettes are designed to pierce Thresher Maw hide and create deep wound channels and massive blood loss

_Kaffe - _equatorial Thessian vine, the seeds of which are used to produce a non-alcoholic beverage of the same name, the taste described as a mix of coffee and chocolate; blends originating in Dassus are considered among the best.

SMG - SubMachine Gun

* * *

**Omega - The Landing **

**Enroute - Omega, Sahrabarik, Omega Nebula**

Aria's eyes narrowed once again as she grumbled, "I _was_ getting on with it, only you weren't exactly paying _attention_." She rolled her eyes in annoyance. "I _hate_ repeating myself, but since my life depends on your actions, I'll do it. _This_ time. Apparently, you're more of a visual person, so maybe pictures will help keep your attention." She pulled up information on her datapad and passed it to Shepard before continuing, "The plan is simple. I've amassed a fleet of merc ships; we're going to punch through the defensive perimeter, board the station and kick Cerberus _off_ of Omega."

Aria stepped up to the central control room display and activated a file. The image of a Cerberus general popped into the air before them. "This is Oleg Petrovsky. He's the one who... _ousted_ me. He's the Illusive Man's top military strategist and best kept secret... and why I need _you_. Once we get on the station, the battle will be a ground war." Aria's eyes riveted on Shepard as she continued, "And you're the best there is... so _you're_ going to win it for me."

"I have no idea who he is or how he fights." Shepard studied the holographic image before her. "What have you got on him?"

"All you need to know is that he's a merciless bastard," Aria scowled in response. "He's precise and ruthless... and he'll stop at nothing to win."

Shepard immediately scoffed, "Not exactly sound tactical data to work from. Besides, a lot of people would say the same about you."

The commander was surprised when Aria actually smiled. "What can I say? I worked hard to _take_ Omega and I worked hard to keep it, Shepard; I'll work even harder to get it _back_... and to make sure no one _ever_ takes it from me again."

"I need intel, Aria." Shepard growled. "You want me to win this, I need to know the situation on the ground."

"Fine." Aria hated to confess she knew nothing of value, but had little choice. "Petrovsky's army is massive and the station is locked down... tight. The information stops there." She saw the scowl on the commander's face deepening and scoffed. "Goddess. Don't get your tits in a twist, Shepard. There are secrets to Omega that only a privileged few know; _I'll_ get us in and _you'll_ get us to where we need to be. From there, we'll have a base from which to collect the information we need... so we can plan our attack." Her face took on a feral grin. "And when Omega is mine again, I'll give you everything. I've got ships, mercs, eezo... all yours for the war."

Shepard nodded in acceptance. "So, what's the condition of your merc fleet?"

Aria toggled a switch on the central control panel and Petrovsky's image was replaced by an Asari. Aria queried abruptly, "Jarral. Status?"

"We're out-shipped four-to-one and most of our vessels are transports and freighters with limited firepower." Shepard was surprised that Aria put up with the tone of the mystery Asari's statement.

Aria was dismissive in her response. "We're not here to win a _space_ battle, Jarral. We just need to break through their line."

Shepard's eyebrows rose. "Let me guess. You plan on going in first with this Cerberus Cruiser to infiltrate the enemy fleet... and then cause confusion in the back ranks as _your_ fleet comes to join us."

"Await my orders, Jarral." Aria terminated the connection before turning to Shepard. "Close, but not quite. We'll position ourselves for a single, crippling blow. Then, while the rest of my forces join the fun, we'll use the diversion to make for a secret secure dock."

"So you're willing to let all of them get _killed_, just so _you_ can get on the station?" Shepard's heart skipped, unsure if she could work with someone who would sacrifice an entire _fleet_ so casually, no matter _what_ Aria could bring to the fight against the Reapers.

"Of course not!" Aria growled, "_We_ need to get aboard and disable the defenses as quickly as possible so the rest of the fleet can _join_ us! That's your _first_ task." She pulled up her omnitool and forwarded a schematic to Shepard. "This is where we land... and this is where we need to go. Once the defenses are down and the fleet starts coming in, we'll meet them at a secure bunker."

"Which is where?" Shepard studied the schematics as if her life depended on it... which it very likely did.

"Which is someplace I'll show you later... _after_ we drop the defenses." Aria chuckled. "Relax, Shepard. We've been planning this for weeks. For now, sit back and let me steer."

Shepard frowned. "Not exactly the best start to our _partnership_, Aria."

Aria scowled in response and turned toward the forward view screen, speaking as she walked away from the commander. "How things _begin_ isn't nearly as important as how they end, Shepard." When she arrived at her destination, she spoke firmly. "Bray, move through the relay. Signal the fleet to wait. They follow only on _my_ command."

* * *

Initially, Aria's plan seemed to work; as they emerged from the relay, she directed Bray to head toward the Cerberus command ship. When challenged, Bray played a recording of a Captain Lentz... whom Aria had _somehow_ coerced into providing his authentication codes. Shepard didn't want to know how the Pirate Queen... _convinced_... him or what happened to the man after he gave them up, so didn't ask. Aria had taken a deep breath in preparation as they approached the vessel; when they got within range, she commanded sharply, "Fire!", quickly followed by a command for Bray to signal the remaining fleet through the relay.

As her ships poured through the relay to join the battle, Aria spoke to Bray again. "They're through. Head straight for the station."

Bray was the model of calm efficiency as he entered the course change into the console. "We're being hailed by the General."

Aria glanced at the commander. "Want to meet your competition?"

"Absolutely." Shepard nodded sharply. "Should be informative."

Aria turned and moved quickly back to the central display, leaning casually on the rail. Shepard stayed put and watched from behind as a holo image of Petrovsky coalesced above its center.

"_Aria_." Petrovsky crossed his arms in disdain. "I knew it had to be you. You'll _never_ make it. Call it off... Now."

Aria's face carried a smug expression. Her voice carried what could almost be characterized as amusement, had the circumstances not been so tense. "You're barking up the wrong tree, General, but maybe you can convince my partner..." She stepped aside, revealing Shepard as the commander took a step up to stand beside the Asari.

Petrovsky's voice sounded honestly intrigued as he responded. "Commander Shepard. I've heard great things about you."

"Certainly not from the Illusive Man." Shepard shrugged in dismissal. "I doubt he thinks of me that highly."

"You might be surprised..." Petrovsky's voice turned hard as he continued, "but I do my _own_ research, Commander. A _pity_ you abandoned Cerberus... though, we _all_ sabotage ourselves in nefarious ways; perhaps deep down you _fear_ success."

Shepard surprised Aria by chuckling. "Or perhaps I refuse to be a lapdog to a madman Hell-bent on being dictator to the galaxy."

Petrovsky's reaction to her laugh was hard to read. His eyes narrowed as his right hand came up to stroke his beard and he seemed to study the commander as he made his next statement. "Aria clearly thinks seeing you will unsettle me. Now it's _my_ turn." His hand dropped and he scowled at the Asari. "I see you've gone to the trouble of upgrading that ship with Silaris armor. An exorbitant waste of time and money. While you've been... relaxing... at Purgatory, I've been upgrading Omega's outer defenses; my canons will cut through you with ease."

Shepard raised her eyebrows and glanced at Aria. "He sounds pretty confident."

Aria responded without even glancing at Shepard, and she sounded disgusted. "Yeah. He does."

Petrovsky sounded smug. "So, again. I say turn _back_."

"Let's see what you've _got_, Oleg." Aria growled, "End transmission."

Shepard crossed her arms and turned to her. "So what's next? He sounded like he's been expecting you... and prepared accordingly."

Once Petrovsky's image was gone, Aria laughed. "Don't worry, Shepard. It was _never_ my plan to actually _fight_ our way to the station. The armor is for show; it's not truly Silaris." She turned quickly. "Bray! Initiate the preset course. Everyone, brace for impact!" She looked back at Shepard, "Omega's cannons are the _least_ of my concerns. The station's kinetic barrier will keep my ships from landing; What Petrovsky thinks to be armor plates are in reality disruptors... designed to take the barrier down on impact."

"And we _are_ going to survive the crash, right?" Shepard found it hard to believe even _Aria_ was _that_ crazy.

"Probably." Aria turned to Shepard with a wolfish grin. "And, if not, it won't matter anyway, will it?"

* * *

**Citadel, Widow System, Apien Crest**

Specialist Samantha Traynor was strolling along the wide avenue near the penthouse apartment in which she was spending, along with a few of the Normandy's ground team, some well-deserved downtime from the constant trips through the relays to get from one stinking Hellhole of a planet or moon to another. She was accompanied by Asari vanguard Riana Iregos; together, the pair was shopping for food, especially those items needed by the two Asari on the team, to stock both the apartment's cupboards and those of the Normandy.

This area of the Citadel boasted a number of 'Asari exclusive' shops; Traynor was keeping Riana busy answering questions about almost everything she saw on display in the windows of the shops lining the avenue. There were small boutiques featuring some of the most stylish gowns and dresses she had ever seen; there were other storefronts carrying everything a commando could possibly need for personal protection. Leathers and armor plating of every possible color and weight, weapons from most of the major manufacturers, high-end omnitools, and even some weapons that were deceptively disguised as everyday objects, meant to be used in clandestine operations.

It was all endlessly fascinating to Samantha, who hardly _ever_ got to leave the Normandy for any length of time; it didn't hurt that her 'tour' guide happened to be the person for whom she had fallen head-over-heels in love. Her fascination with all things Asari quickly grew as she spotted one object in a store featuring an eclectic mix of Asari and Human household and kitchen items. She rapidly devised a scheme that would allow her to look without Riana tagging along – she told Riana to go into the Asari warfare store to look around while she looked in the housewares store, telling her she'd meet her in twenty-five minutes right where they were standing.

Riana surprised her by readily agreeing to the arrangement, as she really wanted to shop for additional medium armor to augment her commando leathers. As soon as she left to walk back to the Asari Armory shop, Traynor walked into the housewares store and strolled straight to the object that had caught her eye. The Asari shopkeeper came over to talk to her, saying, "We don't see very many Humans in our store, so welcome. I am owner and sole proprietor, Simuil T'Dela… how may I assist you today?"

Traynor glanced at the clerk as she indicated the object that had caught her eye. "Would it be possible for me to see how this operates? A… friend… on board my ship recently introduced me to _Kaffe_, and expressed unhappiness at not having a proper press. I do not know what is required to make a good cup of the beverage, although the cup she made for me tasted _very_ good. I understand the best beverages start with a good press, so…?"

Fortunately for Traynor, this Asari wasn't a 'customer be damned, profits over everything' type; she genuinely cared that her customers purchased exactly what they needed. "You serve on a ship? And I would guess this 'friend' you speak of is an Asari, yes?"

Traynor blushed slightly as she nodded and said as much as she dared. "Our jobs take us pretty far afield, Ms T'Dela, and we seldom put in to port for any length of time, so whatever I buy will need to be very good quality." Traynor looked down at the floor for a moment before looking back up and adding, "This is the first chance I've had to do any _real_ shopping since… the beginning of the Reaper invasion.

"That is most interesting, Ms…?"

"…Traynor – Samantha Traynor."

"I am very pleased to make your acquaintance, Ms Traynor. So, you wish to make _Kaffe_ from the dried seeds, then. It would taste quite different from what your friend served you, I am sure. Making _Kaffe_ from pre-processed seeds is certainly quicker and easier, but the loss in fresh flavor can certainly be tasted by those with discerning palates. Whole seeds retain their flavor for much longer than pre-processed… you can store a five or six month supply on a space-going vessel without having to worry the flavor will diminish over time. Powdered Kaffe seeds have been exposed to an atmosphere, however briefly, during processing; they lose flavor quite rapidly, even in an airtight package. Best not keep them more than two months or so if you want to really savor the taste."

Simuil waved a hand at the press Traynor was looking at, she said, "_This_ press would certainly be adequate for your needs, but I am guessing you would like to have one that will not let you down by breaking in the middle of a trip." The Asari gently took Traynor by her upper arm and steered her to the rear of the small shop, where she opened a small cabinet and pulled out a rather elegant looking _Kaffe_ press. "Now, this _is_ a bit more expensive than the one that brought you into my shop, but if you are serving on a ship that's out of port for any length of time, you require something that will not breakdown under prolonged use. This one can even be operated manually, but its main power source is a fairly robust, yet compact, eezo cell and comes with a standard 100-year guarantee. Would you like me to demonstrate?"

"That would be wonderful, but I don't have much time." Traynor looked nervously at her chrono and out in front of the shop. "My friend is due back in a very few minutes, and I don't want her to see me looking at this." Sammi found herself blushing again as she turned back to Simuil and said, "Truth is, I'd… like to surprise her with this… as a gift. I've never seen one in use, so wouldn't be able to make an intelligent choice of what to buy her even _with_ a demonstration. She _did_ say blends originating in Dassus are considered among the best… she learned how to properly make_ Kaffe_ from a friend who was raised there."

"Well, they all operate in a similar manner, so issues of quality aside, I am sure that whichever one you purchase will be enjoyed equally well." The Asari placed a thumb under her chin, fingers curled in front as she thought about this Human and her friend. Traynor was totally unprepared when Simuil smiled and asked, "You're in love with her, aren't you?

Samantha had a difficult time answering as she coughed and nearly choked from surprise. Gasping for air, she asked, "Is it _that_ bloody obvious?"

T'Dela chuckled as she responded, "Well, if you were not obvious before, your reaction to my question certainly confirms my suspicions. I'll make you a deal, Ms Traynor. I want you to have _this_ press, so I'll give you a fifteen percent discount from the regular price. It will still cost you more than the first one you saw, but I think your… friend… will be impressed with your thoughtfulness."

Sammi thought for a moment before asking, "How about twenty percent? It _is_ for a good cause. There are a couple of other Asari on the ship who would probably enjoy freshly made _Kaffe_ once they are aware there's a way for it to be made.

It was T'Dela's turn to ponder for a few moments. She grinned at her customer as she replied, "You bargain as if you were instructed by a Volus. How about a seventeen percent discount? I don't think you could find a press of this quality for less money anywhere else on the Citadel; it would even be difficult to find on the homeworld."

"Done. Would it be possible for you to have it delivered to my lockbox? Here's the code number…," Sammi activated her omnitool, made two entries (one for the delivery location, the other to pay for her purchase), then brought her forearms up and held her hands out, palms up.

Simuil looked at her in surprise before gently laying her own hands on top of Samantha's. "I see you have been studying our ways, Ms Traynor… very good and, I must say, quite rare among Humans. I will have this press gift boxed and wrapped for you. It shall be delivered this very evening."

Traynor smiled. "I expect to learn a whole lot more concerning Asari culture before I am done. Can you tell me where one might purchase a supply of high-quality _Kaffe_ seeds?"

* * *

**Omega, Sahrabarik, Omega Nebula**

Aria's plan had failed miserably; a number of her ships had been destroyed and, if Shepard hadn't _insisted_ on sounding the evac and riding escape shuttles to the station, most of the crew on Aria's flag ship would have most likely been dead as well. As they crashed through the wall of the station, Aria grunted out, "Guess the asshole really _did_ upgrade Omega's outer defenses."

"Of all the stupid, idiotic..." Shepard cut herself off as she pushed debris away so she could unhook the latch on her safety harness. Getting out of her seat in the escape pod, Shepard glared at Aria. "I sincerely hope the _rest_ of your plan isn't as _reckless_ as getting your entire damn _ship_ destroyed, almost with us still aboard!" Shepard seethed with anger. Had she realized Aria had _planned_ to crash the ship... and most likely _knew_ about the upgraded canons that nearly killed them... she may have listened to Liara and never agreed to the mission; one ship being ripped apart beneath her feet above Alchera was more than enough. But, it was too late now and, by some grace of the Gods, they had actually made it to Omega.

"Hey! I got us here, _and_ the ship crashed into the station... exactly like it was _supposed_ to." Aria climbed out of her own seat. "So, the kinetic barriers _are_ disabled. Now, we need to get those damn cannons shut down... _before_ they destroy the rest of my fleet."

Shepard grabbed her gear and docked all of her weapons except her Graal; _that_ remained in her hands. "Easier said than done; I imagine there's a host of Cerberus waiting for us outside this pod. You'd better be damn well ready to fight the minute we open that door."

"Feisty. I like it." Aria winked at her and grinned. "I'm _always_ ready, Shepard... for _anything_ you might throw at me." Aria pulled her pistol and jammed in a thermal clip. "I got us here. The rest is up to you. You're the ground commander."

Shepard froze momentarily and gave her a hard stare. "I'll believe _that_ when I see it."

"I didn't bring you along as eye candy, Shepard." Aria glared right back. "I told you I needed the _best_... and I _don't_ plan on wasting your talents now that you're actually here. When we're _fighting_, _you_ have lead."

"Alright then." Shepard reached up and punched the exit control. An explosive charge discharged loudly, launching the hatch cover of the escape pod out into the hangar into which they had crashed. Shepard grinned and shouted, "Let's see what _you've_ got, T'Loak," just before she activated her personal shield and leapt out the door into the fray.

As she hit the ground, tucked and rolled, she heard Aria curse. Shepard snickered as she slammed a fist to the ground and launched a Nova Shockwave, toppling the four Cerberus who had come out to meet them. She immediately jumped up and charged the closest, crushing him against a wall before turning and spiking the next closest trooper with a shot from her Graal.

Aria and three mercs who had shared their pod had emerged by then and promptly cut down the remaining two Cerberus Troopers. As Shepard moved forward into cover behind a stack of crates, Aria slid in beside her. "I hope the other escape pods made it."

Shepard leaned out and launched a pull, yanking two newly arrived Troopers out from behind their cover; their lives were immediately cut short by Aria's mercs. "You and me both," Shepard growled. "Or this is going to be a mighty short war."

"I have assets remaining on Omega... and we still have the other ships, assuming you get the defenses down." Aria's voice carried a challenge.

"Don't you worry about that." Shepard continued to throw out pulls and lifts to make easy targets for the mercs while she and Aria conversed. "Ever worked with a Vanguard before?"

"Yes... and I watched footage of your tear through the Quarantine Zone when you were after Mordin Solus, so I'm ready to assist, Commander."

Shepard tossed out one last lift and glared at Aria. "You _do_ know Mordin's _dead_, don't you? He died on Tuchanka." Her glare softened as she watched a shadow pass unexpectedly through Aria's eyes.

"Too bad. I liked him... even if he _did_ talk too much." Aria seemed to shake herself. "I'm ready when you are, Shepard. Let's get moving."

Shepard launched herself out of cover and began calling out targets as if she was working with a group of trainees. She knew nothing of the mercs; she didn't know if they had any formal training or any live combat experience, so she didn't take any chances. For now, she knew Aria's focus would be on the battle and would have her back... at least until the retake of Omega was a given. After that, Shepard knew she'd have to be much more cautious.

They quickly cleared the hangar bay they had crash-landed in, losing one Vorcha and one Human merc from those who were in their escape pod. They still had two additional Asari, who apparently had commando training. As they moved toward the blast door controls, Shepard glanced their way. "I answer to Shepard or Commander. How about you?"

They glanced quickly to Aria for permission, who immediately growled, "I told you _she_ commands the ground war. Hard for her to direct you if she doesn't know your fucking names."

The pale blue one of the pair spoke first. "Vura. Huntress."

The next, with a violet skin tone similar to Aria's, followed quickly, "Remmi. Huntress Adept."

Shepard's eyes narrowed. "Adept? Warps and Singularities?" With an answering nod, Shepard continued, "Ever work with a Vanguard?"

Remmi's eyes lit a bit brighter and, having instantly figured out where the commander was headed with her questioning, her voice carried a hint of excitement as she replied, "Yes, I have."

"Good. You're with me, then." Her eyes shifted to the Huntress. "Vura, you're Aria's second. Watch one another's backs and we'll work as pairs and leapfrog forward." She caught the odd looks, even from Aria and explained, "Leapfrog. Each team takes turns moving forward. When one team gets into the next cover, the rear team passes and makes more forward progress. It keeps us moving without exposing both teams at the same time. Got it?"

Shepard triggered the blast doors as Aria touched base with her fleet; the ships were holding their own against the Cerberus fleet, but were taking a pounding every time they got too close to the station. The upgraded cannons shredded any ship that drifted within range of the targeting system; they fared better the farther away they stayed. Aria directed the ground team to an elevator to the main part of the station; as they moved upward, Aria contacted Bray to get a status on the ground teams. "Affirmative, Aria. But only six pods made it. Various entry points."

"Rally them to you and head for the rendezvous hangar. Start prepping our ships to land." Aria's gaze shifted to Shepard. "Let's hustle. It won't take Bray long to get in position. We need those defenses down before my ships start moving in."

They progressed quickly to the next section and were met by numerous Troopers and Guardians. Aria had an impressive Flare; she had a lot of power and knew how to use it. Shepard hoped she didn't end up fighting her and her supporters solo when the battle for Omega was all over. At the same time, Remmi performed admirably and Shepard quickly found a rhythm with the young Adept. Between Aria's Flare and Shepard's Biotic Charge, the group moved forward quickly and Aria guided them to the next elevator, rising to the level that held the external defenses coordination controls.

Cerberus had anticipated their arrival and the resistance was much more robust. The defensive team now included Engineers, with operational turrets, in addition to the standard Troopers and a number of shielded Guardians. Aria's Flare proved invaluable against the turrets and Remmi and Shepard quickly dispatched the Engineers to ensure no new turrets were assembled. Aria sighed in relief. "Last one; the controls are just beyond this doorway."

Just then, Aria's comm squawked; it was Jarral. "Lost two more transports! Can't keep up evasive maneuvers much longer!"

Shepard was surprised when Aria's voice almost sounded... _concerned_... as she responded, "We're right outside the defense station! Hold tight!"

The commander recognized the growing urgency of the situation and looked at her small team. "Alright. Push in fast and hard. Spread out so we can catch whoever is in there in a crossfire. Take out any turrets first, Engineers second, then mop up whoever remains." Her eyes turned to T'Loak. "Aria, once in, _your_ primary job is to get to those controls as soon as you can. Clear?"

Aria's eyes narrowed, unused to taking orders, but she stayed true to her word. Knowing the end goal was saving her ships, she nodded and responded crisply, "Understood, Shepard."

The moment the doors slid open, Aria launched a Flare, ripping one turret to pieces. The rest of the team quickly felled the Engineer next to it before a Guardian crossed directly in front of Shepard, focused completely on Aria as the Asari moved quickly into the room. Shepard's eyebrows knit in disbelief, unable to comprehend how he could completely ignore her, standing within a couple meters of his right side. With his shield and weapons fire directed toward the Asari, his entire side was completely open and vulnerable... so Shepard spiked him in the helmet with her Graal, in what was probably the easiest Guardian kill she had ever accomplished.

Remmi reached out with a singularity and yanked another into the air to be peppered by Vura, as Shepard focused on a second Engineer. She charged across the room and smashed into him, just as Aria dropped his shields with a powerful warp. Seizing the opportunity, Shepard simply slammed her fist to the ground, crushing his unprotected body with a powerful Nova shockwave that tossed him like a ragdoll across a console behind him.

"Clear!" Aria moved swiftly to the console at the front of the room and promptly disabled the upgraded cannons. "Jarral, defenses are down. Signal the surviving ships to converge on the rendezvous point." She then took a few steps around the console and looked out the forward viewport; her jaw was tight as she gritted her teeth. A number of her ships were nothing but space debris. As soon as she received confirmation from Jarral, she made her next call. "Bray? Status?"

Bray's gravelly voice came back without hesitation. "Rendezvous site secured. Hangar doors enabled. Will have them open soon."

"Get them open _now_," Aria growled. "My birds are coming in. Prep for reception."

As soon as Aria fell silent, Shepard walked to her side. "Alright. Task one complete. So, where exactly is this rendezvous point?"

"It's a bunker I established on D-deck for my... more _sensitive_ operations." Aria turned, and Shepard caught movement out of the corner of her eye as the Asari continued, "It's utterly impenetrable... with its own secret hangar and dock. Independent power source, life support, munitions, everything you'll need."

Shepard had her Graal cradled comfortably in her left arm as they spoke; Aria barely had time to flinch as the commander drew her pistol in the blink of an eye and blasted a camera over the Asari's head. Having no idea how fast Shepard truly was, Aria realized if Shepard had been out to kill her, she'd have been bleeding out on the floor, gasping for breath as her life ran out along with her blood. Instead, she breathed a sigh of relief, covering her surprise by turning her head away from the bits of camera raining down upon her. "What the fuck are you doing, Shepard?" Aria impressed even herself at how level and calm her voice sounded.

Up in Afterlife, on Aria's observation deck, Petrovsky stared at a now blank screen. He turned slowly to one of his captains and directed him to deploy to D-deck. "Investigate and await further instructions." As the man hustled from the room, Petrovsky moved to a small table, upon which sat a chess set. His pieces were solid; the opponent's... holographic projections. He stared at the board for a few seconds before reaching down and moving a Bishop, taking out an opposing Rook. He sounded disgusted as he mumbled, "So it begins..." before turning back to his control console and selecting another surveillance camera feed to display.

Back in the defense systems control room, Shepard holstered her pistol. "That security camera was active. There's a good chance the general knows where we're headed. We need to move... Now."

Aria nodded briskly and passed the coordinates for the next destination to Shepard. As soon as the transmission was complete, she switched her omnitool back to communications mode. "Bray. Stay sharp! You might get visitors."

Shepard smirked when she heard Bray's sarcastic, one-word, reply, "Terrific."

They worked their way quickly along the route designated by Aria, running into several defensive positions along the way. Aria was in her element and had no regrets as she killed every Cerberus agent she could. "Bastards. Feels _good_ to let loose against them!"

A portion of their journey was outside, in the artificial atmosphere under the Omega dome. The instant they stepped outside, Aria took a deep breath and sighed, "Ah, the Omega skyline. _Now_ I feel like I'm back." The timbre of her voice suddenly changed to concern. "Strange. What are those things in the distance?"

"Some kind of force field." Shepard glanced her way. "And, I take it, they weren't here when you left."

"No. They weren't," Aria growled. "That's not good."

Shepard shrugged. "I'm sure it's not the only surprise Petrovsky's leaving for us. Let's move."

They continued along their way, fought through a few more Troopers and Guardians and found their way to the next elevator. As they approached, Shepard jerked her chin at a bit of graffiti. "Any clue what _that_ is, or is it something _else_ new? Looks like a gang tag."

"That's _your_ fault," Aria growled. "After you took Archangel and wiped out the main mercenary groups, the Talons moved in and tried to set up shop. I guess they managed to get a foothold with Cerberus... They _never_ did so while _I_ was here."

"An organized resistance could be useful." Shepard was surprised by Aria's responding snarl.

"I don't think so, Shepard," Aria practically spat. "They're nothing but users and Red Sand runners. I'd be happier if Cerberus has wiped them out."

Their conversation took a turn as they moved back outside and saw another force field. A Vorcha was standing by it, staring through, and Shepard realized what was out there. "Shit. Advanced security mechs. Hope they're on our side."

Aria's eyes narrowed. "They're not." As she spoke, one engaged the Vorcha and shoved it into the force field. The Vorcha screamed in pain and simply... disintegrated.

Shepard's brow rose in surprise. "Okay... No touching the glowing red walls."

"I'll remember that, Shepard." Aria snorted in a suppressed laugh. "How about we kill the mechs?"

Advanced or not, the mechs posed little problem for a four-person team of their combined skills and talents. They were nothing compared to the kind of challenge Shepard feared the force fields would turn out to be. "Are we blocked?"

"Not this time, but they could prove to be a problem." Aria's response was tentative. "Come with me." Aria moved quickly to a door panel labeled Butler Supplies and triggered it, revealing a supply room. They stepped in, Shepard following her into what appeared to be a dead end.

"What are you doing?" Shepard glanced around, looking for a rear exit but seeing none.

Aria was fiddling with her omnitool and spoke quietly, "Letting you in on a secret." Something Shepard had assumed to be a supply cabinet suddenly opened to reveal a hatch, which Aria promptly opened. "Down the ladder, Shepard."

Shepard's boots hit the floor and she quickly stepped away from the ladder, turned and dropped to a crouch, her Graal pointed outward as Aria dropped down silently beside her. They scanned the tunnel before them and Shepard's improved eyesight picked out movement in the shadows. The muzzle of her Graal snapped over as she uttered, "Show yourself... or regret it."

A hooded humanoid figure walked slowly outward, arms hanging relaxed at her side as she spoke, "Spirits. Look who's back; Aria T'Loak."

Aria immediately recognized the voice and the barrel of her SMG moved to point at the floor. "Nyreen. What the hell are you doing here?"

The female Turian paced like a caged animal. "Playing cat and mouse, mostly; trying to stay alive. If it wasn't for these tunnels..."

"_My_ tunnels." Aria interrupted, sounding angry and sarcastic at the same time. "I'm sure glad I showed them to you."

Shepard stepped forward to get a good look at the new arrival. She was rather tall, but slightly gaunt. Shepard figured that was due to being on the run and trying to evade Cerberus since the take-over. Nyreen continued, "If you hadn't, I'd be dead or locked up by now."

Shepard gave Aria a quick glance before speaking to the Turian. "You must be good friends, Aria doesn't trust easily."

"I don't know." Nyreen almost laughed. "Are we _friends_, Aria?"

The queen's eyes narrowed in challenge. "We go way back, but we don't have time to talk about that right now. We need to get to the bunker before Cerberus cuts us off and we _can't_."

Nyreen refused to be rushed into a decision; she cocked a hip and settled onto that leg as she crossed her arms. "You're right, Commander. Aria keeps to herself, doesn't really _have_ what normal people call friends, _and..._ keeps secrets better than anyone I know."

"Commander?" Shepard realized there was more to the Turian before her than met the eye. "You know Alliance ranks?"

In answer, she introduced herself properly. "Nyreen Kandros, _ex_-Turian Cabal, at your service."

"Cabal?" Shepard's estimation rose considerably. "Turian elite special ops... and you're a _biotic_."

The respect grew mutually as Kandros tipped her head to the commander. "Yes, Commander. I see I'm not the _only_ one who knows the military structure of other races."

Aria growled, "If we're done making nice, we've got someplace to be, Shepard."

Shepard turned to Aria. "She's coming with us. She's survived this long and she's got military experience we can use. She should know the layout and strength of Petrovsky's forces." The commander's focus shifted to Nyreen as she continued, "Assuming you want to... and you're ready to put that gun to good use?"

Kandros glared at her. "You have no idea how ready."

As Shepard led the way forward, she also discovered Aria knew Kandros better than the Asari seemed willing to admit. Following the commander in trail, they engaged in sharp banter as they moved; both had a slight edge to their statements.

By the time they arrived at the bunker, all the surviving ships had arrived, Bray had lowered the blast doors and a defensive force sat outside, behind cover, guarding the entrance from Cerberus forces, solely for the purpose of getting Aria inside. Once the team of five arrived and battled their way through the rear ranks of surprised Cerberus troops, Bray extended the bridge, allowed them to cross to the bunker side and primed the bunker's external ground defense cannons. As soon as the cannons activated and began firing, Aria was on her comm. "Bunker team. Retract the bridge and lower the blast door. We're coming in!"


	38. Omega - Battle Plan

Notes:

ASAP - As Soon As Possible.

Graal - Krogan double-barreled shotgun-class weapon that shoots large spikes; the oversized flechettes are designed to pierce Thresher Maw hide and create deep wound channels and massive blood loss

* * *

**Omega - Battle Plan**

**Mass Relay, Antaeus, Hades Gamma**

As Maya Brooks waited impatiently for the Mass Relay to complete its ponderous realignment for her jump to Hercules in the Attican Beta Cluster, she continued to seethe at her ill treatment by the Illusive Man. _After I successfully eliminated Donnel Udina… in his own damned cell in the C-Sec headquarters detention block, this is the thanks I get! Only half-way to the fucking end of a four-relay jump to the Grissom System, clean the hell and gone out to the edge of the damned galaxy. He's demoted me, that's what! All the way down to… nothing! No position! No status! I'm nothing more than the Illusive Man's fucking errand girl!_

She was being sent to Solcrum to meet with agents of the Blue Suns in order to pick up a _package_, as he had put it. Maya seriously hoped she'd be able to at least deal with Human members of the organization. _I'll be damned if I'm going to talk to Turians or Batarians for this transaction, unless there's simply no other way to get the deal done!_ _How damned important could this package be?_ She had _asked_, just so she'd know what to expect on Solcrum, but the Illusive Man had again lived up to his title by refusing to provide _any_ information other than it was infinitely valuable, needed special handling, and was to suffer _no_ damage while en route to her final destination... the coordinates of which she'd receive _after_ she made the jump back to Hercules in Attican Beta.

She had used her Navicomputer to take a look at Hercules as soon as she had the name. _That is __**so**__ fucking wonderful! I won't get my destination coordinates until I'm in a system with no commercial ports of call – one gas giant, two scorching hot rocks and a Level One toxic planet; no wonder there's no fuel depot… who'd want to travel there? So, no recreation, no place to safely land! Shit! Wonder how damned long I'll have to wait around before he tells me the final destination… sure as hell won't be enough time to get to Theseus at the pitiful FTL velocity __**this**__ ship is capable of. Damn it to Hell!_ She continued to fume as the mass relay finally signaled it was aligned with the relay in Hercules; her small ship quickly sped along the 15-Km length of the arms and disappeared in a flash of blue-shifted light.

* * *

**Solcrum, Grissom, Armstrong Cluster**

Brooks carefully spun her ship on its axis to point the nose 'out' before setting down in the tiny docking bay near the entrance to the underground research center, now fully repurposed by the Blue Suns. Checking that her M-358 had a full ammo clip, she placed as many spares as she could carry in the storage pockets of her uniform before using the outside view-cams to inspect the docking bay one last time before cycling the hatch; only then did she feel secure enough to step down onto the oily decking. With one last look around, she reclosed the hatch and locked down her ship, ensuring it could only be opened by a coded signal from her omnitool. She had already set up a tampering alarm, ensuring a signal would be quietly sent to her omnitool if anyone else attempted to get inside or screwed with the engines or landing gear. Climbing the stairs to an elevated walkway that surrounded the rear and two sides of the hangar, she made her way to the centrally located air lock, waved her omnitool past the haptic lock to open it and disappeared inside.

Maya moved through the small compartment adjacent to the docking bay, exiting through a door opposite from the air lock. The next compartment was larger, with a sectional couch in one corner flanked by a pair of two-tiered tables holding expensive looking lamps. There was a medium-sized desk across from the main part of the couch, behind which sat a young man working at a terminal. He looked up at her approach, saying, "Ah, you must be Ms Brooks. We were instructed to anticipate your arrival. Please," he indicated the couch behind her, "have a seat. It will only be a few minutes."

The assassin went to the couch and sat as requested, thinking. _Sure – just a few minutes. It'd be nice if someone offered me a snack or a beverage – Hell, a meal would be nice. I'm going to have to make do with the dried rations on my ship if I don't get something to eat soon… _Her thoughts were interrupted by the entrance of a woman with graying hair arranged in a tidy bun at the back of her head; she was dressed in typical Blue Suns non-combat garb – navy trousers above a pair of sturdy black shoes, a blouse and blue jacket, accessorized with a small pendant on a silver necklace with matching earrings in the oval, Blue Suns emblem. The only thing out of place was her sidearm, a compact pistol worn quick-draw style – that is, handgrip to the front. "Ms Brooks… my pleasure. I'm Ida Liktakno. Please, follow me."

_I'll just __**bet**__ it's her pleasure! She's not the one traipsing about the galaxy playing errand girl for a megalomaniac._ Maya rose and briefly took the hand offered by the woman who was obviously more than a simple receptionist or personal aide.

"Before we transfer the… _package_… to your custody, I'm to show you to the restrooms and the mess hall, where you can freshen up after your long voyage and have a bite to eat before you set out on the next part of your trip."

"Thank you," Maya replied evenly. "I _am_ rather hungry… it's been a long ride." _Yeah, four fucking relays and lots of FTL time in between – something like twelve, fourteen hours since I left the Anadius system!_

Liktakno led Maya down a short passageway to a medium-sized mess hall. Motioning to her right, she said, "Here we are, my dear. The restrooms are to the right, and there's plenty of food and beverages here. Send me a note when you're done…," she activated her omnitool, sending an address to Maya's omnitool, "…and I'll return to collect you."

Brooks thanked her once again before heading directly to the mess hall. She had used her personal facilities aboard her ship before disembarking; no way in Hell was she going to use some trashy, mixed-race merc bathrooms. _God __**knows**__ what's crawling around in __**there**__!_

* * *

Maya felt better after having eaten a meal, even if it was simple mess hall chow, but was still extremely cautious, being in the middle of a Blue Suns facility. Ida Liktakno, accompanied by a Blue Suns soldier, had come for her as soon as she sent a text saying she was done eating. She finished her coffee, set the mug down on the table and followed the pair through a different passage. This one was longer than the one she had entered through coming from the hangar, had several doors along each side and ended at an elevator. Liktakno took her leave at this point, saying, "It was very nice to meet you, Ms Brooks. Have a safe journey."

Brooks thanked the woman and turned to her new guide, Sergeant Jerold Manning, a human who silently motioned for her to precede him into the elevator. With the doors now closed, Maya would have said she was being taken to the bowels of Hell, except the increasing level of stench couldn't possibly come from a place that legend said was all fiery brimstone! _More like Purgatory, except the stench __**there**__ would not be so bad._

As the elevator stopped and the doors slid silently open, Brooks' face wrinkled in disgust at the memories the sight and smells brought forth. It had been years since her childhood days of forced servitude in the mines above Themis where she had learned, the hard way, that suppressing her reflex to gag at the smells of filthy bodies and waste products kept her from being hungry all night and being beaten by the guards quite so often. Misinterpreting her expression as nausea, Sergeant Manning silently offered her a small tube. She looked at him, confused, until he squeezed a small amount on the tip of his finger and promptly wiped it across the top of his lip, directly below his nose. She nodded in understanding, realizing what he _erroneously_ believed, and quickly mimicked his actions; even if she didn't actually feel sick, she still welcomed relief from the God-awful smell.

"Not to worry, Ms Brooks… the smell has that effect on most everyone that comes down here. You'll not want to stay in here too long, either; it'll stick to your clothes, your hair, even your skin. After a while, it seems there isn't enough soap and water in the world to get rid of it." He started to walk briskly past the steel doors lining the foul-smelling passageway.

The further she walked, the thicker the air seemed to become and the hair on the back of her neck stood up as a fear suddenly crept up her spine. _That bastard better not have sold me down the road! Sergeant Manning will learn quickly that I shall not go gentle into that good night!_ Brooks' hand brushed gently across her sidearm; simply confirming the weapon was still in her possession quickly calmed her thoughts and settled her mind. "What the hell _is_ this place, Sergeant," Brooks asked softly as she followed the man. "Surely you don't keep people… _Humans_… down here."

"Afraid we do, Ma'am. Most of the people down here are slaves… and most of _those_ are Batarian. There are a few Humans here, prisoners, waiting for someone to ransom them." He stopped in front of a door near the end of the passage. "There are more like this, below this level. This was originally a Geth outpost until the Alliance Marines cleared it out in '83. Since the Geth didn't return, we took it over about two years ago and did some remodeling." Manning activated and tapped a code into his omnitool to unlock the door; he pulled it open and stood aside for Brooks to take a look. "Your package is inside."

Maya's stomach nearly _did_ revolt at the odors emanating from the pitch black cell, even with the salve under her nose. Her mind leapt back to the C-Sec cell she'd entered clandestinely to kill Donnel Udina; the difference between then and now was day and night. She activated her omnitool and a glow emanated from her arm, illuminating the interior of the cell; she was surprised to see a bit of movement. A person, dressed in what appeared to be rags, was lying on the dirty shelf that passed for a bed. Turning an incredulous eye to the sergeant, she said, "You expect me to put this… _person_… as is… in my ship for an unknown number of relay jumps?"

"Not my problem, Ma'am." Manning powered up his own light and stepped into the fetid compartment. Shaking the person by a leg, he said, "Get up. You're leaving."

The Human… at least, Maya hoped it was a Human… rolled to a sitting position and then stood, revealing, by the barely covered contours under the filthy rags, that it was _indeed_ a Human prisoner... and a female at that. Her arms had a bit of skin showing but her face was completely concealed by a deep hood pulled up over her head. The sergeant motioned for her to leave the cell; Maya stood aside and held her breath as the filthy woman moved past her. Manning had the prisoner move down the passageway towards a hatch at the end, surprising Maya. "We're not going back the same way we came in?"

"No. Have to check her against the database to make sure we're giving you the right package."

Brooks followed along, hoping it wasn't long before she'd be able to breathe filtered air again.

* * *

**SSV Normandy, Alliance Dry-docks, Citadel**

Liara couldn't stand it; she and Shepard had just reconnected... again... when Aria's _demand_ for assistance had come in... and it had irked Liara to no end. Shepard had been gone less than a day before the Asari had returned to the Normandy in frustration, unable to remain in the penthouse apartment surrounded by reminders of Shepard's unexpected departure. It wasn't like walking into their quarters on the Normandy was much better but, at least aboard ship, Liara had the full Broker suite to occupy her mind instead of simply her omnitool and a datapad. It would be at least two more days before the upgrades on the Thanix cannon were complete, so it wasn't like they could take the Normandy and follow the commander to Omega, no matter _how_ much Liara wanted to. She felt hollow without Shepard's thoughts floating through the back of her mind and her heartbeat seemed labored without Samantha's heart beating in rhythm with her own as they lay down to sleep together.

_Together_. That was what Liara missed most. Even when they weren't physically in one another's presence, they hadn't been a relay jump apart since Liara had arrived on Mars; she didn't realize how accustomed she had become to having Samantha _with_ her once they had fully renewed their bond... and now she missed her presence terribly. _Focus, T'Soni. Shepard's successful return may depend on you._ That thought jarred her back to the task at hand... to search the databases for someone, _anyone_, with a power base that Liara could use to tip the balance of power on Omega. She desperately hoped whoever she finally identified would be the lesser of two evils... and once Omega was retaken from Cerberus... _Maybe, just maybe, that same power broker can make Aria impotent, at the very least, if not remove the Queen from power... __**completely**__._

Liara had ignored Omega since the Normandy had disgorged her Cerberus crew after the Collector War, turning her focus solely on the Reapers. As a result, she had months of surveillance footage and intercepted message traffic from Omega to wade through... and there was no way she could do it all on her own. She knew it was selfish, in a way, but she also knew that Shepard being on the station provided an unprecedented opportunity to locate and evaluate any potential ally they may identify. She quickly sent out a note of explanation to the three Broker vessels, describing _specifically_ what she was looking for, before settling in at the research terminal and beginning her own hunt. While her 'agents' were looking for a potential rival for Aria, Liara planned on slowly hacking through the multiple layers of Cerberus security on Omega that were currently preventing her from accessing her normal video feeds; one way or another, by the time the final battle for Omega was to take place, the Shadow Broker planned to have eyes on target.

* * *

**Omega, Sahrabarik, Omega Nebula**

Aria's submission to Shepard's command stopped at the doorway; as soon as they entered the secret bunker and the blast door was secured, once more the Queen, she turned to the commander. "Shepard. This bunker will provide recon and secret access to much of the station. I need you to look over operations and make sure things are setting up smoothly. If you're missing something you _need_..." She paused. Aria's expression was more intense than Shepard had ever seen as her eyes locked onto the commander's. "I'm here to _win_, Shepard; as quickly as possible. You need something, you tell me _immediately_... and if it's _anywhere_ on this station, you'll get it."

Nyreen turned to her in question. "Aria, I know this place is impenetrable, but I can't help but feel that works two ways, and Petrovsky now has us trapped here."

Shepard nodded in agreement. "Yeah. I'm not used to hiding and I feel like a sitting duck here."

Aria scoffed, her voice condescending. "Nyreen. You know the tunnels and know perfectly well we are far from _trapped_ here. And you should both know I have no intention of sitting around. I'm here to take _back_ Omega, not crawl around in her underbelly like some ineffective resistance force." Her words were accompanied by a scathing glance at Kandros. "You left Omega very angry with me and, somehow, you managed to slip back in without my knowledge." Her gaze wandered to Shepard. "Perhaps at the same time my intelligence net was compromised by an attempted coup in the making." Her eyes refocused pointedly on the Turian and her tone indicated her next words were _not_ a request, but an order. "Explain yourself."

Nyreen huffed. "Your intelligence was weak _before_ the coup attempt, Aria; truth is I never left... a fact your watchers never _once_ discovered in my entire time here."

"I'm not easily duped." Aria's eyes narrowed, but her voice held some respect for the accomplishment. "Well done... but the real question is why? Why did you _stay_, Nyreen?"

"I just... couldn't leave. Considering all of this, I'm glad I didn't." Her own eyes narrowed in response. "When you abandoned the station, these people no longer had any guidance, no protection. They _all_ would have fallen victim to the whims of Cerberus."

Aria bristled at the accusation and retorted, "I would _never_ abandon Omega! But I had no intention of committing _suicide_, either. I realized I had to pull back... to regroup. And now I'm here to take back what's _mine_." She finished with a challenging growl that raised Shepard's eyebrows.

"She's a trained soldier, Aria." The Asari's eyes snapped to her as if she had forgotten the commander was still standing there. Shepard's stare was unyielding and her words steady. "As your ground commander, I want her to stay; I can make excellent use of her skills, expertise and training as a member of the Cabal."

Aria's shoulders stiffened and she clenched her jaw for a brief moment before responding. "So quick to trust, Shepard. Someday, that's _going_ to get you killed, but so be it. If she betrays us..." Aria's eyes shifted to Nyreen momentarily. "Never mind. She won't. She'll act in the best interests of Omega; there isn't a corruptible bone in Nyreen's body and she'd _never_ work for an organization like Cerberus."

Kandros' eyes had lit up when Shepard came to her defense; the Turian realized she had an unexpected ally in Shepard, so spoke quickly. "Commander. This occupation is an illegal action and Cerberus needs to be swept _off_ this station. I'm _more_ than happy to help you do that."

"Goddess help me." Aria made an exaggerated roll of her eyes. "I'm surrounded by delusional idealists." She shook her head quickly. "Fine. She's your responsibility, Shepard. Do your job and keep her in line. I'm going to assess our force strength; I need to know how many survived the landing before I can plan the assault. Join me at the command console when you're ready." Aria turned and walked off, heading to the command center. She paused only once, stopping to speak in a voice low enough that only her intended target heard what she said. "Bray. Keep an eye on Kandros." The Batarian simply nodded and stepped away to do as Aria ordered.

Nyreen looked at Shepard. "What do you need from me, Commander?"

"You've been fighting here since the occupation. I want you to review Aria's weapons caches. Make sure we have the right mods and upgrades we need to fight these bastards." Shepard took a deep breath and her gaze softened. "And I need you to be honest with me regarding what you know about what we're facing. For all of Aria's bluster, she's had no eyes on the inside. We have no idea what we're up against."

Nyreen nodded. "Understood, Commander, but I don't want to have to repeat it a dozen times. When we start talking about the attack plan, I'll tell _everyone_ what I know."

"Alright." Shepard nodded. "Then let's get to it."

Shepard moved quickly, speaking openly and asking questions regarding what, if anything, people were missing to do their jobs. She was surprised at how well prepared the forces actually were and came away with a very short list. One of the systems kept failing due to a faulty power inverter and an engineer needed a replacement... and they did not have one within the supplies that had successfully made it into the bunker from the surviving ships. Nyreen caught up to her and had arrived at the same basic conclusion. "The weapons supplies are good, Shepard, but we're short on heat sinks. Cerberus has plenty... we'll simply have to make it a priority to collect every spare we can pick up as we move through the station. If it's alright by you, I'll go scrounge what I can from my personal caches... and see if I can't scrape up that power inverter."

Shepard pursed her lips for a moment before responding. "I don't think Aria's going to let you do that; it could put the bunker at risk."

Kandros actually chuckled. "If the soldiers who tried to keep us from getting in here weren't enough of a clue, you need to know that Petrovsky already knows _exactly_ where we are... besides, Aria can't stop me. I probably know her tunnels better than _she_ does at this point. She always used them as a convenience. I've used them the past couple of months as a matter of life or death; I know them like the back of my own hand. Probably better."

"Alright. I say go." Shepard paused and then added, "And, not that you wouldn't be, but I have to say it anyway. Be careful."

"I've heard stories about you, Commander." Kandros' mandibles twitched and her voice flanged as she replied. "Either you are the best liar I have ever met, or the concern you show for those under your command has not been exaggerated." Shepard raised her eyebrows in question and Nyreen continued, "I choose to believe the latter. Please don't disappoint me." Her gaze flicked to Aria and back. "I've had enough disappointment in my life."

As she finished out her rounds, Shepard wondered about Nyreen's last comment. _What's your big secret, Kandros? What brought you to Omega... and what's your relationship with Aria?_

* * *

As Shepard approached the command console, she heard Aria ask, "Ahz, how are we looking?"

"All systems operational." The Salarian's fingers flew across the interface he was working on. "Full Omega schematics coming online now."

Aria turned and walked toward the central display, seeing the commander's approach as she did. "Shepard. Those force fields we saw? The general has them set up everywhere to control access across the station." Aria leaned forward and focused on the display before them; it was a complete schematic of Omega in various colors.

The station was a violet color, which Shepard thought was suspiciously similar to Aria's skin tone, and it had rings of pink depicting the off-line defenses. Various splashes of orange were scattered around the station. "Is all that orange crap the force fields?"

"Yes," Aria growled. "They could become a serious problem. Ahz, what are these dark areas?"

"Many sections of Omega are powered down. Most likely, their power is being siphoned to run those force fields."

Aria pushed back from the display and looked to Ahz. "Find the source. Priority one."

Shepard nodded in agreement before adding on, "And then I need a full tactical assessment of all Cerberus positions."

"I'll get on it." Ahz didn't hesitate to acknowledge her request before turning away quickly to return to his station and get to work.

"We have work to do, Shepard." Aria sighed. "We lost more ships than I anticipated and we don't have a large enough force remaining to face Cerberus head on."

"Then we need to find allies. Story of my life." Shepard contemplated their options and spoke quickly. "What about that merc group? The Talons?"

Aria's eyes took on an angry gleam. "As much as I hate them, they appear to be our best option at the moment. They are the only _organized_ force resisting the occupation." Her voice dropped with disgust. "Not my first choice, but it seems they're all we've got."

Shepard looked her in the eyes as she spoke. "We need to play nice to get them to help us. They _have_ to recognize we'll have a better chance working together."

"And if whoever leads them doesn't see the benefits..." Aria's scowl turned to a predatory smile as she continued, "... then you'll do what you did with Kreete and simply... replace... him."

Before Shepard could raise an objection, Bray walked up. "Sorry to interrupt..."

Aria scowled at him in annoyance. "What is it?"

"Kandros." Bray scratched his head nervously. "I turned away for a _second_ to offload supplies. When I looked back..."

"You _lost_ her," Aria growled. "Damn it, Bray!"

"Relax." Shepard cut in before Aria could get up steam for a good rant. "I sent her out to scavenge supplies. She's got caches all over the station and we're short on heat sinks. She's also on the hunt for a Kehri power inverter we need."

"What gave you the right?" Aria spun on her. "I told you if you needed anything, to tell _me_, not send someone out of the bunker!"

"Don't _test_ me, Aria." Shepard's jaw tightened and she stood to her full height, glaring at the Asari. "You told me _I_ was in charge of the ground war and I'm taking you at your _word_. If we don't get more heat sinks, we won't _have_ a war, we'll be committing _suicide_... and it was my understanding that was _not_ your intent."

Aria didn't back off and she met Shepard's glare with one of equal intensity. "Then let me make myself perfectly _clear_, Commander. You are in charge of the ground war... In my world, that means while we are actually _fighting_. At no other time do you have the authority to override my instructions. Is that understood, Shepard?"

Shepard's lip twitched into a sneer. "Perfectly... But also completely unacceptable."

Silence instantly fell. Everyone stopped talking, hands stopped working, and eyes lit with apprehension as the two stood nose-to-nose, staring into one another's eyes. Shepard shattered the quiet without hesitation. "I will _not_ execute a battle plan that I do not have a part in _formulating_. I _will_ do what I feel is necessary to prepare for said battle and I will do so as _I_ see fit. In _my_ world, that's what 'being in command' _means_." Shepard stepped back without breaking eye contact and held her arms at her sides; she flexed her fingers, every muscle in her body tense and ready to spring into action. "Take it or leave it, Aria. That's what being partners means... that you _trust_ me to do my job. Am I commanding this ground war for you... or not?"

Aria seethed in anger, but didn't say a word as she contemplated her options. Since taking over Omega, she had never backed down from _anyone_... but she was smart as well as desperate, and a fight with Shepard _now_ would put everything she had ever worked for into jeopardy. She flexed her shoulders and forced a smile to her face. "I guess we should have discussed all this a bit more in _depth_ before throwing ourselves into the fire, Shepard."

"Yeah." Shepard's glare did _not_ soften. "Perhaps we _should_ have."

"Fine. We'll play by your rules, but if you lose this fight you won't have to worry about Cerberus or the Reapers. I'll kill you myself." Aria turned away dismissively. "Meet me at the Armory exit when you're ready to go meet the Talons. _Don't_ keep me waiting."

"Not a valid threat, Aria. If I _lose_ this fight, it's because I'm already dead." Shepard turned to follow her. "And I'm _always_ ready, Aria. Lead the way."

* * *

Aria led Shepard through the tunnels flawlessly and without hesitation; it made the commander think Kandros' assumption that she knew the tunnels better than Aria herself was incorrect, but in the end it didn't really matter so long as they reached their objective. As they moved along through the dim passages, Shepard queried, "What's your history with this gang?"

Aria gave a quick glance over her shoulder and kept walking. "Not much. After _you_ ransacked the Blood Pack, Blue Suns and Eclipse in your hunt for Archangel, you left a power vacuum behind. The Talons stepped up to fill it. Since then? Some mutually beneficial dealings and some occasional... violence... when they didn't play by the rules."

They passed through a small hatch and stepped outside, Shepard once more able to take in Omega's artificial skyline. "I'm surprised you didn't squash them."

Aria huffed with derision, "Better the enemy you know. They were no threat... and as long as I didn't catch them running more Red Sand than they were reporting and paying taxes on, I didn't really care."

"No threat?" Shepard paused. "So are we recruiting them because they _are_ a threat now and can actually _fight_, or are we simply using them for fodder?"

Aria rolled her eyes before turning away and starting up a ladder. "The latter; we need numbers and they're the only game in town. We don't have the luxury of being picky."

"You going to let _them_ know that?" Once Aria was up a ways, Shepard began her climb.

"Relax, Shepard. This is how it works on Omega. I know how Derius thinks and we've negotiated before. Just let me do the talking and..."

Ahz suddenly squawked across the comm unit. "Commander! Cerberus forces are scrambling! Looks like an attack on the Talons."

His chatter was interrupted as three Cerberus shuttles screamed by overhead. Shepard picked up speed and quickly closed on the Asari above her. "Shit! Move it, T'Loak, or we may not have a merc group to recruit!"

Ahz continued, unaware of where Aria and the commander were or what they were seeing. "Judging from the comm chatter, their priority target is in the area. Could be the Talon leader!"

Aria climbed faster, a grin playing on her lips and her voice was equally light as she spoke. "Looks like Derius might not be the leader very long. Perhaps we'll be just in time to fill the void in leadership."

"Don't sound so happy about it." Shepard kept up easily as they cleared the top of the ladder and Aria plunged into yet another secret entrance to her tunnel system. "Looks like we'll be fighting our way through Cerberus to get to them."

Aria turned with a smile. "I know. All the more reason for them to be grateful to us."

They picked up speed, moving as fast as they could without dropping their guard, slowing only at blind corners in order to check the next passageway before bolting through or across it. They passed stocks of Red Sand that had Aria curious. "Why would they leave crates of this simply lying around?"

Shepard chuckled as they pressed forward. "I imagine it's a bit tough to move with the occupation. I doubt Cerberus soldiers make very good customers; they'd probably take the Sand and kill the Talons trying to move it."

"I suppose you're right." Aria paused. "Though, I'm still surprised. Profit is the only thing that matters to the Derius I know. He'd let anything... _everything_ else burn."

While Shepard had made her rounds back at the bunker, one of the surveillance system technicians had asked for a favor and her voice suddenly came over the comms. "Commander. I'm pinging a terminal near your location. If you can enter the hack code I provided, it will extend the range of my monitoring capability."

She glanced quickly around and zeroed in on a red flashing beacon. She keyed the terminal and was immediately rewarded by a green light and a happy voice on the comm. "The terminal is now active. Thank you, Commander!"

They pressed onward through the tunnels and it wasn't long before Ahz was back on the line. "Thanks, Commander. That terminal got us into the Cerberus system and I've hacked into their comms. Patching you in now."

Almost immediately, Shepard and Aria could hear Cerberus chatter in the background. Team Omega heard the calls for additional support... along with coordinates... and Aria grinned. "Perfect. We're not too late... and I know _exactly_ where they are. Follow me!"

Once she had a firm destination, Aria moved even faster than she had been. They emerged once more into the open air, just in time to see a pair of gunships launch a missile attack. Aria pointed at the gunships' target. "That tower is the Talon outpost we're heading for."

As she spoke, a hail of gunfire erupted from a mid-level balcony, accompanied by heavy-weapons fire that blasted one of the gunships out of the sky. Shepard smirked with satisfaction, "Looks like the Talons are giving as good as they get."

Shepard pushed the pace and they moved rapidly, quickly closing on the rear of the Cerberus positions. Being hacked into their comms provided a significant advantage; Shepard and Aria were alerted whenever they approached a Cerberus choke point and worked their way easily through multiple layers of Cerberus defenses. They found themselves at the Talon outpost faster than they ever anticipated and as the hatch slid open before them, they took in the view. Two Cerberus Engineers and no fewer than three or four Assault Troopers held two Talons prisoner.

One of the troopers alerted the remaining Cerberus to their presence. The lead Combat Engineer put a pistol to the head of one of the prisoners. "Back off!"

Shepard sneered, "I don't think so."

The Engineer quickly shifted his aim to put a bullet in the prisoner's knee and returned the muzzle of his pistol to the prisoner's temple. "Last chance!" They were the last words the Engineer would ever utter.

Kandros, from a concealed position in the upper supports, put a round cleanly through the gap between the Engineer's helmet and his chest plate, severing his spinal column. His finger didn't even twitch as he fell away from the Talon soldier. Shepard and Aria immediately jumped into the fray and the battle was over almost before it had really begun.

Nyreen dropped from her position in the rafters, utilizing her biotics to land softly on the deck. She proficiently docked her assault rifle on a hardpoint on her back, directly behind her right shoulder, as one of the Talon members stood in respect and looked at her silently. It was soon evident he was awaiting a command as she ordered, "Take care of the wounded and scavenge what you can. I want us out of here ASAP."

Shepard stifled a grin when she saw the expression on Aria's face as the soldier replied, "You got it, Ma'am." He then turned to the Talon members who were emerging out of their cover locations. "You heard the boss. Move it!"

Shepard bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing at the look of consternation on Aria's face before whispering, "Well. Looks like we found the Talon leader."

Aria shook her head in disgust as she walked toward the Turian. "My, my. _Nyreen_, aren't you full of surprises.

The Talon leader started stripping heat sinks and medigel supplies from a dead Trooper, not even looking at the Queen as she spoke. "Aria. The deception was necessary. I needed to figure out what your plans were." She stood and turned, giving Shepard a glance before addressing Aria directly. "The people of Omega depend on us. I couldn't risk compromising our operation."

Shepard nodded her head. "Goes a long way to explaining why the Talons don't follow the standard procedures normally associated with a street gang."

Nyreen's focus instantly shifted to the commander. Unlike Aria, who had burned _her_ bridges, for some inexplicable reason Nyreen felt she owed the _commander_ an explanation. "When Cerberus invaded, the Talons were a mess. Their leadership was killed, so I stepped in and brought... _new_ direction." Nyreen walked as she talked, continue to salvage useable gear from the downed soldiers. "The general's been hunting us ever since. Right now, he's attacking one of our other outposts. That's where I need to be."

The Talon Nyreen had spoken to earlier returned. "We're done here, Boss."

Nyreen abruptly stood and spun to focus on Aria and Shepard. "I know why you're here and the answer's no. Kindly escort yourselves off Talon territory."

Aria's eyes lit in anger, but Shepard stepped forward and blocked Aria off. "We're coming with you. You get our help now... no strings, no commitments. All I ask for is your word that you'll hear us out later."

Nyreen was looking at the commander, but Shepard saw her eyes flick to Aria and back before she spoke. "Generous offer, but will my word still be good when my answer remains no?"

Nyreen's irreverence reminded her of Lee Riley; Shepard grinned and shook her head, looking at the deck for a moment before responding. "Yes it will, but your answer won't be 'no.' We both know we need to work _together_ to boot Cerberus off of Omega."

As Shepard's head came back up, Nyreen met her eyes once more. "Fine. I don't have time to argue and we can use the extra guns. Let's go."


	39. Finding the Path

Notes:

Graal - Krogan double-barreled shotgun-class weapon that shoots large spikes; the oversized flechettes are designed to pierce Thresher Maw hide and create deep wound channels and massive blood loss

_I__onúin Álainn__ \- _beautiful beloved (Gaelic)

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

* * *

**Omega - Finding the Path**

**SSV Normandy, Alliance Dry-docks, Citadel**

Liara paced the Broker office, her head bowed in thought. She had finally managed to work her way through the firewalls of the Cerberus network defense, so was now in the frustrating position of having to wait for the facial recognition routines to do their work and find Shepard. _Tali would be proud_.

Thinking of her Quarian friend brought to mind other issues still awaiting resolution. With all the Broker resources, they still hadn't found any information on the location of the Migrant Fleet and Liara had begun to wonder if they had simply set a fixed course into dark space and vanished from the known galaxy. With their live ships and almost three centuries of practice living in virtual isolation since the Geth War, that option was not outside the realm of possibility. The Quarians alive now were separated by three or four generations from the Geth War, yet were still being punished for the mistakes of their ancestors, so it wasn't like the Fleet owed the galaxy or the Council any favors. If the Admiralty Board had decided to tuck and run, thinking it their best survival option, Tali would have had no realistic option but to go along... and would most likely have done so _willingly_ if Kal Reegar was still alive and also with the Fleet.

Liara's system notification pinged and her head snapped around to see what it was for; she was disappointed, yet... not. While the subroutine had yet to locate Shepard, her communications system was indicating an incoming call from Miranda. Liara sat at the terminal and promptly activated the video connection. "Miranda. It's good to see you."

A satisfied smile graced the face of her friend. "We've got something on Omega for you, Liara. I just sent the data packet, but it's rather large and may take some time to work through the system. I wanted to give you the short version in person... There's a new merc group in town! Actually, they're not new... as they came into power when we basically wiped out the main gangs in '85 in order to extract Garrus, but they've recently had a change of leadership."

Miranda went on to explain how the drug-running boss had been replaced at the start of the Cerberus occupation by an ex-Turian Cabal operative, who was focused solely on protecting the inhabitants of Omega from General Oleg Petrovsky.

"Petrovsky?" Liara's heart pattered with concern. "_He's_ the Illusive Man's general on Omega?"

"Yes." Miranda noted the higher pitch of Liara's voice. "I take it you know who he is."

"Unfortunately, yes." Liara blinked slowly and took a deep breath to calm herself. "His ruthless reputation precedes him... as does that of his... experiments." Liara shook her head at the questions she saw in Miranda's eyes. "I need to go, Miranda. I have to find Shepard quickly and warn her. Search the database for information on Avernus Station and the Adjutants; you'll understand my concern... And thank you for the information. I'll read the packet as soon as we disconnect."

Liara quickly terminated the call, opened her incoming message terminal and read about the Talons' new leader, Nyreen Kandros. By the time she had finished the file, Liara knew her search was at an end... _provided_ Kandros was a willing successor. With the information in hand, Liara had Glyph devote all their current processing power to the task of locating Commander Shepard.

* * *

**Omega, Sahrabarik, Omega Nebula**

With Nyreen leading the way, accompanied by a number of Talons, the group made swift progress across Omega. Even so, by the time they reached the Talon Outpost, it was under full attack by Cerberus forces. With no more than a glance, Aria fell into their newly established routine and tag-teamed with Shepard on biotic explosions and set-ups for the Spectre's Vanguard charges. When they were finally done and made their way into Nyreen's domain, the Turian looked at Aria in a new light. "Who ever knew you could be so... _helpful_?"

"This is for Omega." Aria glared at her. "I know how to be a team player when I need to be."

As they walked, Shepard moved closer to Aria and spoke in a low voice. "Thanks for the assists... and remember, we may still be on Omega, but we're on her turf at the moment. Try to play nice."

Aria scowled at the commander as Nyreen stopped and turned. "This location's compromised, so we'll be evacuating as soon as possible. Try not to interfere with my people's work."

Shepard slowed and whistled appreciatively. "Wow. This has got to be one of your main facilities." Her eyes roamed up over numerous levels, each balcony loaded with personnel; some civilians mixed in, but many were armed and armored. There was also a huge monitor mounted on a three-story pedestal, connected into the surveillance and communications nets.

Another Turian ran up to Nyreen's side. "Intel just reported in. The group of civilians we managed to evac arrived safely at the other outpost." They entered the main facility as he continued speaking. "Also, routine sweeps are reporting nothing new on the Adjutant presence."

The content of the intel report sank in and Shepard refocused, looking to Nyreen. "Adjutants?"

Nyreen looked more uncomfortable than Shepard had yet seen her as she answered the commander's query. "Creatures created by Cerberus. They eviscerate their victim's DNA, converting them into more Adjutants." She keyed up a file on a data pad and handed it to Shepard.

Aria stepped into the conversation. "Some kind of Reaper-based weapon. I fought them before... when Cerberus took control of the station. They're a nightmare come to life."

"Well, it got _worse_ after you left." Nyreen's voice dropped. "Cerberus lost _control_ of them. Those things tore the gangs apart, then ran amok through the station." She shook her head in disgust. "Cerberus finally lured them into a single quadrant and locked them in. If they hadn't, the entire station would be infected by now."

Shepard's eyes clouded with sympathy. "Keeping your people alive through that couldn't have been easy."

Nyreen turned to Shepard, a retort on her lips, but saw the sincerity in the commander's eyes and bit it back. Instead, she sighed and answered, "I watched friends get turned into monsters that _I_ had to kill." A cloud of anguish passed through Nyreen's eyes and she turned away. "If you'll excuse me, I have an outpost to defend."

As Kandros walked off, Aria turned to Shepard. Surprisingly, she almost sounded understanding as she commented on Nyreen's statements. "The Adjutants really got under her skin."

Shepard answered quietly, thinking of Benezia. "I can understand why. Having to kill someone you know is a horrible thing." Aria looked ready to ask a question, sensing Shepard spoke from personal experience, but the commander didn't give her enough time before excusing herself. "I'm going to check out operations. See what makes this place tick."

Aria's focus followed her for a few steps before she turned her eyes back to Kandros. As soon as Shepard realized Aria's attention had been diverted, she slipped around a corner and disappeared from the Asari's line of sight. Her omnitool had been silently vibrating against her wrist for the last several minutes and there was only one person in the galaxy who could have found her here. She knelt down, activated the communicator and spoke quietly, "Liara."

"Thank the Goddess! Shepard! Where have you been?" Liara's voice sounded as if she was on the verge of tears.

"Hey. I'm fine. I _am_ in a battle zone... and wasn't where I could talk, Blue." Shepard let out a sigh. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you... I miss you."

The connection was quiet for a long moment before Liara finally came back, sounding more composed. "I miss you too, Sam. I wish you were back home, safe in my arms."

Shepard's heart skipped a beat at the thought. "That can't be soon enough, Liara. I don't have a lot of time... Do you have something for me, or did you just need to hear my voice?"

"Shepard, I..." Liara hesitated and her voice was filled with uncertainty, not truly believing her own words as she finished, "I would never call you solely for that."

The commander laughed gently as she responded, "I wouldn't mind if you did, you know." Liara could sense Shepard's smile in the tone of her voice. "I think it's cute."

"_Cute_?" Liara sounded scandalized. "I do not think of missing you as... _cute_, Commander."

Shepard laughed again, more relaxed than she had been since she'd stepped off the Normandy shuttle, simply by being able to hear Liara's voice. "I love you, Dr T'Soni. Angry. Cute. Worried... I'll take them all. Now, spit it out. What has you concerned? You wouldn't risk contacting me otherwise."

Liara sighed and her voice turned serious. "I sent a data-pack to your omnitool. Miranda found a potential ally... but I'm not sure how you'll find her."

Shepard pulled up the data and stared at the picture in amazement. "Liara. I'm standing in one of the Talon outposts as we speak. Nyreen _seems_ to be the real deal. She has a history with Aria and seems rather disenchanted by it all... _And_, Aria accused her of not having a single corruptible bone in her body."

"Sounds promising, Shepard." Liara paused for a moment. Shepard was getting ready to say goodbye when she heard Liara draw a deep breath to speak, so waited patiently. "Shepard. Read the file about the Adjutants. I don't know if they're still there, but..."

"They are, Blue." Shepard cut her off. "Nyreen already informed us, though Aria already knew about them. I promise to read what you sent. I'm sure your data is much more complete than what little info they passed on to me." It was Samantha's turn to pause. "And I'll be careful, Li, I promise... but I've got to go before someone hears us speaking."

"I love you, _Siame_."

"I love you too, _I__onúin Álainn_."

The Broker Net fell silent and Shepard closed her eyes as she drew in a deep, settling breath. _I __**will**__ come home to you, Liara T'Soni. I promise you that._ Shepard stood and squared her shoulders before continuing on the rounds she had told Aria she was making.

* * *

As she walked through the Talon outpost, the more Shepard saw, the more impressed she was. Kandros had a bunch of previously drug-running, rag-tag mercenaries performing with near-military precision. _I guess staying alive is pretty good motivation, but I have to wonder how long it will stay that way once their lives are no longer on the line._ A few of the Talons stopped to thank her as she passed them by; some recognized her and were thanking her for past actions, while others had been in the group she, Aria and Nyreen had just swept out of the hands of Cerberus. Knowing she was actually doing some good helped fill the void left in her gut after she'd disconnected from Liara.

The outpost wasn't that large, and Shepard quickly found herself back at the central command post. She walked up in time to hear Nyreen issue a welcome order. "Cerberus is backing off for now. Make sure the scouts keep an eye out for the next attack."

As the messenger nodded and moved off, Aria waded in with her usual lack of diplomacy. "You've done an excellent job, Nyreen, but I'll be taking over now." Shepard tensed and glanced back and forth, unsure at this point who she would support if they decided to fight for control here and now, but hoping neither one was stupid enough to get into a contest before Cerberus was dealt with. When Nyreen crossed her arms in a silent statement of defiance, Aria narrowed her eyes and growled, "You know what happens to people who argue with me..."

Shepard cussed under her breath as Nyreen's hands dropped back to her side in ready mode and she responded to Aria's taunt, "And if I say no? You'll just kill me and take over?" Nyreen's voice was loud enough that a number of soldiers stopped what they were doing and turned to face the trio as their boss continued, "My people won't stand for that."

Aria turned and walked a short distance away, as if to reduce the immediate threat she posed to Kandros. Her eyes wandered the crowd, including the multiple balconies above her head that were filled with Talon supporters, and her voice lowered. "Yes. They do seem... _nauseatingly_ loyal. Either way, I'll get what I want."

Shepard started to breathe out in relief, but it was cut off by Kandros' reply. "Not this time."

Aria's body tensed and she turned back around, glaring at the upstart Turian. Before she could say or do anything they'd all regret within seconds, Shepard stepped up between them. "That's enough, Aria." Aria's eyes flicked to the commander, almost in disbelief. "The truth of the matter is we _need_ each other right now. If we're to have _any_ chance of defeating Cerberus, we need to join forces and work _together_."

Nyreen's green eyes were sharp when they met Shepard's and she gave an almost imperceptible nod. "You might be right, but the _people_ of Omega are my priority."

"You take over one _gang_ and you think you're ready to decide what's best for _Omega_?" Aria placed her hands on her hips and her expression turned smug. "_Nyreen_. Watch and learn." She turned and activated her omnitool, linking back to her secret bunker. "Ahz."

The Salarian responded immediately. "Everything's in place. The entire station's connected."

Suddenly, every single monitor in the outpost lit up with Aria's live image. Shepard realized what Aria had done and, based on Ahz's comments, quickly figured everyone on Omega station was watching the exact same thing. Aria strutted directly toward the camera and raised her arms in recognition as she spoke. "People of Omega. I. have. returned!"

Nyreen exhaled heavily and practically snorted in disgust as Aria continued, "Cerberus believes they have beaten you. They believe they have you under control." Aria glanced at Nyreen and shook an angry fist in the air. "They are _gravely_ mistaken."

She pointed directly at the camera. "You are the lawless of the galaxy. You cannot be beaten and you will _never_ be controlled." Her arms swung wide, as if welcoming the masses of Omega to her bosom. "Be ready! Your chance to strike out against your oppressors is coming! Together, we will take Omega back!" As she finished, she once more raised both hands over her head, this time in fists and looking ready for a fight. The screens cut out and flashed back to the Talon symbol placeholder.

The crowd volume had picked up significantly during the speech, but Shepard realized it wasn't anywhere near what it could have been had the entire crowd been truly behind Aria. The commander had no idea how people throughout the _rest_ of the station were reacting, but it was obvious that Aria's speech did little to pull those within the outpost to her cause; they still followed Kandros' lead. Nyreen turned to Aria with incredulity. "That's your plan? Throw civilians at Cerberus?"

Aria snarled, "Anything is better than being locked up like mindless animals, waiting for slaughter."

"You're playing with people's _lives_, Aria, and I don't like it." Nyreen took a step in and Shepard was preparing to intervene when another distraction prevented any altercation; a group of refugees poured in one of the side doors. Kandros glared at Aria as she spit out, "I have civilians to evacuate. I'll deal with this later."

As Nyreen turned away, Shepard stared hard at Aria. "Why, exactly, are you trying to alienate the only ally we have, Aria?"

"The people of Omega... _my_ people... _love_ a good street fight. When it breaks loose, they'll be ready. Nyreen is an idealist. There _are_ no innocents here; Omega exists for thieves and cut-throats. Even so, her code of ethics won't let her sit by while civilians are at risk. It's what makes her utterly predictable and easy to manipulate."

Glaring at Aria, Shepard's _own_ idealism wanted to reach out and shake the Queen of Omega by the front of her perfect leather jacket, but the action was diverted by a Turian scout sprinting up to the command center. "Cerberus is launching another offensive!"

Kandros' voice simmered with resentment. "Looks like I'm not the _only_ one who didn't like your little speech, Aria." That was all the attention Kandros gave her before turning to Shepard. "Commander, landing pads are yours. My people and I will hold the main doors."

"You got it." Shepard nodded and took off running, drawing her Graal from her back as she moved. A quick glance over her shoulder told her Aria had fallen in behind and was readying her weapon as well. As they rolled into the hangar, Shepard realized they were not alone; several of Kandros' people were already in place and she and Aria were back-up... which was _sorely_ needed. Cerberus was coming in full force with everything from Assault Troopers and upgraded Rampart Mechs to Guardians and Engineers. She glanced back at Aria, all disagreements put to the side during the fight. "You ready?"

"Whenever you are, Shepard." Aria actually grinned. "This is going to be fun."

Shepard pulled on her biotics and shouted, "You have an odd idea of what's _fun_, T'Loak!" before she disappeared in a bolt of blue. She smashed into her first Trooper, spun quickly, and used a biotic pull to yank a shield out of a closing Guardian's hands. She then smashed a fist to the ground, sending out a tremendous Nova Shock Wave, throwing both the Guardian and a closing Rampart Mech into the air. Aria launched a flare and the mech disintegrated without ever landing back on the deck, leaving Shepard unencumbered and free to Charge again. She finished off the Guardian, while Aria used her pistol with great efficiency to keep Shepard's flank clear.

The pattern repeated itself a number of times before the landing pad was once more secure. They had stopped to pick up spare heat sinks and reload when Nyreen's voice came over the comm. "Commander Shepard! We need your help at the main doors."

"We're on our way!" Shepard bolted from the bay and returned to the central chamber of the outpost without hesitation.

Aria followed on her heels, mumbling, "Goddess, do you ever stop or slow down?"

With her Cerberus enhanced hearing, Shepard heard the comment but pretended not to as she hustled to the Talons' aid. As soon as she and Aria rounded the last corner, Shepard realized Cerberus had somehow breached the doors. Much to Aria's dismay, Shepard accelerated yet again and blasted back out onto the catwalks, diving behind the cover she remembered was located directly outside the doors. Her eyes found Nyreen, trapped behind some crates, and provided cover fire so the Turian could retreat to a site with better protection. Once Kandros was secure, Shepard let loose yet again, quickly shutting Cerberus down in their attempt to take the outpost. When their last Atlas Mech exploded, the dogs beat a hasty retreat.

Nyreen breathed a sigh of relief. "That's it! Cerberus is pulling out." She looked to the commander. "Thanks, Shepard. Let's talk."

With the doors closed and the outpost once again secured, Nyreen was the first to speak. "The Talons will join your cause." Her gaze shifted to Aria as she continued, "Someone's got to make sure you don't run roughshod over our people."

Aria smirked, "You see, Shepard?"

Nyreen shook her head and glanced to the side before meeting Shepard's eyes. "Let me guess. She said I was predictable and therefore easy to manipulate."

Shepard's eyes widened slightly and she coughed before replying, "Yup. Pretty much word for word. She thinks she's playing you."

"Nothing new here." Nyreen's mandibles twitched in irritation. "One thing, though. I maintain command over my people. Non negotiable."

Aria scowled, "Just have them ready."

Nyreen met Aria's eyes without blinking. "Oh, we'll be ready."

* * *

Back at Aria's command bunker, everyone was making final preparations for the assault. The final task was to drop the force fields to release the Omega masses and clear the path to Afterlife, where Petrovsky had set up his command center. Ahz had located the power source for the force fields, but access to the controls was cut off by the force fields themselves. Aria called Shepard over to look at the problem. The commander studied the map carefully and, eventually, her hand came up to point at a dark spot. "Not completely. There's an open route through that dark area, then up. We simply need to go through the mines. What's the dark spot?"

Aria narrowed her eyes in thought. "It's one of the processing plants... and for some reason it's been powered down."

Shepard scoffed. "Yeah. To provide power for the force fields... and an obvious path to Afterlife. If it was me, I'd alternate the grid to prevent a direct avenue of attack, so it's obviously a trap. Petrovsky is _dictating_ our route, so we'll have to be careful, but I don't see any other options. It's the only open access to the elevator that goes to the reactor."

"Difficult mission." Nyreen looked on and had heard what they needed to do. "If I'm sending my people into the breach, I want to make sure those force fields come down for good."

Shepard looked at her. "You offering to come with us? Into a known ambush?"

Kandros met her eyes in challenge. "I'm _insisting_ on it, so like it or not, you're stuck with me."

Shepard smiled as she responded, "Welcome aboard, Kandros."

Aria, on the other hand, crossed her arms and spoke out, "It's almost as if you don't trust us."

Nyreen didn't miss a beat before replying, "It's _exactly_ as if I don't trust _you_."

"Gods be damned." Shepard stepped in between the two once more. "Can you two ignore whatever the hell happened between you in the past and play nice for a little while? At least until the mission is done?" She saw the unchanging looks of distrust and shook her head. "Fine. Then trust _me_. I'll make _sure_ we can rely on each other." Her eyes cast back and forth. "Deal?"

Nyreen didn't hesitate to step back. "Agreed, Commander. If _you're_ in charge of the ground mission, we'll have no problems."

Aria made a show of rolling her eyes. "Fine. I already _put_ Shepard in charge of ground assault; that's why she's _here_, Nyreen... Go replenish your medigel and energy bars at the med bay. I'll finish up my final preparations with Shepard and meet you there."

As Kandros walked away, Aria stared at the projection of Omega and the path they needed to take through the mines. "I can almost taste it, Shepard. Once we stop the leeching of the reactor, my path to the general will be clear."

Shepard huffed, "Yeah. Except for the thousands of troops standing between him and us."

Aria didn't flinch as she initially spoke only one word. "Details." She broke away from the image and faced the commander. "But those are your problem, not mine. Go get your supplies topped off and head to the exit by the med bay. I'll finish up here and be there soon."

Shepard had restocked before Aria had ever called her over, so made a beeline for the indicated hatch... and Nyreen Kandros. She was pleasantly surprised when she walked towards Kandros and Nyreen spoke first. "Shepard. Got a second? I was hoping we could talk. Alone."

Shepard offered her a quick smile. "I was hoping for the same, but we don't have much time before Aria gets here." She jerked her head to indicate a quiet corner and started moving as she spoke, "Come on. Let's find at least a little privacy."

* * *

**Solcrum, Grissom, Armstrong Cluster**

Maya Brooks was thrilled when they stepped through the hatch into the processing center, even if it was a rather small room, consisting solely of a rectangular area perhaps 8 by 6 meters. There was a large, circular grate in the middle of the floor, which sloped down concentrically from the outer walls. Manning had the prisoner stand in the middle of the grate, then disappeared through a door; when he returned, he held a datapad, which he handed to Brooks. "All the information is there. She's officially your problem, soon as you thumbprint that data."

Brooks had completely recovered her bad attitude once she was clear of the detention area. "I'm not taking this… filthy, disgusting person... _anywhere_ until she's free of these rags, has a bath and gets some fresh clothes."

"Fresh clothes weren't part of the deal… Those'll cost you."

Brooks was immediately in verbal combat mode and moved into Manning's personal space. "What the Hell happened to the fucking clothes she was wearing when she was brought here? She certainly didn't arrive here in her damned birthday suit!" A pair of Turians and a Batarian had entered the chamber from the opposite side of the room, taking up positions behind and to either side of Brooks and the prisoner as she continued, "Someone needs to find those damn clothes, _right_ now. Didn't you stupid bastards learn _anything_ from the last time you tried to fuck Cerberus over? It's not going to happen. I want her dressed in her original clothes... _after_ she gets a bath!"

Manning's face took on a scowl. "There's four of us in here, and only one of you. I don't believe you're in a position to be demanding _anything_ from the Blue Suns."

Brooks grin hardened into a straight line, lips pressed firmly together. "Is that a fact?"

Manning was just about to answer when Brooks moved, seemingly too fast for the eye to follow. She pulled and charged her M-358 while crouching down and spinning in place, using her powerful hand cannon to remove the heads of the two Turians and the Batarian. Before her third victim collapsed dead to the floor she was behind Manning, right arm encircling his chest with smoking gun still in hand as she pressed the edge of her assassin's blade hard against his throat.

"Ordinarily, I would have opened your fucking throat without a second thought. The three I just killed? Fucking aliens... all of 'em worthless and unimportant... You, my dear sergeant, may yet possess some value to the Suns." Brooks purred seductively in the man's ear as she made sure _he_ was feeling _her_ contours pressed hard against his back. "Now. You're going to have someone come out here unarmed, perhaps that nice Ida Liktakno, with clothes for this woman, _preferably_ what she was wearing when your people abducted her." Brooks pressed the blade a bit harder, drawing blood. "You've started leaking, Sergeant. I suggest you get on the comm system and start giving orders, _now_."

Manning had seriously underestimated the skills this Cerberus agent possessed, and he began to wonder if he could escape from this encounter with his life. "You heard the woman! Find those clothes!"

Maya grinned; this was the first time she had found _any_ enjoyment in this assignment. "What's her name, Sergeant?"

"Ori… that's all I know."

Maya raised her voice slightly as she forced Manning around to face the prisoner. "Ori? Get out of those rags. If I have to put you on my ship naked, I'll do it, but I want as much of the _smell_ off you as possible."

The woman tugged the shapeless mass of rags off her head and down past her shoulders, hesitating slightly at the sight of Jerold Manning, Maya's blade against his throat, looking at her with anticipation.

Maya got her first close look at Ori's face and hair. She looked almost like… _Lawson? Miranda's sister? Shit oh dear! Fate really __**does**__ have a wicked sense of humor!_ "Go on; take 'em off. Unless you have a double pair of tits under there, you don't look different than any other human female in the 'Verse."

Oriana grimaced but said nothing, pulling the rags down off her arms so she could let them drop to the deck, where she stepped sideways to get them clear of her feet. Totally nude, she crossed her arms across her chest and stood stiffly, head down, legs pressed tightly together.

Maya whispered in Manning's ear, "Enjoying the show, Sergeant? Now might be a good time to repeat your request… if I have to ask again, you won't be in any condition to hear what I say."

The sergeant was about ready to holler for someone… anyone… to please bring some clothes out for God's sake, when the door behind them banged open. Brooks looked quickly over her shoulder before returning her full attention to Manning.

"Don't kill him! Please don't kill him!" Ida Liktakno rushed around the pair and stopped between Ori and Manning. "You can let him go, Ms Brooks. You need a hostage. I'll get Ori to the showers and…"

Maya easily recognized the delaying tactic. "No, just give Ori the clothes so I can get her out of here." Liktakno regarded Manning, giving him a subtle look that would have been missed by anyone other than a trained agent. Brooks felt the sergeant tense all over as Liktakno dropped the clothes at Ori's feet, revealing the M-6 Carnifex she had been hiding within the bundle. Maya instantly pulled her blade hard across the throat of Sergeant Manning as she threw herself into a combat roll to her left. Liktakno fired once, hitting Manning in the shoulder as she tried to get Brooks in her sights, but the operative was too fast. Coming out of her roll, Brooks paused with one knee on the deck and fired, killing Ida with a shot to her chest. Maya jumped up, quickly grabbed the bundle of clothes and shoved them at the naked woman; placing her free arm around Ori's waist, she said, "Come on! Move!"

She cycled her heat sink and pulled Ori along with her, heading back in the direction from which she had come. Maya didn't know how long it would be before every Sun on this miserable rock started pouring out of the woodwork, and she really didn't care to find out. She pulled Ori into the elevator they'd recently left and selected the detention level, praying as she did so the exit at the other end would still be available.

Alarms could now be heard, filtering faintly in from the direction they'd just fled. Maya looked at Ori, shivering in the cool, dank atmosphere and said, "Get those clothes on so you don't have to carry them." As Ori nodded and began pulling on the pants, Maya pulled an energy drink from a utility pocket. Saying "Drink this," she handed it to the shivering woman as she clipped her own hair up to keep it out of her eyes; she next disabled the overhead lighting, leaving the interior bathed in the eerie glow from the haptic control interface. The elevator had stopped, but Brooks had prevented the door from opening until Ori had her pants fastened and the shirt over her head and pulled down.

Maya was not gentle as she shoved Ori into the right forward corner of the car and got right in her face, almost nose-to-nose. "I'm going to keep you alive and get you the Hell out of here, Ms Lawson, but you have to do exactly _what_ I tell you, _when_ I tell you… no questions, and no hesitation," she hissed. "Understand me?"

Ori's eyes went wide at Maya's use of her surname, but she nodded her head in understanding.

Brooks said, "Good. Now wait right here, out of sight. I'm going to clear a path for us. You hear me call your name, you come running, okay? Don't panic, don't let anything slow you down… just run as fast as you can towards my voice when I call your name."

Ori nodded again and slid to a crouching position in the corner, arms hugging her legs. Brooks readied her heavy pistol, setting it for disrupter ammo as she activated her barrier and energized her cloak; to Ori's eyes, Brooks' figure scintillated and virtually vanished. She saw the outline of an arm, wrist mounted omnitool unlocking the door. As the sections retracted into their slots, Brooks took off at a dead run towards the several Batarians and Turians that were cautiously making their way towards the darkened elevator.

The darkness in the foul-smelling passageway worked to Brooks' advantage as she passed within five meters of her first target; a Turian with a scoped sniper rifle. She knew as soon as she fired, the flash from the pistol would give away her position, so she slipped by him, raised her gun and shot the next Turian in line. Maya expertly shifted her sights and quickly removed a third target, a Batarian, before spinning back to the sniper and killing him as he attempted to turn about and bring his long gun to bear on the muzzle flashes that lit the hall for a split-second of mid-day brightness. She instantly slid sideways and crouched down against the opposite wall, returning her attention to the Batarian and Turian bringing up the rear.

The Batarian somehow felt that grappling with an unseen intruder firing shotgun blasts was a smart thing to do. He had only enough time to regret his decision as the assassin's poisoned blade flicked out, like the tongue of some otherworldly dragon. He dropped to his knees before crashing face-first to the floor as the neurotoxin paralyzed his muscles, including his diaphragm and heart. The lone remaining Turian had just started to turn tail and run when the blast from the Cerberus operative's pistol caught him just under his head crest, pitching his now lifeless form forward onto the floor.

Maya charged her pistol as she looked up and down the passage. All five of the Blue Suns aliens were dead, and the elevator at the far end was still on her level, doors open. She bolted for the end of the hall and secured her escape route before turning back; whistling loudly, she called out "Lawson! Come on!" Seeing instant movement from the far end of the passage, she crouched and waited, pistol ready. Ori nearly tripped over Maya's first two victims in the darkness, before slipping in a pool of blood and skidding to a halt in front of Brooks, who caught Ori's upper arm with her free hand to keep her from falling. _Infinitely valuable, he says. Needs special handling, he says. Cannot suffer any damage. God damn it, he didn't foresee __**this**__ shit, now did he? I've really stepped in a pile of Elcor crap this time! Don't know how in Hell I'm going to get us through that mess hall!_ All this ran through her mind in an instant as she waited for Ori to catch her breath.

As she powered down her barrier and cloaking generator, Maya had a thought and stepped back to the last Turian she'd dropped; grimacing in disgust, she felt around blindly on both his wrists to locate and remove his omnitool. Returning to Ori's side, she activated and searched its interface for some kind of guide or map... anything she could use to bypass the mess hall. Ori watched her impassively for less than a minute before shyly asking, "May I?"

Brooks looked at her for a moment before handing her the tool. "Knock yourself out. Look for a path to the hangar that minimizes common areas."

Ori searched the Turian's omnitool for a few seconds; after entering a few commands, she huffed, "Here. Follow this route."

Brooks took the tool back and looked at the outline Ori had found. "The ducts? Really, Lawson?"

"It'll be faster than being on the same levels with everyone under the Suns looking for us... and I would rather be _anywhere_ than in this Hellhole."

Maya nodded slowly, seeing the advantages to what Ori was saying. "Okay then. Let's be off."


	40. Omega - Just a Warm-Up

Notes:

Graal - Krogan double-barreled shotgun-class weapon that shoots large spikes; the oversized flechettes are designed to pierce Thresher Maw hide and create deep wound channels and massive blood loss

* * *

**Omega - Just a Warm-Up**

**Solcrum, Grissom, Armstrong Cluster**

Maya had quickly clambered up through the roof hatch in the elevator car; once on top, she had Ori push the control for the mess hall level and then reached down through the access hatch to pull the younger Lawson up to join her before quickly replacing the access panel.

When the car halted at the mess hall level, the maintenance tunnel Ori had discovered on the Turian's omnitool was only a meter or so from the edge of the car; Maya quietly jumped down to a concrete platform atop a wall adjacent to the elevator shaft; hearing muffled conversations inside the car from several people that had boarded for a trip down, Maya raised her arms to Ori as the frightened woman looked over the edge. "Come on, Lawson! It's now or never," Maya hissed as loud as she could. Ori gasped as the car began its descent; she jumped into Maya's arms just as the car's roof came even with the platform, knocking both of them to the narrow surface.

Maya rolled Ori off her chest and attempted to catch her breath. She was a bit aggravated that Ori had landed on top of her, but kept repeating the Illusive Man's instructions in her head, as if they were a mantra to guide her actions – _infinitely valuable, special handling, suffer no damage – easier said than done, damn it._ "You okay?" Maya huffed between attempts at getting her diaphragm working properly again.

"I think so. Thanks for catching me. I'd hate to fall down these shafts."

"Yeah, that wouldn't win me any points with the… with my boss." She looked at Ori's feet, realizing she was still barefoot. "How're you holding up? Maya dug around in her pockets and found her last energy drink. She said, "Drink that down," as she handed it to Ori. "When we get to my ship, I'll give you some food."

Ori downed the drink in one go, wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and gave the empty container back to Maya. "Suns knew better than to starve me, but it didn't keep them from putting me on the list for short rations."

Maya nodded. "Bet you weren't the only one on short rations; the more they give you to eat and drink, the less profit they make when they sell or ransom you." Maya looked in the maintenance tunnel and sighed. "Come on. We need to keep moving. Just stay right behind me and move as quietly as you can."

Maya stood and jumped to the tunnel's entrance; she felt more than heard Ori land behind her before she'd moved three steps into the darkness. Crouching slightly, she enabled the light on her omnitool and, closely followed by Lawson, moved into the tunnel.

* * *

She carefully looked through a grille set in the side of the circular tube in which they had traveled; this tube was attached to the roof girders and ran crosswise through the hangar. It had taken Maya and Ori a lot less time to reach their destination by traveling through the ducts than she would have imagined. Unfortunately, there were two things preventing her from simply entering her ship and leaving.

Number one was the ten or eleven meter drop from the duct above her ship – there was no way either of them could survive a drop of that distance without injury, and the hatch was too far from the catwalks on either side of the hangar. The other thing was a pair of Batarians prowling around her ship. She had already received several warnings on her omnitool _from_ the ship, informing her that a couple of attempts had been made at forcing the outer airlock hatch. She was quite happy to discover there was still no _physical_ barrier across the main hangar opening – the kinetic barrier was the only thing keeping the atmosphere inside.

One of the Batarians was poking around the ship's compact thruster pack. Maya quickly opened her own omnitool, entered several commands in rapid succession and grinned as an immense electrical discharge left the stern of her vessel, entered the Batarian's body at his closest arm and exited through his feet; the unfortunate Blue Sun was thrown three to four meters towards the kinetic barrier guarding the gaping opening leading outside. He bounced once as he landed on the deck and rolled to his belly, legs and arms haphazardly spread and bent like those of a large doll carelessly tossed away by a petulant child; this caused the second man to run for the stairs up to the elevated walkway, where he quickly left through the exit hatch.

Maya looked at Ori and whispered, "Okay, Lawson… see if you can find us a way out of this duct… preferably one that'll place us close to this hangar. We _really_ need to get out of here!"

Ori attempted to activate the omnitool stolen from the dead Turian; the only thing it would do was emit an error tone. "Looks like the Suns took this one offline."

"Okay, plan B." Maya looked at the catwalks again. "Stay here and watch for intruders. I'm going to cut a way out." Moving back the way they had come, she used her omnitool to measure her distance from Ori – when she reached 8 meters, she guessed she should be right above a sidewall catwalk. Enabling the small plasma cutter on her omnitool, she looked back at Ori, who nodded back at her.

Brooks, fearing discovery at any moment, began cutting a semi-circular hole in the thin wall of the duct. After roughly three minutes, she turned the cutter off and tentatively pressed down on the end closest to her, causing the 'D'-shaped piece of metal to fall into the hangar. Brooks took a quick look, confirming her accuracy in measuring the distance. The drop to the catwalk from her current location was only about 2 or 2.5 meters – much more manageable.

She started to tell Ori to move back towards her, but stopped as the woman raised both hands, palms outward in a 'stop' motion. Brooks' grace time had expired – there were Suns entering the hangar. Placing a finger vertically across her lips to signal 'silence', Brooks shifted noiselessly to look down through the hole, confirming a Blue Suns presence on the catwalks. She squatted at the edge as she activated her barrier and cloaking generators; she quickly grasped either edge of the hole in the ducting, then threw her legs into the opening and released her grip, dropping like a cat onto the surface of the catwalk.

She used the entire range of motion her legs were capable of in order to absorb the impact from her landing, but the jolt that traveled through the catwalk from Maya's sudden added weight still gained the attention of the patrol. Sensing a presence close behind, she ignored the Batarian yet at a distance to her front and leapt up into a back-flip, kicking a very surprised Turian in the jaw and mandibles as she briefly balanced on her hands; the Turian howled in shocked pain as Brooks completed her back flip, squatted down and shoved her poisoned blade into his gut just below the edge of his chest armor. As the neurotoxin worked its magic, she pulled her heavy pistol and fired one round at the Batarian, who had hesitated to fire at her for fear of hitting his comrade, seeing as he couldn't tell _exactly_ where she was.

However, her shot revealed her position and a bullet from the far side of the hangar ripped through her armor-plated forearm; a new attacker had immediately zeroed in on the muzzle flash and caused her to drop her heavy pistol as she yelped in pain and surprise. _God __**damn**__ it!_ She hit the floor, grabbed her gun with her left hand and emptied it into the next two soldiers as they rounded the corner at the forward end of the hangar. Before she moved onward, she retrieved her blade from the dying Turian and shoved it angrily back into its calf-mounted sheath. _Probably fractured my fucking arm. Shit!_

The narrow catwalk was working to Brooks' advantage, but she needed to be done with this fight – she was bleeding and the break was preventing her from using her hand. Since she couldn't keep from leaving an obvious blood trail, she glanced around quickly and deactivated her now worthless cloak. She shouted upwards, "Lawson! Get your ass down here, now! We gotta move!"

Not waiting to see if Ori complied with her order, Maya hurriedly pushed herself back to her feet, laboriously charged her hand cannon and trotted forward towards the hatch and the stairs, each footfall sending lancing pain through her injured arm. Just as she reached the doorway, the haptic lock went green and she heard the internal lock click open. As both halves of the hatch began retracting into their recesses and knowing there was no one inside she cared to meet, Brooks blindly emptied her gun without hesitation into the rapidly expanding opening, killing two more Blue Suns hiding within. As the hatch began to reclose, Brooks blocked one of the segments with her foot and grabbed the assault rifle from the closer of the two dead humans, placed it across the entrance and effectively prevented the doors from closing completely. The nonfunctional hatch would keep the airlock from being able to cycle and the Blue Suns would be powerless to access the passageway... at least for the short duration of time she would need to complete her escape with Ori.

She spun around at the movement behind her and, while relieved to see it was her 'package' coming towards her, Maya groaned; Ori was limping slightly from her drop onto the steel mesh floor of the catwalk. _Damn it! So much for no damage!_ Brooks held her own right arm tightly against the middle of her chest, hand beside her neck as she tipped her head towards the stairs and growled in frustration, "Let's get the hell _off_ this rock, Lawson."

Maya had the ship 'airborne' within minutes of boarding, flying them some distance away along the ground before initiating her climb into orbit in order to get well out of range of any surface-to-space missile launchers the Suns might have. Once in the relative safety of empty space, Maya set course for the Attican Beta cluster and made the jump to FTL.

* * *

**Omega, Sahrabarik, Omega Nebula**

Once she and Shepard got to a quiet corner, Nyreen spoke quietly, "I'm not trying to undermine Aria. I know she has to be ruthless. Let her have her revenge. I'm not doing this for me, for Aria, or for what we once had..."

Before Kandros could continue, Shepard cut in, "It's for the people of Omega. I understand, Nyreen... truly. I'm a Council Spectre... and _I'm_ doing it for the galaxy."

"I don't know about the galaxy..." Nyreen was somewhat taken aback by the Commander's forthrightness. "... But someone has to be the people's voice in this. They aren't to blame for what's happened here, yet they're about to be caught in the middle."

"I _get_ it. Really, I do." Shepard held her hand up in a stopping motion. "But we've got limited time, so I want to get to the point. Are the Talons ready for this? Are they up to taking on a military-style assault against a full regiment of Cerberus troops?"

"Absolutely, Commander." Nyreen straightened her stance and her back became even more rigid than normal. "They were thieves and scoundrels once, but now every _one_ of them serves with integrity. We're all fighting for a better world... but I have to wonder if the same can be said for our Asari friend."

Shepard spared a quick glance Aria's way before answering, "I don't wonder at all... and I very much _doubt_ she has the best interests of the _galaxy_ at heart. I don't have time to explain all the reasons I'm here, but you're smart, Kandros and you'll figure it out if I tell you this... I'm glad the Talons are up to the task, because you need to survive _this_ war for Omega for what comes after Cerberus... and the Reapers... are _gone_. Don't play hero and get yourself killed; the Talons need _you_ to survive to lead them. We're out of time, but we'll speak privately again before I leave."

Nyreen remained outwardly calm, but her mind was reeling; Shepard wanted her and the Talons alive and well on Omega _after_ the Reapers. She was no strategist, but she could see only one possible reason the commander wanted a force on Omega that wasn't in Aria's pocket. Aria had openly scoffed at the Turian's ability to lead Omega and as hard as Nyreen worked at not letting it bother her, it still chafed. _Maybe, when this is all over, we just might teach __**you**__ a thing or two, T'Loak_. "It's a date, Commander." Nyreen's mandibles twitched. "One I think I will very much look forward to."

Not wanting to fall suspiciously silent as Aria walked up, Shepard asked Kandros another question. "So there's a full regiment of troops, but what's your take on the General?"

Nyreen was a trained Cabal Special Forces agent, so didn't even blink at the deceptive, apparently seamless, continuation of a conversation they hadn't been having. "He's a strategic thinker and a ruthless bastard _in battle_, but he's worthy of respect; he honors his word."

Shepard's eyebrows rose. "So he has a code."

Nyreen nodded as she replied, "Yes... and, as near as I can tell, it doesn't even remotely resemble that of the Illusive Man. Petrovsky is... a _proper_ officer."

Aria sneered, "If you're done _extolling_ upon the virtues of the _enemy_, we have someplace to be and things to do."

Shepard's head turned. "Don't dismiss Petrovsky's capabilities, Aria. Overconfidence is a sure-fire way to end up dead."

"He took _Omega_ from me, Shepard. I have no delusions as to his capabilities," Aria growled. "But I don't doubt _mine_, either. Nor yours... Omega _will_ be mine again before the end of today."

* * *

The processing plant had been completely powered down so they didn't need to worry about any force fields, but that didn't make Shepard feel any better. She fully expected the place to come to life when they were halfway through the maze of tunnels, ending up trapped between fields with no exit. With no other options, they pried the doors open and entered the darkness.

They didn't get more than a few steps into the plant before crossing paths with Cerberus troops... dead ones, scattered about the catwalks. Nyreen couldn't help but exclaim, "Spirits! They've been ripped to shreds."

Shepard knelt down and examined one of the bodies. It looked like the Trooper had literally been savaged and gutted by a wild animal of some kind.

"I don't like this." Nyreen shivered with revulsion. "I would say this was done by the Adjutants, but something's not right."

Shepard stood and looked at her with concern. "What do you mean?"

"Adjutants change their victims into one of their own... They don't savage them and leave the corpses to rot." Nyreen paused briefly. "I wonder if they're smart enough to realize they've been locked in... and they're saving them for food."

"That's a disturbing thought." Shepard grimaced. "But why would Petrovsky lock them in with his own soldiers?"

"Perhaps it was simply more convenient." Aria's voice reflected irritation. "I _told_ you he's a merciless bastard. What makes you think he'd care about a dozen soldiers? Maybe they were the unknowing bait to get the Adjutants in here... or perhaps part of an experiment."

"I can't shake it." Nyreen's eyes met Shepard's in warning. "Something's off."

"Noted." Shepard glanced around warily. "Keep your eyes and ears open. Who knows what else Cerberus may have unleashed down here."

They made their way swiftly and quietly through the maze of piping and catwalks, discovering more bodies around nearly every turn. They could all hear _something_ moving in the distance, but it stayed away from them and the noises were never accompanied by chatter or gunfire. When they heard something akin to a roar, Shepard stopped in her tracks and whispered, "What the Hell was _that_?"

"_That_ was an Adjutant." Aria sounded calm... almost eager for the challenge, but Nyreen's response was anything but.

"Definitely. Of course that doesn't mean the general doesn't have something else inside along with it." The Turian's words were urgently fast paced.

"Relax and breathe, Kandros." Shepard turned to look at her with calm green eyes. "_Whatever_ it is, it's not going to attack three strong biotics with enough firepower to take down the entirety of the Cerberus forces on Omega... And we'll be fine if it's stupid enough to try."

They pressed onward to the elevator Aria had indicated as their destination. The Asari growled, "The elevator to the mines is through that door. We'll have to get to the control room and power this place up."

Shepard frowned. "Great. And how many force fields will power up with it?"

Nyreen spoke softly. "We have to try. If they do, we'll simply power them all back down and leave someone behind to power the elevator."

Aria laughed. "Seriously? And just who do you propose to stay back? Because if it's anyone, it's you."

"No." Shepard's voice left no room for discussion. "We don't leave _anyone_ behind. Ever."

"Honorable ideal, Shepard, but wars aren't _won_ on sentiment." Aria glowered as she finished, "We'll do _whatever_ it takes to get to that mine."

"Where's the control room, Aria?" Shepard refused to acknowledge what sounded an awfully lot like an implied order from the Queen. "We'll decide what to do when the time comes."

Aria led them easily to the control room and activated the system; Shepard tensed as the eezo generators engaged and the power came up slowly, sure the trap was about to be sprung. Aria glanced around casually in the brightening room. "When this is over, there'll be a lot of repairs to be made."

As Nyreen prepared a retort, the large glass observation port shattered and an Adjutant lunged into the small room. Years of training kicked in and Shepard _moved,_ instantly. As Aria launched a Flare and Nyreen activated an Overload, Shepard called on her biotics and Charged the beast, quickly followed by a Nova Shockwave. The Adjutant didn't stand a chance against the power of the attacks and quickly collapsed to the decking.

"Spirits, Shepard!" Nyreen stood in awe. "I've never seen one of those monsters go down so quickly!"

Before she could make any reply, Aria cut in, disdain filling her voice. "Yes, Shepard's a marvelous specimen of Human biotic potential. Now let's get back to the elevator."

The way there was quiet, but filled with so many Cerberus corpses that Shepard quit trying to keep count. As they moved into view of the elevator, Nyreen called out, "Another one!"

In a repeat of their earlier performance, against the power of three, the Adjutant perished quickly. Shepard moved to the elevator control, only to hear Aria call out this time. "Shepard, look alive! More adjutants!"

Shepard spared a quick glance at her scanner, which indicated at least three hostiles within range. "Concentrate fire!" Shepard pulled on her biotics yet again and shouted again, just before she launched. "And follow my lead!" She turned into a flash of blue and streaked across the deck, smashed into the closest beast and then shoved it back even farther with a shockwave. As she did a quick backward roll to gain a bit of distance, Aria blasted it with a Flare and Nyreen hit it with an Overload, staying with the pattern that had worked so well on the first one.

Shepard didn't hesitate to complete another Charge before spinning and locating the next target as the first one fell. The pattern repeated twice more before Nyreen uttered thankfully, "I think we got them all."

Aria quickly chimed in, "Excellent. Let's get on that elevator."

Shepard knelt down and rummaged through her spare thermal clips to dig out an energy bar. "Not so fast, Aria. Grab the chance for some replenishment. We have no idea what awaits us on the next level. Literally, it won't take more than a minute to rejuvenate a bit of energy... and who _knows_ when we'll get the chance again."

Aria rolled her eyes, but grudgingly agreed to take the time. "I don't know why you bother with those drinks and bars, Shepard. Why not simply swallow an eezo cube?"

"You're kidding, right?" Shepard shook her head. "The Human body isn't designed for straight-up concentrated eezo. I'd probably go into eezo shock until my system burned enough of it off to stabilize again."

Aria grinned. "It's amazing Humans have lived as long as they have. You all are so... _frail_."

She laughed at the expression that appeared on Shepard's and Nyreen's faces as the commander asked, "What?"

Nyreen shook her head in disagreement, "Frail is certainly not a word I would use to describe the commander, Aria."

She had meant it mostly as a jest, but seeing as her compatriots failed to see the humor, Aria rolled her eyes and impatiently tapped the elevator control. "So... uptight. Let's get moving."

The elevator ride up was oppressively silent until Nyreen mused aloud, "I wonder what's waiting for us up here."

Shepard actually smiled at the sarcasm that laced Nyreen's words and she commented with a light laugh. "Whatever it is, we'll deal with it."

As they approached the top, Aria clenched her fists and growled, "You can _hear_ the drills. Damn it! They shouldn't be _straining_ like that. If they break down now, I doubt we'll be able to replace them until after the war!"

"Then let's get them back under your control so you can shut them down and let 'em cool off a bit." At first, Aria thought she was being a smartass, but Shepard's tone was serious, so instead of making some caustic retort, she actually nodded in agreement.

"Access to the reactor is on the upper level, so we need to work our way across the platform to the elevator." Aria pointed to a large superstructure across the mine. "That's where we're headed."

The trio worked their way toward the elevator with relative ease. They encountered what they considered 'normal' Cerberus troops, including one engineer and a couple of Nemesis snipers, but nothing that taxed them tremendously. As they got closer, the resistance got a little bit stiffer and the Cerberus troops were augmented by a few of the Rampart Mechs but, again, nothing overly difficult. As they climbed aboard the elevator, Shepard looked at her short-term teammates. "Anyone else think that was a little bit too easy?"

Aria simply shrugged the question off, thinking it rhetorical, but Nyreen nodded. "Yes. I thought we'd be trapped in the processing plant to be killed by Adjutants, but I think the trap is yet to be sprung."

Aria snapped angrily in response, her impatience starting to show. "Of _course_ the Adjutants in the plant were a trap, but only the first. I'm sure the general has more than one trick up his sleeve."

"Comforting, Aria." Shepard shook her head and let out a frustrated sigh. "Any idea what the next one might be?"

Aria glanced her way and answered dismissively, "No more than you, Shepard."

When they reached the top, the first and only troop they found was a single engineer who made the grave mistake of having his back to the elevator door; he was dead before he knew they had even arrived. The team moved quickly across the upper level catwalks with little resistance until they reached the main platform with the elevator to the reactor floor. Nyreen said aloud what all three were thinking. "Strange. We're not being attacked anymore."

Shepard replied quickly, "Yeah. Don't let your guard down."

They climbed onto the elevator and Aria rushed to the console and punched the button. Her voice was filled with excitement. "This is it. The reactor is our next stop. Be ready for _anything_ when that door opens."

Nyreen changed out the thermal clip in her pulse rifle as she queried, "Why are you _grinning_, Aria?"

"We're almost there!" Aria's eyes glowed in anticipation. "When the force fields come down, this war _finally_ begins."

Nyreen scoffed, "For those of us who _didn't_ abandon Omega, the war started a long time ago."

"This isn't war, babe." Aria's voice was light; she fed on conflict. "This is just a warm-up."

_Babe?_ Once again, Shepard wondered about the prior relationship between Aria and Nyreen. Her attention was drawn back to the situation at hand when the door chimed, announcing their arrival at the reactor. "Alright. Can the chatter and pay attention. This is it."

The elevator doors opened to a surprisingly _empty_ floor. "There's the reactor. Straight ahead!"

"Hold a minute, Aria." Shepard held a hand up. "This is most _definitely_ not right. Be cautious."

They spread out and moved forward cautiously, Shepard growing more uneasy by the moment as they continued to progress without being attacked. As the final of the threesome stepped into the central chamber of the room, a bright red force field popped up around them, confining them within the large compartment. Shepard cursed under her breath and started to look for an exit, stopping only when a rotating orb floated over to them and an image of General Petrovsky materialized before them. "I commend you. Your plan of attack was impeccable."

Shepard scoffed in disgust. "Yeah. We came in exactly where you expected us."

"Of course you did." Petrovsky stood at ease, his hands folded behind his back and his voice smug. "I provided you with only one possible route."

"Too bad you're on the Illusive Man's side, Petrovsky." Shepard shrugged her shoulders casually, as if she didn't have a care in the world. "The Alliance could have put your talents to much more effective use."

"I'm on _Humanity's_ side, Shepard." Surprisingly, Petrovsky sounded as if he took offense to being associated with the Illusive Man. "You're the ones trying to start a war... for the glory of Aria. But now it's over."

"_You're_ the delusional one. I'm not here for Aria's war." Shepard saw the Asari moving out of the corner of her eye, so kept the general distracted and talking. "I'm here for the resources Omega can provide me for the war against the _Reapers_... or did you forget that Humanity is _dying_ outside of your new little fiefdom?"

"Surely you can't be that blind, Shepard? Humanity can come out of this war in our rightful position as the supreme race." Petrovsky shook his head. "I had a higher estimation of you. Thought you could see the bigger picture."

"Bigger picture?" Shepard's voice rose with her incredulity. "What could possibly be bigger right now than destroying the Reapers?"

"Controlling them." Petrovsky smiled. "Taking their advanced technology and using it for the benefit of the Human race."

"You _have_ to be kidding me!" Shepard stared in disbelief. "By the Gods... You're worse than the Illusive Man! He's indoctrinated, but what's your excuse?"

"Face it, Shepard. It's over." Petrovsky had barely finished speaking before his head snapped around, his attention grabbed by Aria lighting up with biotics.

"This isn't over until your next of kin can't identify you," Aria growled. She engaged her barrier and plunged her hands into the glowing red force field.

Shepard's eyes flew wide open in shock, expecting the Asari to scream in pain, but it never came. "So much for no touching the red glowing walls!"

The general was also shocked, almost beyond speech. As Aria used her hands to create a small hole in the force field, he practically stammered, "What the Hell is she trying to do?"

"Trying, my ass. She's ripping a hole in your 'impenetrable' shield." Shepard smirked and turned back to Petrovsky. "See you soon, General."

"Damn it, Shepard! She's forcing my hand!" His projection moved in such a way that Shepard knew he was inputting commands into a console. "We'll do it your way then."

"We always do." Shepard glared as him as Aria continued her struggle to enlarge the hole through the force field. As Petrovsky turned away in annoyance, Shepard shouted out, "Nyreen! We've got incoming Mechs! Protect Aria and watch my flank!"

Mechs began to flood in and Shepard shifted to a full 'crash and blast' mode. She alternated her biotic Charge with shockwaves, rarely using her gun... only to finish off the most stubborn of opponents or if she noticed Aria and Nyreen needing a bit more back-up. She focused herself and turned into a tornado of destruction as the hole Aria had created continued to grow larger.

Finally, the Asari grunted with effort to speak while she held the field open. "Shepard! This is all I'm going to get, and I can't hold it much longer! Go!"

Shepard risked a quick glance over her shoulder and was surprised to see a hole... not huge, but certainly large enough to dive through. She dropped one last Rampart Mech to allow herself time to retreat, spun on her heels and, with three long strides, dove through the hole and landed on the surrounding catwalk... outside of their entrapment. Aria immediately pulled her hands away and fell backward, away from the force field.

Nyreen quickly helped the Asari back to her feet. "Spirits, Aria. How did you know you could do that?"

Aria pulled her SMG and started blasting, her biotics needing a bit of time to recover. "I didn't."

Not one to waste an opportunity, Shepard rolled to her feet and took off at a dead run, sprinting along the catwalk and sliding across the top of the occasional case that blocked her path. She moved quickly, pausing only once to pull on a biotic Charge and smash _through_ a mech that thought to stand in her way. She quickly found herself at the control panel for the reactor. As she started working to crash the system and bring down the force fields, the floating orb followed her in and a new hologram of Petrovsky materialized at her side. "You can't do this, Commander. There's more at stake than you know. That reactor powers life support systems for dozens of wards across the station. Shut it down and thousands of people will perish."

"Damn it." Her hands slowed. "You hearing this, Aria?"

"Yes, and they'll be casualties of war, Shepard." Aria commanded, "Shut it down!"

Nyreen immediately came on the comm. "Shepard, don't! Try rerouting the power away from the force fields!"

"I'll try!" Shepard's hands started working again, this time with a different goal in mind. "Hold tight down there."

"What the Hell are you doing, Shepard?" Aria sounded angry.

"Rerouting the power to maintain the other systems..." Petrovsky answered for her.

"Are you crazy? You're going to get us killed!" Aria's focus suddenly changed. "Nyreen, watch your flank!" Her attention returned to the commander. "We're almost spent, Shepard!"

"This is who you're working for, Shepard." Petrovsky's image paced feverishly. "She doesn't care who gets hurt."

"Wrong, General." Shepard continued to type as fast as her fingers would move. "I'm working for the Council. To acquire assets for our war against Cerberus and the Reapers!"

"Overload the reactor, Shepard!" Aria let loose a Flare that cleared the left flank, giving them only a slight respite, as Rampart Mechs continued to approach from the right.

Petrovsky continued his rant, "She'd just throw thousands of lives away..."

"Shut the Hell up, Petrovsky!" Shepard growled as she continued to work through the system. "What do you think the _Illusive Man_ is doing? It's _you_ who's working for the monster."

Aria's voice sounded tired and had lost some of its force. "Shepard. Nyreen's down. I'm stabilizing her... I'm not sure how much longer we'll last." Aria paused. "You can't reroute the power in time. For the love of the Goddess, hit the fucking overload."

"This shouldn't be that hard." Petrovsky was getting on her last nerve with his continued prattle. "Maybe something inside is holding you back. Maybe deep down you're starting to think the galaxy is better off without her. She'll never learn; she'll never change. Even if you win, Omega loses..."

"Or maybe..." Shepard's hand came down hard on the 'execute' button before she spun to his floating visage, spouting angrily, "... I'm a better technician than _any_ of you give me credit for, no matter _how_ hard you work to distract me!" In the background, the power shifted gradually from the force fields over to life support; the display turned from red to purple, and finally to blue. "So shut your trap and get ready... because I'm coming for you, Petrovsky. _You_ picked the wrong side, not me... when you sided with the Illusive Man instead of Humanity and the Alliance! Perhaps deep down, _you're_ the one who fears success."

With that, Shepard turned and ran out of the control room to rejoin her team and see how Nyreen was faring. All over the station, the force fields gradually fell as the power in their sector was reallocated to life support and the repowering of the previously closed sections.

Up in Afterlife, Petrovsky frowned and turned to his control console. His finger depressed a button on the panel and the pick-up hummed with his voice. "All units. Battle stations. Prepare for attack. Get the demolition crews into position."

Shepard returned to the lower deck in time to see Nyreen regaining her feet with Aria's assistance. "You both okay?"

"Despite your best efforts to _kill_ me?" Aria glowered at her, "Your soft heart almost cost me _everything_."

Shepard stood firm, convinced she had made the correct decision. "_Almost_ doesn't count."

Nyreen also stepped up. "Quiet, Aria. It _worked_. Shepard dropped the barriers _without_ sacrificing innocent lives... and she's right; we're still alive to talk about it. I _applaud_ her."

"I suppose." Surprisingly, Aria took a step back, though her expression didn't change. "Whatever." She rolled her eyes at the pair standing before her and shrugged her shoulders. "The war's starting and I don't intend to miss it." She turned quickly and headed toward the secure bunker via the shortest route.

As Shepard and Nyreen turned to follow, the Turian spoke softly. "She's never been big on thank-yous."

Aria led them to a different elevator, this one rising to Omega proper, versus returning to the mines. Nyreen froze momentarily before her right hand shot up to the comm unit in her ear. "Getting reports. All force fields are now down. Civilians are taking to the streets in droves... and Cerberus is pulling back."

Shepard frowned. "That won't last. Cerberus is consolidating their forces for a counter-attack."

Nyreen spun to her. "The people don't have the training to go up against Cerberus front lines. They'll be wiped out!"

Aria's voice cut in from the other side of the elevator. "Civilian casualties can't be avoided. You'll have to accept it."

Kandros turned, determination in her voice. "Say what you will, Aria, but I _won't_ allow senseless deaths."

Shepard nodded briefly. "We'll do what we can to protect them; we'll have to be quick."

Nyreen turned back to Shepard, her voice grateful and somewhat relieved. "Of course, Commander."

Aria rolled her eyes, but was dissuaded from making any type of retort when her own comm came to life. "Aria? Bray here."

The news wasn't good. Omega scouting teams had run into demolitions teams in the tunnels under Afterlife. Cerberus troops were moving gear and setting explosives around the station's central support columns. Aria moved quickly to the elevator control panel, changing the car's destination. "Bray, engage! Delay them as long as you can! We're coming!" As soon as she turned back to Nyreen and Shepard, she pulled out her assault rifle. "If they destroy the main columns, they'll cut off the way to Afterlife! Our entire offensive will be stopped cold."

Shepard echoed her movements, pulling her Graal as she spoke. "So, we split up." Her attention went to Nyreen. "Your plan stays basically the same, except now you'll be solo lead and continue with the frontal assault... try to delay their realization that we know what's going on." Her gaze shifted to Aria. "We'll take care of the remaining demolitions teams and any explosives they've managed to set."

Aria smiled. "And once that's done, we'll meet you in the markets for the final assault."

"Of course." Nyreen stared directly at Aria as she finished, "But don't count on me to build your memorial if you get yourself killed..."

Aria glanced quickly at Nyreen as she and Shepard slipped out of the elevator to find the Cerberus Engineers and their bombs. "I like it when you're feisty."


	41. Omega - Victory

Notes:

ETA - Estimated Time of Arrival

Graal - Krogan double-barreled shotgun-class weapon that shoots large spikes; the oversized flechettes are designed to pierce Thresher Maw hide and create deep wound channels and massive blood loss.

* * *

**Omega - Victory**

**Omega, Sahrabarik, Omega Nebula**

Shepard and Aria left Nyreen behind and headed back to the tunnels. "The only way to the exposed section of the central column is through the _tunnels_. I don't understand how they found their way in; Cerberus apparently did their homework when they took over the station."

As soon as they passed through the closest entry to the tunnels, they found Bray and his squad engaged with a number of Rampart Mechs. Shepard tossed a meaningful glance at Aria, who responded with two quick words. "Do it."

With a nod, Shepard was gone in a flash of blue. They destroyed mech after mech, quickly freeing up Bray and his men to follow them as they moved efficiently along the passageways. An explosion rocked the tunnels and Aria laughed. "They took out the catwalk, but we can extend the dam in the control room. That will give us a path across."

Aria moved quickly to the console and extended the dam. Shepard watched the water in the holding tank swiftly drain away once the inflow was halted... and smirked as she saw what was revealed in the bottom. Aria trotted out and went to move past her, speaking hurriedly, "Come on! Let's move." She frowned, wondering what could possibly be in the bottom of the holding tank that had Shepard so fascinated. As she glanced down, her voice rang in disbelief. "Is _that_ my _couch_? Petrovsky will so _pay_ for that!"

Nyreen reported in, forcing Aria to refocus on the mission. "Nyreen here. We've engaged Cerberus and cleared our first target. ETA to the Gozu district is on track."

"Excellent." Aria spared one last glare at the remains of her totally ruined leather couch and pressed onward. Shepard chuckled quietly to herself as they started moving again, quickly typing the coordinates into her omnitool. The Elcor trader from the Omega Markets, Harrot, had expressed an interest in the couch, hoping its repair and return would place him in favorable stead with Aria... and Shepard hoped doing _him_ a favor would get Liara an extra pair of eyes on the inside.

They continued moving with haste, knowing they were on the clock. Shepard knew they had arrived at their destination when they rounded a corner and she saw a large sign over the doorway ahead of her, reading _Central Support_. Shepard raised her eyebrows and laced her voice with sarcasm. "Aria. _Really_? Is it such a surprise Cerberus was able to locate the columns?"

Irritated, Aria growled, "Just get us in there before Cerberus sets off the bombs!"

The main doors were secured, so Aria pointed out a side route. They were passing through the final doorway when Nyreen called out, "We're hitting less resistance. I think they've figured out where you are and are sending forces your way!"

"Thanks for the heads up!" Shepard shouted the response as she launched her first Graal spike at a Cerberus Assault Trooper inside the room. With Bray's team of six having followed in trail, they easily cleared the existing troops from the room but, from Nyreen's advance warning, knew they didn't have much time before the reinforcements started to arrive.

They moved in quickly; Shepard surveyed the room and realized the central 'column' actually consisted of four individual pillars. Before she could realize the import of her observation, Aria proceeded directly to the controls and opened the access panels. "Damn it! The bombs just went live and the console is locked! We'll have to disarm each of the four bombs manually!"

What would normally be a relatively easy job became an instant challenge as Cerberus troops and Rampart Mechs began to flood the room. Where Bray's men should have been able to provide cover fire, they each suddenly found themselves in a fight for their lives. Aria quickly shouted out, "I'll control the flow, Shepard! You get the bombs!"

"Keep 'em off me!" Shepard took off running. She much preferred to be on the fighting end, versus being the single point of interest in the room as she squatted to diffuse bombs. All she could hope was that Aria and her minions kept her alive while she worked. When she took the first painful blast to her vulnerable back, slamming her face-first into the console she was working on, she realized it was a false hope. _Damn it! That's gonna leave a mark..._ "I'm taking _fire_!"

A Flare ripped by, barely over the top of her head, and slammed into a Cerberus Centurion, launching him satisfactorily across the room. "Sorry, Shepard." The commander almost froze in surprise. _Did Aria T'Loak just apologize to me?_ She quickly resumed her task and finished disarming the first bomb before slathering a large dollop of medigel across the bridge of her nose and the orbital ridge above her right eye. _One down, three to go._

The Rampart Mechs were the most problematic and they were pressing Aria's mercs hard; Shepard realized two of the machines had Bray backed into a corner. Without a second thought, Shepard pulled on her biotics and launched herself across the room, slamming into the one closest to her. She then immediately slammed her fist to the ground, killing the first and throwing the second backward... at least giving Bray a bit of breathing room. He took advantage of it and blasted the mech into metal shards with his assault rifle. "Thanks, Commander. I owe you one."

Bray then jerked his head in the direction of the closest bomb. "Take it, Shepard. I've got your back on this one." With a nod of thanks, Shepard immediately set to work. _Halfway there_.

Bray had lost two men; his squad was down to four, including him, and more troopers and mechs were arriving. Shepard focused on a cluster of two mechs and four Cerberus protecting the third bomb and she shouted out, "Eyes on me!" as she turned into a blue steak once more.

She smashed into the first mech as she heard Aria yell, "Are you fucking _suicidal_, Shepard?" As Shepard spun and slammed her fist to the ground, Aria instantly realized what she had done. The mech Shepard had chosen as her primary target crumbled to the ground in a pile of useless metal; the second mech was thrown backward with arms flailing as its internal servos struggled to regain balance. The four Cerberus troops in the cluster all lost their shields simultaneously, to be ripped to shreds by the mercs. As she personally warped the flailing mech into oblivion, Aria smirked, "Nicely done, Shepard... Now get that bomb disarmed!" _One more_.

Shepard's risky maneuver certainly paid off, and the odds were suddenly very much in their favor. Bray's remaining mercs regrouped and collapsed around Shepard, guarding her back as Aria went on the offensive and Shepard finished diffusing the final of the four bombs. Once complete, Shepard stood upright and stretched her sore back as she took time to swallow down both an energy bar and drink. Aria used the time to get an update. "Nyreen, things are under control here. What's your situation?"

Nyreen's report was positive; it seemed the assault was progressing on schedule... enough so Cerberus seemed to be getting desperate and had started targeting civilians as a distraction; casualty reports were coming in from all sectors. If she hadn't been so angry at Petrovsky for the tactic, Shepard would have choked on her energy bar when Aria stated, "Save those you can, and head for the rendezvous point. We'll meet you there."

Kandros drilled another Engineer before he had a chance to set his turret and closed out the conversation. "We'll do what we can. Nyreen, out."

* * *

**Hercules System, Attican Beta Cluster**

Maya Brooks, having successfully retrieved the 'package' for the Illusive Man – despite the Blue Suns blatant lack of cooperation – was currently in orbit around Eletania after fleeing the Armstrong Cluster. While waiting to receive further instructions, her injured forearm was being tended to by the 'package' in the form of Oriana Lawson.

Lawson had performed emergency first aid on Brooks' injured arm before they had made the Relay jump to the Attican Beta Cluster. She'd then stripped and taken a much needed sponge bath in the minuscule restroom aboard Brooks' ship while they were traveling across the system to Eletania. Maya had reluctantly given Ori one of her own pair of panties, a pair of socks, clean pants and an undershirt, as the clothes she'd been given to wear before they'd escaped the Blue Suns were now in desperate need of laundering; Brooks' small ship did not have a laundry facility, so Ori wrapped her dirty clothes in a vinyl bag and set them aside.

Maya had pulled out the ship's first-aid kit and was struggling to re-dress her wounds, using one hand and her teeth to tear open sterile dressing packs. She was trying to apply Medigel to her bullet wounds before applying a dressing to each one when Ori came into the cabin and sat down beside her. "Here… let me help." Maya had half a mind to tell her to fuck off, but bit her tongue… Ori might have been the reason Brooks had been on that moon, but it wasn't her fault, really, that she'd taken a bullet in her arm. She silently handed the dressing to the young woman and held her arm out towards her.

"Your arm _is_ fractured, just like you thought," Ori observed quietly, while gently removing the bandage she'd applied earlier. "Bullet must have glanced off the ulna as it went through." Ori was using a small scanner that was part of the ship's first-aid kit. "Not detecting any fragments in there…" she continued. "Medigel stopped the bleeding, but you'll need to have this bone repaired... stitched, once we reach a… ship, or a station." Maya winced as Ori re-bandaged her wounds. "Best I can do for you is splint this… make a sling so you can keep it immobilized. Where do we go from here?"

Maya couldn't keep the surprise from showing on her face for a split-second before resetting her expression and replying, "Actually, I don't… I'm… sorry, but I have to wait in this system until I receive destination coordinates." Ori finished wrapping Maya's injured forearm and gave her a sling from the small first-aid kit. "Thanks. Feels a lot better." In spite of herself, a part of her found she liked Oriana Lawson; she looked so much like her older sister, a person she'd often been at odds with when they'd worked together, before Miranda had become so damned obsessed with the Lazarus project.

"You look just like her, you know," Maya added quietly. "…Miranda? Almost as if you were twins."

It was Ori's turn to show surprise, quickly replaced by curiosity. "You know my sister? How… I mean, it's been some time since I've seen her… _or_ heard from her. Do you know where she is… what she's doing?"

Maya looked down as she tried to hide her own disappointment. "We worked for the same… company, a few years ago. Our paths crossed occasionally, but…" Brooks looked back up, her face once again an impassive mask, "it's been quite a while since _I've_ seen or heard from her as well. It'd be nice to meet up with her again, catch up, talk about old times…" _Miranda managed to get away from the Illusive Man… turned her back on him, on Cerberus… and is still alive, apparently. There has __**got**__ to be a way I can turn this to my advantage; if I can only find her, I can tell the Illusive Man to kiss my ass!_

"Thanks, Ori." Maya raised her arm slightly in its sling. "Already feels a lot better. By the way, how's your leg?" _Infinitely valuable, special handling, suffer no damage… "_Nothing sprained or broken, I hope?"

"Everything seems to be fine. That was quite a drop… I was off-balance when I landed." Ori was silent for several moments before asking in a wistful voice, "Is there anything to eat on this ship?" Looking embarrassed, she finished with, "Can't remember the last time I had a decent meal."

"I _did_ say I'd give you some food, didn't I?" Maya eased herself out of her chair and continued, "Nothing _I'd_ call a decent meal, but there's probably plenty here to fill your stomach, as long as you don't overdo it." She rummaged around in the small kitchenette, pulling out enough supplies for Ori to fix herself a substantial snack. "I hadn't planned on picking up a starving human… wasn't told I'd be picking up a passenger of any kind, so I only brought enough for me for a few days." Maya paused. _Do I tell her now, or wait until we're on the move? Shit, Rasa! You're getting soft._ "_You_ are a package, Ori… nothing more." Seeing no reaction from the woman, she finished with, "Take what you need – I'll restock when we reach our destination."

Ori wordlessly helped herself to Maya's stock of rations, purposely (it seemed to Brooks) leaving as little behind as possible.

* * *

Oriana had eaten pretty much everything Maya had set out for her, leaving very little to put away. Afterwards, she'd moved into an empty cabin and went to sleep on the small berth.

It had been three hours since Maya had sent her 'mission complete' message to the Illusive Man, and the longer she idly sat around, the more irritated she became, which, she supposed, was the secretive bastard's game all along. The thought of defecting, of leaving Cerberus, crossed her mind once again. She stood and stretched, being careful of her right arm, before activating the galaxy map. She didn't have a destination… yet, but she _was_ beginning to formulate a plan.

She needed access to an agent for the Shadow Broker if she was to have any hope of contacting Miranda Lawson, whose help she would most certainly need in order to turn her back on Cerberus for good. Lawson had seemingly fallen off the edge of the galaxy; she had apparently disembarked from the Normandy when it docked at Omega station before traveling to the Citadel, where Shepard had been taken into custody by the Alliance – that was the _official_ story, but by no means was it the final word on the matter.

Most of the Normandy's operational crew were members of Cerberus; the majority of _them_ had departed the ship when it docked at Omega Station in order to avoid arrest and detention on the Citadel. All of the Cerberus crewmembers confirmed they had seen Miranda Lawson leave the ship and disappear into the crowds. Surveillance footage of the ship's main airlock provided no evidence she had returned before the Normandy's departure; she had either remained on Omega, which Brooks thought _highly_ unlikely, or departed on another ship bound either for Illium in the Crescent Nebula or Earth. Brooks guessed Miranda would have gone to Illium, as her presence on Earth would most likely have led to a very public arrest.

From her current location, she could get to Omega by traveling through two relays – Dakka in the Nubian Expanse and Balor in the Caleston Rift. She'd have no time for delays once she had the coordinates for her _delivery_, but without Ori, she'd have no leverage available for persuading Miranda to assist her, provided Maya could actually find her. She'd explain the additional travel time as being needed to re-provision her supplies while en route. She just needed to meet with the Volus on Omega and let him do the rest. She could then transport Ori to whatever place she was being sent to.

* * *

**Omega, Sahrabarik, Omega Nebula**

Aria led the way toward the rendezvous point until they heard a surge of gunfire. Shepard growled under her breath, "Cerberus."

Aria dismounted the top of the ladder they had just climbed and looked at Shepard in question. "How do you know that? It could be..." before she finished, a window shattered above their heads and a body came plummeting down from above. Aria's sentence trickled off, "... the Talons..." as a Cerberus Trooper crashed to the ground. "Never mind."

"They don't sound happy." Shepard climbed the next ladder quickly, taking them up to the level where the Cerberus troop had flown out the window. The reason behind their unhappiness became immediately apparent.

Aria got on her comms, cursing, "Damn it! Ahz, there are Adjutants here. Track our progress and seal the rooms behind us." Upon receiving confirmation, the small group of six continued on their way. It wasn't long before they came across a long narrow control point; when they passed through, they quickly understood its purpose. Aria growled, "Those _idiots_! They were experimenting on Adjutants."

"That explains the ones we saw earlier... and maybe why Nyreen feels something is off. Cerberus has changed them somehow."

They pressed forward through the containment area only to run into a 'last stand' position for Cerberus; their last ditch attempt to keep the Adjutants contained. Since Ahz was securing the doors behind the team as they traveled, they had no reservations about removing the Cerberus obstacle and continuing on their way out to the Gozu district and the rendezvous point. When they arrived, one of the guards informed them, "Nyreen is waiting for you in the Markets."

Shepard immediately contacted her on the comm. "Nyreen... Aria and I are here. See you soon."

"Understood, Shepard. I'll prep the team to proceed and await your arrival for the final assault."

* * *

Shepard selected Aria, Nyreen, Bray, Vura and Remmi for her Afterlife attack squad. When they arrived in the main plaza, six Adjutants were in the process of tearing apart a small group of freedom fighters... all while Cerberus retreated behind the doors of Afterlife and left them to their fate. Nyreen didn't hesitate to yank her heavy pistol from its holster and begin firing, immediately grabbing the attention of the two rear-most adjutants. As the beasts turned about to face the new arrivals, Shepard, Nyreen and Remmi worked their way to the left while Aria and the others moved right, in an attempt to flank the abominations.

Shepard yelled out her name and Remmi responded by tossing a singularity out in front of the closest Adjutant before returning to work with her assault rifle.

Nyreen shouted, "Don't waste your power! They're immune to singularities!" Remmi grinned as Shepard turned into a blazing blue streak and crashed into the singularity, causing it to explode, before slamming her fist to the floor for a follow-on Nova Shockwave.

Remmi laughed at the expression on Kandros' face as she explained, "Yup. But they're not immune to Shepard!"

"Spirits!" Kandros continued to fire as quickly as her pistol would cycle and she could replace heat sinks. "We encountered some earlier, and I didn't even think to use biotic explosions against them!"

With an obvious threat behind them, the remaining Adjutants turned to face the newcomers, giving the few surviving freedom fighters an opportunity to escape. Surprisingly, only one of the six ran; the other five began to fight with a spirit of renewed hope, catching the Adjutants in a three-way crossfire. Shepard continued to bounce from singularity to singularity, alternating between Charges, Nova Shockwaves and spikes from her Graal as they whittled down the five remaining abominations until none remained.

When the last one fell, she quickly took a knee and drained one of her energy drinks. She stood quickly as Aria ran by; their progress had obviously been monitored and, as the last of the Adjutants fell, the front doors to Afterlife reopened to an outpouring of Cerberus soldiers. Aria released a Flare into the middle of the group, destroying a good many before they got more than three steps out the door. As the rest of the team lined up with her to begin the march forward, she snarled out, "Petrovsky dies. Now!"

They entered the door as a wedge, Aria in the lead. They were surprised to see Petrovsky standing alone, up on Aria's observation platform. He leaned on the rail, all the platform's barriers and shields down, and stared down on the small group with contempt. "Such a waste of good soldiers... all dying due to your petty ambitions."

Aria was tired of waiting and lit up with her biotics, running straight at Petrovsky. "You're a dead man!" She gained speed and used an unknown piece of equipment that was sitting in the center of the floor as a launch pad for a biotic jump up to the observation level.

Shepard tried to grab her as she took off, yelling at her, "No! Wait!" but her warning came too late. As Aria cleared the center of the circular device, some form of energy arced out between the piece on the floor and its apparent mate on the ceiling... which none of them had noticed until it came to life. The glowing bands of energy attached to Aria's four limbs, charged with white power and suspending the dethroned queen in midair with a scream of combined agony and frustration.

"What now, Petrovsky?" Shepard stepped into the lead position, her easy confidence soothing the sudden anxiety of the other five over Aria's unexpected capture.

"Divide and conquer, Commander." The general spoke with renewed confidence. "The Adjutants you killed in the entrance were ones we hadn't finished experimenting on..." The barriers suddenly rose around the observation platform and a lower door opened as he continued, "_These_ are fully under our control; the prototypes for our future army."

Two more Adjutants walked in through the lower entrance. Shepard scoffed, "If they're so _under your control_, why are you hiding behind a barrier wall?"

Petrovsky laughed, "Because I'm no fool, Shepard. My forces won't keep _you_ from taking advantage of an opening to leap up here in an attempt to kill me... and my... _containment_ device... is currently occupied."

Shepard scowled, "Nothing new here, folks. Focus on my lead and we'll kill these just like the rest of them."

As they readied for the fight, Petrovsky started giving orders, "Hold the perimeter and keep Shepard away from those generators!"

_Generators?_ Petrovsky's own statements gave Shepard the clue she needed to proceed. Aria's 'prison' was very similar to the containment pylons back on Purgatory, where they released Jack. Each pylon was powered by an individual generator and Aria was held in place by four separate stasis fields; a quick glance revealed four superstructures, one in each corner of the room.

Shepard began to move methodically around the room, counterclockwise. The first generator was easy; the Cerberus soldiers hadn't yet realized she already knew what her targets were. At Petrovsky's additional prodding to keep her away from the generators, the Cerberus teams began to consolidate their defense at the generator consoles. The second generator was a bit more difficult; Petrovsky seemed to be correct... the Adjutants _did_ focus completely on her teammates and unerringly ignored the Cerberus troops. Shepard killed yet another of the monsters as Vura stepped in to take the generator offline.

All Shepard could hope was that Petrovsky hadn't yet forwarded the results of the experiments or the process notes for the Adjutants' creation to the Illusive Man... and that they could destroy all the information before it ever left Omega. As the second generator came down, Aria started to struggle and fight the hold of the remaining two stasis fields. She screamed in defiance, "I will kill you all!"

After seeing her rip through the force field earlier in the day, Petrovsky dared not underestimate Aria's power and shouted out more commands as he released additional Adjutants into the room. "We can't afford to lose any more generators! Keep Shepard away from them!"

As the team closed in on the third generator, Shepard was rocked by a Raptor round; fortunately for the commander, the incredibly high-velocity shot came in at too oblique an angle so, instead of ripping through her body, it ricocheted off her hip... the impact still spun her violently down to the deck in pain, her Graal slipping from her grip and clattering across the floor.

"Commander!" Nyreen readily repaid Shepard's earlier protective act from the command center and quickly crouched at her side, surrounded her in a barrier and provided cover fire as Shepard's suit automatically dispensed medigel to the wound.

"Damn it!" Shepard growled out in pain, "Thanks, Kandros. Just give me a second to catch my breath."

"It is the _least_ I can do for all you have done for us... _me_... today, Commander. We are in your debt." Nyreen turned sharply and blasted a Trooper who popped unexpectedly around a corner.

The third generator fell under Vura's hand and a massive biotic explosion rocked the device in the center of the room as Aria yelled yet again, "Enough!"

Remmi slid the Graal back to Shepard's side as another Adjutant leapt up the steps and blasted into Nyreen's barrier. Remmi dropped a singularity and quickly detonated it with a warp, pushing the Adjutant back enough that it stumbled down the steps. Shepard gritted her teeth, climbed back to her feet and, with Graal in hand, planted a spike in its head before charging down the steps in a final deadly blow. She focused on the Nemesis that had shot her and quickly charged once more... smashing very satisfactorily into the sniper before leveling her with a Nova Shockwave; the Nemesis did not rise again.

While the enemy was concentrating solely on Shepard and her apparently unstoppable path of destruction, Vura continued around the edge with Bray and dropped the fourth generator, much to the unwelcome surprise and great consternation of General Petrovsky. Aria unceremoniously fell on her back upon the device and rolled off to the floor with a grunt as the air was forced from her lungs by the unexpected drop. She sucked in a deep, ragged breath and pushed herself angrily up off the ground with a deep-throated growl. "I'm back, you _fuckers_!"

It was the beginning of the end for Petrovsky; he had released all the Adjutants under his control in his desperate ploy to contain Aria and her team and had failed. Shepard and company mopped up the remaining resistance and as the last of his soldiers within Afterlife fell, Petrovsky opened a comm channel and made an announcement to the entire station. "Attention! All Cerberus forces... surrender!"

Shepard was surprised when Aria walked up to her wearing a feral grin. "I owe you one, Shepard." The commander said nothing, but offered up a quick nod and started to climb the stairs to the observation platform. After his announcement, Petrovsky dropped the upper barriers before returning to the comm unit. "Cease and desist all aggression. It's over." He then walked quietly to his chess set, looked the board over one last time and powered it down before turning to the steps and awaiting his conquerors.

As soon as Aria and Shepard reached the top of the steps, Petrovsky turned to them. "Commander Shepard, I surrender myself into your custody."

Shepard's eyebrows rose in welcome surprise, but before she could accept his surrender, Aria stepped up and got in his face. "That is the most pathetic thing I've ever heard." She quickly lit with biotics and backhanded him, sending him to the floor with the force of the blow.

Petrovsky shook his head and sat up unsteadily. "Shepard, I'm unarmed... and I can give the Alliance intel on the Illusive Man!"

As he struggled to his feet, Aria grabbed him by the throat, lifted him, and slammed him backwards, down onto the surface of the communications console, never relinquishing her grip on his throat. "You'll say anything to save your skin."

As her grip tightened, Petrovsky desperately choked out, "But... I let you... escape Omega. I deserve... mercy."

Shepard finally stepped in. "Is it true, Aria?"

"Yes," Aria hissed in displeasure. "Cerberus had successfully taken the station, and he let me go." Her last words were barely a whisper as she leaned in close and stared into the general's eyes. "Do you feel that, Oleg? That's death, only inches away. Remember this feeling..." Her grip eased slightly as she continued in her deadly whisper, "I'm letting you _live_... for my partner and for the war against your master. You'd _better_ cooperate."

Aria gave him one last shove and released him, standing up straight and stepping away, allowing Petrovsky to slip to the floor, gasping for breath. Aria turned to the commander, an angry gleam in her eye. "Take him, Shepard... before I change my mind. You and your Alliance can decide his fate. Just get this filth off my station."

Aria turned and walked abruptly away as Petrovsky struggled to his feet. "Commander. Glad to see you've had a... _calming_ effect on Aria. I was completely unsuccessful when _I_ made the attempt. I look forward to hearing how _you_ pulled it off."

"Not gonna happen, General." Shepard glared at him. "You now have only one purpose in life... to tell us _everything_ _you know_ about the Illusive Man. We are _not_ friends and I'm not going to be _polite_ as if we were. If I didn't need information _you_ most likely have, I'd rather see you _dead_." She turned away, surprised to find Bray waiting expectantly. "Bray. Get him outta here."

The Batarian looked to Aria for final permission, but the Queen completely ignored him... _and_ Shepard's order. After only a moment's hesitation, Bray looked back to the commander. "You got it, Shepard."

She watched them descend down the steps before turning to observe Aria. The Asari had walked to the edge of the platform and stood, staring silently out upon the victorious survivors of the war as they milled about the lower level, a few casting occasional expectant looks up to the platform. Aria's voice was low when she spoke. "You've got good control, Shepard. I know it's hard to resist that impulse." Aria pushed off the railing and cast the commander a very brief sidelong glance. "I've been waiting to kill that man for _months_. Walk around with _you_ for a day and I go all soft. You're like a _disease_." She finally turned, looking intently at the commander as she finished.

Shepard was uncomfortable with the unfamiliar glint in Aria's stare, but tried to press on with the discussion. "This victory came at a _cost_, Aria. It's not soft to recognize _that_."

Aria took a step closer to the commander and whispered, "Still trying to convince me there's a better way, Shepard? I... _admire_... your tenacity." She took yet another step. "And thanks to you, I have Omega back."

Shepard resisted the urge to step back, to create more distance between them. Aria's eyes burned with an unfamiliar fire as she spoke, yet Shepard also saw an uncharacteristic... softness... in Aria's expression. The conflicting signals had Shepard entranced and her feet rooted in place.

Shepard found herself whispering as Aria had done. "So, what's your plan?"

"There's a lot to rebuild... starting with this command center." Aria waved her hand dismissively at the platform, but her eyes never left the commander. "I never thought I'd like having a partner... but you..." Aria paused as she studied Shepard's face for a moment. "If you stuck around, I think I could resist trying to kill you; at least for a little while. And I'll honor our... _arrangement_. Ships, mercs, and a mountain of eezo. All yours for the war." Her lips quirked up into a smirk. "We'll have to stay in _touch_... to coordinate. You've earned _everything_ I promised you... and more."

Aria suddenly closed the gap and gripped the commander's shoulders, pulling her close to capture Shepard's lips with her own. Shepard's eyes opened wide in surprise and her normally excellent coordination deserted her as her hands fumbled for Aria's hips to gain enough leverage to push the Asari away. Shepard took an additional half-step back and her gloved hand came up quickly to brush across her lips as she fought to cage her expression, suddenly remembering the whole of Omega was most likely watching her reaction. Her voice was a hoarse whisper as she hissed. "What the _Hell_, Aria? That was _not_ okay!"

"Oh, it was most certainly _more_ than okay, Shepard. I finally found a way to break your _irritatingly_ calm control." Aria's face lit with amusement and she laughed aloud. "Bray will take you back whenever you're ready for departure. _I_ have a station to whip back into shape."

Aria suddenly stepped away and faced the crowd, placing her hands back on the railing. "Citizens of Omega, hear me. I, Aria T'Loak, have given you back your lives. My rule is reignited. My hand is on the controls once more and I will _not_ let go _again_. But our mission is not yet complete. Gain my favor by rounding up the remaining Cerberus invaders and casting them from our home. Once this station is free of their taint, we will bury and mourn our dead."

Aria paused and her hands dropped as she saw the commander walking out the front doors of Afterlife. Her attention returned quickly to her audience and she raised a single closed fist in front of her chest as she continued. "Securing this station is now my primary purpose. No one will _ever_ imprison us again! We may be bruised, we may be bloodied... but we. are. _Omega_!" Her last words were punctuated with exuberance as she threw her hands up in victory.

* * *

Immediately upon exiting Afterlife, Shepard contacted Nyreen and was directed to return to the Talon command center. As soon as she walked in, the Talon leader met her at the main door. "Congratulations, Shepard. We've ejected Cerberus and Aria is once again in control of Omega." She studied the commander as she finished, "And she seems to have a new plaything."

Shepard rolled her eyes. "Please, don't remind me." Nyreen's mandibles twitched in a way Shepard recognized as a playful smirk. "Yeah, yeah. Yuck it up, Kandros. Don't forget, _I'm_ leaving. _You_ have to stick around and deal with the fallout when she gets lonely."

"Ha. Nicely done, Commander." Nyreen looked at Shepard in wonder; she had known the woman for only a day, yet an easy camaraderie existed between them. _Perhaps it is the kindred soldiers' spirits that guide us both. _ "So, Shepard. I think it's time we truly talk."

Shepard smiled at the familiarity. "So very... Turian... of you. Straight to business. You remind me of my XO." Her smile faded as she thought about what was in their future. "Listen, Nyreen. The Council's goals involve long-term, _lawful_, stability. I know that's never going to happen in the Terminus, especially here... and _certainly_ not as long as Aria runs Omega." Shepard held up her hands to forestall the coming objection. "I'm not here to ask you to take Aria out... just to... _temper_... her actions a bit."

They had been walking slowly as they talked, but Shepard stopped and faced Kandros directly. Shepard's eyes were fixed on her, unwavering as she spoke, and Nyreen could _feel_ the conviction behind the commander's words. "I'm a Spectre... and the shit that goes on in the shadows here is a scourge on the galaxy. The sex slaves, the drug running, the piracy. The money from _all_ of that is what keeps Aria in power."

"There's more to it than that, Shepard." Nyreen's eyes narrowed. "Aria has a stranglehold on this place. She's entrenched... has been for two centuries, ever since she defeated the Patriarch. You're not going to change that."

"You're right. I'm _not_." Shepard made a show of glancing around at the impressive Talon command center before she continued, "But _you_ can. I know you can't stop _everything_ that goes on here; not quickly, anyway. But I also know you won't let it get out of hand, either. The Talons are the military power on Omega right now, and I'm here to offer you help at keeping it that way."

"Are you _joking_?" Nyreen's jaw tightened and her mandibles twitched in surprise. "Aria does what Aria wants. How am _I_ supposed to keep her under control?"

Shepard turned and resumed their slow stroll. "By flexing your muscle. The Reaper War is going to take its toll on the galaxy. Worlds will have to be rebuilt, the relays and comm buoys will likely be disrupted. Bottom line is, Aria will be unencumbered for a duration of time after the war and I want to make sure she doesn't take advantage of it and expand her domain."

"So what do you expect me to do about it?" Nyreen shook her head. "I don't have a death wish, Shepard."

Shepard surprised her by actually laughing. "Don't you realize how wildly _popular_ you are right now? The Talons are _it_. Aria left... and _you_ saved the asses of every person still alive on this station right now. And then, you provided the muscle for Aria's victorious return. Set yourself up as her new security force. I think you'll find you control more and have more friends and allies here than you realize."

The commander once again halted her walking and turned to Nyreen. "Aria's smart. She knows the people _like_ you. Even worse yet for her, they _trust_ you. If you wait, your popularity will fade and it'll be too late, but if you move immediately, Aria _can't_ say no. You and the Talons have the numbers and the whole of Omega is behind you right now. At the moment, she's the _Patriarch_... and _you're_ the one with the leverage."

Nyreen watched the commander in silent contemplation for a long moment. "Alright, Commander. I'll do it... but it's not to play at being a Spectre's right hand. It's..."

Shepard smiled. "It's for the people of Omega. I know." Shepard offered her hand to Nyreen and was pleased when the Turian reached out and accepted it. "Keep on keeping them safe, Kandros. I'll be in touch and if you need _anything_, you let me know. Weapons, supplies... information. I've got a pretty damn good network if you need something."

"Be careful out there, Commander. Compared to what _you're_ facing, Omega should be _easy_."


	42. Citadel - The Return

Notes:

_A Grá_ \- My Love (Irish/Gaelic)

_C-Sec - _Citadel Security

_Grá mo chroí _\- love of my heart(Gaelic)

_I__onúin Álainn__ \- _beautiful beloved (Gaelic)

_Nara_ \- literally "bearer"; one who shoulders another's burden, aids others (Thessian)

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

* * *

**Citadel The Return**

**SSV Normandy, Alliance Dry-docks, Citadel**

The trip back had been amazingly short; of course, that had a lot to do with the fact that Shepard was exhausted and fell asleep before Bray even completed the 30-minute pre-flight checklist. The shuttle had seen a lot of service time and definitely needed some maintenance to most of its systems, including the inertial dampeners... which were unable to prevent the massive shock that shuddered through the shuttle's frame during the rapid deceleration out of FTL; the rough ride jolted Shepard awake as they dropped into the Widow System. Bray chuckled, "Welcome back, Commander," as Shepard sat up and shook her head in an attempt to clear the cobwebs from her mind. Since she was the only passenger on a very short trip, she had ridden in the otherwise-vacant copilot's chair. Petrovsky was also with them, but a body in suspended animation in a stasis pod counted more as cargo than a passenger.

"Sorry I can't get you closer to the Normandy, but it's not like Alliance Control is going to let an Omega shuttle anywhere _near_ their docking bays." Bray skillfully settled the shuttle into a landing cradle and stood from his seat. "You want some help carrying your gear?"

Shepard was prepared to say 'no' until she stood up and realized how tired and sore she was; she felt like she had just completed an unarmed combat session with Wrex... maybe even _two_ sessions. She did, however, know a shuttle was already on the way to collect her, so they wouldn't have to move her equipment very far... and she certainly didn't want the extra weight of mounting everything on their respective hardpoints again. "Appreciate it, Bray, but just help me get my crap unloaded and I'll handle it from here... Someone from the Normandy will pick me up. No sense in hauling all this shit halfway across the Citadel."

"Was hoping you'd say that; coming to the Citadel always gives me the creeps." Bray gave her a brief smile. "Never thought I'd say it, but it's been a pleasure working with you, Shepard. You certainly lived up to the hype; most don't even come close."

"Thanks... I think." Shepard stood up straight and stretched her back with a groan. "Though, next time something like this pops up, remind me to not do anymore favors for Aria, would ya?"

Bray smirked, "Sorry, Shepard. I won't lie to you and you know I can't promise that."

* * *

Liara had finally broken through the Cerberus firewalls and linked into all of Omega's video feeds, so was able to follow the final battle in Afterlife. As if Petrovsky's release of the _Adjutants_ hadn't been bad enough, it became quickly apparent that Shepard was obviously tired and likely _injured_; Samantha was very uncharacteristically favoring her right side. When the commander took the shot from the damn Nemesis and went down, Liara had been petrified; she had screamed at the monitors and prayed fervently that her beloved was alive.

Her prayers were answered and she was extremely grateful when a Turian biotic, whom Liara immediately identified as Nyreen Kandros, stepped in quickly with an exceptionally strong barrier and provided aid. Liara didn't have much detailed information on the Turian yet and had been undecided if Kandros was the one worth trusting with Omega's future but, with that _single_ act, all the Broker's doubts were instantly erased. Nyreen Kandros was most certainly someone Liara could work with.

After Shepard had fallen, Liara notified Karin, who returned to the Normandy without delay. Even so, by the time the medical doctor got aboard, Shepard had completed the battle for Omega and _seemed_ to be moving alright... but they had to wonder how much medigel such a recovery had required. Even though their concerns had lessened slightly after the battle had concluded, Liara and Karin decided the Normandy's medical bay would remain Shepard's first stop upon arrival, whether the commander planned it that way or not.

Liara watched with grim approval as Petrovsky surrendered, almost wishing Aria had killed the man anyway. Almost. As the Broker, Liara certainly understood the value of his information and when she saw his stasis pod loaded on the shuttle with Shepard, she started to prepare for their arrival. After a quick call to Karin to let her know Shepard was enroute, Liara contacted Garrus; between his C-Sec connections and being the Normandy's XO, he would meet the shuttle and turn Petrovsky over to Commander Bailey. That way, Shepard couldn't get tied up in paperwork or called before the Council, and would remain free to return to the Normandy for immediate medical treatment. Liara would willingly see to _that_ part of the operation personally.

The only thing that had left her fuming were Shepard's last few moments in Afterlife... that Aria had _dared_... that she would assume such an air of _entitlement_ regarding someone who was most definitely _not_ available for the Queen's court! Liara's hands clenched involuntarily and small wisps of blue trailed off her fists; Aria had no _right_ to take such liberties with her betrothed. Liara was in no way upset with Shepard; quite the contrary, actually. Shepard's reaction couldn't have been better except, perhaps, to have taken a step back with each of Aria's steps forward, but Liara knew the commander could _never_ show such weakness to Aria T'Loak.

Liara's ruminations had ceased the instant Shepard woke up in the Widow system; as the Asari basked in the welcome sensation of her soul mate returning, even her aggravation with Aria vanished in the moment. Shepard was so groggy, she had yet to realize their minds had rejoined and Liara took a few seconds of guilty pleasure, simply absorbing the commander's presence before finally speaking to her. _{Hello, Love.}_

In spite of her exhaustion, Shepard felt shivers run up and down her spine as the simple words slipped across her consciousness, blanketed in a cacophony of emotions; concern, relief, anger, fear, jealousy, desire... but overpowering them all was an intense feeling of pure, unadulterated love. _{Hey, Blue. I'm home.}_

Liara felt the words leave little footprints of joyous laughter as they skipped across her heart and couldn't help but smile as she answered. _{Yes, you are. We are preparing to meet you at the docks. We will return directly to the Normandy with you and all of your gear... Then, Garrus will deliver Petrovsky to C-Sec while I escort __**you**__ straight to Karin.}_

Liara was already climbing aboard the shuttle with Garrus and Steve to get underway. Shepard knew better than to protest... and though she felt sorry for Garrus, she was quite relieved to not have to deal with the aftershocks of her clandestine mission. _{We'll meet you there in a few moments, Sam.}_

* * *

Shepard had barely stepped off the Omega shuttle before Liara had her wrapped up in her arms, taking in the physical pleasure of contact to augment her already peaceful soul with the return of the link connection. After a somewhat lengthy embrace while Garrus helped Bray transfer the remainder of Shepard's gear and the stasis pod, Liara finally pushed back and looked lovingly into deep green eyes. Concern flashed across her face as she saw the gash that hadn't existed when Shepard had left the Citadel. Her eyes pinched and her fingers traced lightly over the ragged line being held together by copious amounts of medigel. Disquiet etched in her voice, she queried softly, "By the Goddess, Shepard. What happened to your face?"

Shepard explained about the direct hit to her back from the concussive round while diffusing the bombs on the central supports. "I don't even know how bad it is. Never got a chance to peel off my armor to look at my back..." Shepard's expression turned sheepish as she continued, "... and after I smeared medigel on my face, it quit hurting so I kinda forgot about it." She shrugged as an embarrassed grin crept onto her face.

Liara cupped Shepard's chin and gave her a mock glare, "What am I to do with you, Commander?"

"Whatever your heart desires, Blue." Shepard pulled away and groaned as she tenderly stretched her neck. "As soon as Karin takes her claws out of me and I get some sleep."

"Now I _am_ worried." A real frown moved onto Liara's face. "You never _willingly_ go see Karin after a mission... at least not for medical reasons." She looked down and slid her hand into the commander's, entwining their fingers. "Come on. Let's get you home."

Stopping only long enough to thank Bray for returning the commander to them safely, Liara corralled Shepard onto the waiting shuttle. As soon as the door slid closed, Steve Cortez had the shuttle back in the air and enroute to the Normandy. It was a quick trip, but Liara's concern grew with every second; Shepard found it nearly impossible to stay awake and the Asari feared a head injury, even though a short omnitool scan showed nothing. As they settled onto the hangar deck, Liara stood and quickly ushered Shepard out the door into the waiting arms of Karin Chakwas.

Shepard didn't have the fortitude to protest, so simply followed their directions, quickly finding herself in the med bay and stripped of everything but her underwear. "Goddess."

Shepard's ears perked up and she turned stiffly to look at Liara. "What? What do you see?"

Liara seemed to be at a loss for words, so Karin answered for her, chuckling as she spoke. "That has got to be some of the worst bruising I have _ever_ seen... but without a single scratch or skin penetration... of any kind, Commander." She shook her head. "I'm not sure how you sat back in the seat on the shuttle without screaming in agony."

"It hurts, but just a little bit, and I'm too tired to care." Shepard frowned. "I imagine it's a bad thing that I can't really feel it?"

"I'm not sure, Sam." Karin had also started to frown with Shepard's declaration of not feeling much pain. "Liara said you were also having trouble staying awake?"

"Well, yeah... but I've been awake for over forty hours. The fact that I'm not exactly _chipper_ really shouldn't come as any surprise, should it?" Shepard grimaced as she tried to shrug.

Karin's eyebrows came up when she saw Shepard wince. "Ah. So it _does_ hurt."

"Only when I move." A smirk spread across Shepard's face and she chuckled as she continued. "If I settle into a chair with constant contact and don't move around, I'm fine." Shepard suddenly found everything funny and it was almost impossible to stop chuckling.

Karin rolled her eyes and looked over at a very concerned Liara. "Don't worry, dear. She's simply suffering from battle fatigue. I didn't consider the possibility she hadn't gotten _any_ sleep the entire time she was gone." She gave Shepard a glare. "I _assumed_ she knew better than that."

Shepard continued to giggle, no matter how hard she tried to stop as she spoke, "Not like I was exactly in a secure position with people I trusted around me. No way I was closing my eyes on Omega. I probably would have woken up stripped naked with all my gear sold to the Vorcha!"

As Shepard continued her attempts at stifling her senseless laughter, Karin pointed at one of the treatment beds. "Lay down, please. On your stomach. I'm going to run a full diagnostic then treat your injuries while you sleep, Shepard." Shepard clamped her jaw closed and crawled onto the bed Karin had indicated, grunting in discomfort as she slowly stretched out flat.

Liara tried her best to help the commander get comfortable before running blue fingers soothingly through auburn hair. "Hush now, and rest, Samantha. You are safe _here_, so you can sleep, Love." Liara placed a tender kiss on Shepard's exposed cheek as she looked again at the ugly gash, a jagged red line crawling across her nose and up onto her brow. "Will it scar, Karin?" In addition to Liara's soothing strokes, Shepard felt a hypo-spray against the back of her neck as Liara asked her question, but never heard the doctor's reply.

As soon as Karin had administered the pain suppressant, Shepard was out like a light in nothing more than exhausted natural sleep. Karin initiated an anesthetic drip so Shepard wouldn't wake during treatment and began the diagnostic routine. As soon as it finished, the doctor's first target was the result of the high-power sniper round that had careened off Shepard's hip, leaving behind only a minor stress fracture in the weave. Had the commander not received the procedure, her hip would have most likely been shattered by the impact... Karin continuously thanked both Miranda Lawson for the technology that prevented serious damage and Shepard's seemingly endless supply of... _luck_?... that had thus far kept Samantha from receiving a mortal blow. _Luck doesn't seem like a fair word. Shepard is the most __**instinctive**__ fighter I've ever been witness to... but whatever it is, keep it coming! Sam needs all the help she can get!_

Once the weave had been repaired, Karin solicited Liara's assistance in rolling the commander over, so she could repair the cut across her face. She cleaned away the gobs of medigel with a smile for the Asari. "I shouldn't let her go _anywhere_ without you. She used way too much gel for this wound, most likely didn't bother with a mirror, and _God forbid_ she ask someone for help... so it looks as if she just slapped a bunch on and hoped to hit the right spot. It's honestly not so bad under all the goop... all the redness is from the gel mixing with the blood she didn't take time to wipe off. So, to answer your earlier question, Liara... yes, it _will_ scar but only because of the time delay until treatment, and not badly. It will hardly be noticeable in her eyebrow... _You'll_ only see it because you'll know _exactly_ where to look. Over time, her nanites will most likely take care of it completely."

They carefully turned the commander back onto her stomach and Liara very lovingly repositioned Sam's head to where she believed the commander would be the most comfortable. Karin watched Liara and smiled at the devoted and concerned expression on the Asari's face as she worked. "She'll be fine, Liara, so you have no reason to worry. And she's so exhausted, she may not remember the trip here, so don't be shocked if she doesn't immediately remember transferring shuttles or arriving on the Normandy. It's normal for extreme battle fatigue cases like this; short term memory can be the first thing to go."

"She always gives so much..." Liara's adoring eyes never left the sleeping figure that lay beneath her reverent fingertips. "...but I have never seen her this _tired_, Karin... not even after we fought Saren. I thank the Goddess we have another day remaining yet before the retrofits are complete, or she would wake up only to jump right back into the fight." Liara's face held a pained expression as she considered everything the war could potentially cost them.

Once she finished programming the unit to complete the soft tissue repair over the entirety of Shepard's back, Karin walked over and placed her hand sympathetically upon Liara's shoulder. "That's not something you need to worry about at the moment. Even if Garrus somehow gets that new cannon operational earlier than expected, she's not going back into the fight for at _least_ 48 hours. Doctor's orders."

* * *

With Shepard returning from Omega, the crew had been recalled from shore leave and most everyone was reluctantly filtering back aboard. Riana had barely unpacked her gear bag when the lock on the outer hatch of the Broker's compartment chimed. Riana was well-rested after spending her days at Shepard's apartment in Tiberius Towers, but really felt the need for a bit of alone time; she definitely hadn't anticipated receiving a visitor so soon after arriving back aboard ship. Her guest's identity surprised her, as they had so recently returned to the ship together, and by the time she got the hatch open, Traynor had started to turn away. "Sammi…! Wait!"

The specialist turned back around with an embarrassed smile. "I hope I'm not disturbing you. This is the first opportunity I've had to bring you a present I picked up on the Citadel." She was holding a rather large package, wrapped in beautiful brocade finish paper and tied with ribbon.

Riana was totally taken aback by this. "Sammi. You should not have purchased a gift for me… I have nothing to give you in return."

Traynor chuckled. "You have _everything_ to give me in return, but that's not important right now. May I come in?"

Riana ran a hand over her crest, irritated with her own lack of manners as she replied, "I am sorry… of course. You simply caught me a bit off guard." The Asari quickly stood aside for the specialist, closing the hatch after she entered. Samantha was clearly waiting for an invitation to enter Riana's living area; with Riana motioning her along, Traynor walked past the bed to the right, set the package on the small couch and took a seat beside it.

Samantha motioned for Riana to sit as well, then carefully picked up the package with both hands and offered it to her friend. "For you, Riana Iregos. It is something you need on board this ship… a touch of… _home_, perhaps, in the midst of all the chaos happening around us."

Riana narrowed her eyes as she looked at the Human sitting next to her. "What did you do, Sammi?"

"Open the package, please. I'm dying to see your reaction."

Riana's expression changed to one of deep concern. "You're dying?! Since when… what illness did you…"

Traynor interrupted before the Asari could get too agitated. "It's a Human saying, Riana – relax, please! It just means I'm really impatient to see how you like your gift. Go ahead… open it!"

Riana closed her eyes and shook her head. "Goddess! Your idioms will be the death of _me_! When are you going to write that translator program for my omnitool? Now _that's_ a present I could make daily use of, and not just for _yours_. Commander Shepard has her own favorite sayings, and Mistress Liara has picked up many of them. I have a difficult time with _all_ of you."

Traynor scooted closer to Riana on the couch and kissed her on the cheek. "Just open the package, Ri, please? I'm getting thirsty."

"Why didn't you say so? What would you like to drink? I can…"

Traynor interrupted, exasperation evident in her voice, "By the Goddess, Riana! Just open the package! We'll get drinks later!"

The Asari looked at Samantha, eyes now full of questions, but said nothing as she removed the ribbon and pulled the paper away to reveal a silver colored alloy box with a hinged lid. As she slowly lifted the lid, Riana's sudden gasp was all Traynor needed to hear; the Asari looked at her friend with a wide grin on her face as she said, "Sammi, where in the galaxy did you _find_ this?" Riana clamped the box between her knees and gently removed her present – a deluxe, heavy-duty _Kaffe_ press.

Samantha grabbed the box from between Riana's knees and set it on the decking beside the couch. "So, do you like it? I saw one in a store on the Citadel… when we split up so you could look at armor? The store owner was very nice… she showed this one to me, said it was a better quality press than the first one I looked at. I wanted you to have one, after our first visit, when you said you didn't have what you needed… and I'm rambling like a wonky prat."

A blue hand, fingers together, came up to gently sit on Traynor's mouth. "Sammi, I absolutely love it... and I love that you felt you needed to buy this for me, I really do."

Traynor wasn't sure what Riana was thinking, which made her grow more nervous by the second. "I'm sensing a 'but', Ri. I can return it if you…"

"Don't you dare!" Riana spoke a bit sharper than she meant as she hugged the press protectively close to her body. She quickly added, "Sammi, you are such a caring person. Don't even _think_ of returning this. I will treasure it for…" Riana closed her eyes, thinking about what she needed to say. "I was going to say forever. Sammi, I will treasure this wonderful gift for as long as the Goddess grants me life. This is a very special gift, and I will think of you each time I use it. Thank you… for your generosity and your thoughtfulness." The Asari set the press to the side before leaning over and kissing her surprised friend full on the mouth, leaving Sammi a bit breathless when she slowly pulled away. "Unfortunately, we need _Kaffe_ seeds in order to put this wonderful press to use."

Traynor grinned and asked, "Would you like to show me how it works?"

Riana gave Traynor a quizzical look. "Since I had no press, I had no reason to requisition…" She trailed off as Sammi pulled a metal box from one of the utility pockets of her right pant leg.

Traynor handed the box to Riana, who turned it over and around as she inspected it closely. Sammi smiled as she explained, "It's a stasis box for _Kaffe_ seeds. I found it at another shop, which was why I was late meeting you after your armor shopping trip." Taking the box back from Riana, she showed her how to operate it. "Hold it vertically and press this control; it dispenses a measured amount of seeds, which you can then drop into the reservoir on the press. It never interrupts the stasis field, so the rest of the stored seeds aren't exposed to any air and stay as if freshly blended until you dispense them. _This_ box contains a blend of seeds that originated in Dassus." Traynor returned the stasis box to Riana, stood and picked up her new press, placed it on the Asari's beverage counter and looked at Riana expectantly.

"Okay, Iregos!" Sammi grinned at her friend. "Time to show me what a good and proper cup of _Kaffe_ tastes like."

* * *

Karin sighed in resignation and attached a second bed to the one Shepard occupied. The doubles were _meant_ for larger patients such as Krogan, but Karin hadn't needed the functionality for such a purpose except on rare occasions for Grunt, Wrex or Eve. Instead, she ended up using it most frequently for Liara... because _any_ time Shepard spent a night in her med bay, Liara wasn't about to voluntarily leave the commander's side, and Karin normally acquiesced... simply to avoid having an exhausted Asari on her hands as well.

Remaining slightly concerned for her lover, Liara had snoozed lightly and woke easily when she felt Samantha beginning to stir at her side. Liara's anxiety had been unwarranted and Shepard had slept soundly the whole night through, long after Karin had cut the anesthetic drip. The waking commander tried to clear her throat, but it was for naught and she croaked out in a rough, but quiet, voice, "Li? You awake?"

Liara responded by running a hand affectionately up the commander's side and planting a soft kiss on the back of her shoulder. "Hmmm. I take that as a yes." Shepard shifted a bit to the side and cautiously rolled onto her back, pleasantly surprised at how little it hurt to do so, and laid her arm out as an invitation for Liara to move in and snuggle. Instead, Liara propped herself up on an elbow and looked down into Samantha's eyes, which appeared clouded by a bit of uncertainty.

"Karin warned me you would likely wake up a tad bit confused." She smiled gently and stroked Shepard's cheek gingerly. "That's why I wanted to be with you when you woke. You suffered battle fatigue, Love; you were physically and mentally exhausted. You have no serious head injuries, so drop your guard and I'll show you."

Completely trusting the Asari at her side, Shepard closed her eyes and relaxed, unreservedly opening herself to her lover, not understanding why she would have closed herself off to begin with. Liara's warmth flooded into her very bones and Samantha felt as if she had been wrapped in an intimate embrace as Liara explained all that had happened the day prior. Shepard's face picked up a distinct pink hue and she chuckled at her own lack of awareness. "Wow. I was really out of it. Did you show me everything that happened, or did you leave out the part where you took advantage of me and had me sign a contract to act as your sex-slave for life?"

"Shepard!" Liara blushed deeply. "I would never do such a thing!"

Samantha laughed and pulled Liara easily down on top of her, kissing her softly on the lips before whispering, "Shucks. I was kinda looking forward to it."

"You are _incorrigible_... and that is _definitely_ one of the reasons I love you." Liara's lips quirked into a smile as she went on. "Though I suppose our _verbal_ contract providing for lots of little blue children may essentially serve an identical purpose."

Shepard let out a solid laugh and wrapped the Asari in her arms, giving her a firm squeeze. "I love you, Liara, but don't you think we should talk about making those little blue babies someplace _other_ than the med bay?"

"I would like nothing better, but you're on restriction, Commander. We have to get permission from your chief of medical." Liara slid back to Samantha's side and pushed herself back up onto her elbow. "Last word I received was 48 hours, non-negotiable."

"Oh." Shepard frowned. "Two whole days? When is the Normandy due to be mission ready?"

Liara's expression turned stern. "In less than 48 hours, but that doesn't matter; you were _completely_ exhausted, _Siame_. I think _Harbinger_ could have landed on the docks and you would not have been able to muster enough energy to even point him out, much less fight. I don't believe I've ever seen you quite so... _vulnerable_." Liara's face suddenly lit with merriment, seeing an excellent opportunity to level the teasing scale a bit. "I found it quite... adorable."

Shepard's brow knit with consternation for only the briefest of moments before her expression shifted to a smirk. "I do not consider a complete inability to defend myself as _adorable_, Dr T'Soni."

"Nor do I, Commander." Karin's voice startled them both, having been so engaged in conversation neither had heard her enter the med bay. "Though I must admit, it was a side of you I can honestly say I have _never_ seen in the 20-plus years that I've known you."

Shepard's face fell and Liara was hit via the link by a memory that hadn't surfaced in quite a while. Her hand slipped over and she gripped Samantha's upper arm in reassurance to let her lover know she had caught the memory flash as the commander responded quietly. "I think you may have seen it when Dad was killed."

Karin's expression softened and she walked over and gave Shepard a reassuring hug. "Do not confuse grief with weakness or lack of ability, Samantha. But, that said, I hope I don't have to _ever_ see similar circumstances again. So, no more fighting for forty hours straight without _any_ sleep." She let go and pushed back, glanced at her chrono and gave the duo a big smile. "Now. Get dressed and get out of my med bay. I don't want to see you for another 36 hours... unless it's over dinner and a glass of brandy."

* * *

Shepard and Liara took a roundabout route through the Mess to grab breakfast-to-go and beat a hasty retreat to the loft. They slid onto the couch in the lower half of the room and proceeded to eat; after only a couple of bites, Shepard glanced up at the Asari sitting beside her. "So. I think Nyreen Kandros has great potential as a long-term ally on Omega."

Liara swallowed her bite of honey-laden biscuit and met Shepard's cool green eyes with deep swimming blues. "I agree, but I have no desire to speak of that now, Shepard. There will be time for that later."

For some reason, Liara was keeping her emotions from slipping through the link, but Shepard still caught the nuance in her lover's tone and set her fork down, turning to give Liara her undivided attention. "Then, what exactly _do_ you want to talk about? I can tell you've got something on your mind, _Grá mo chroí_."

Buying time to consider how to approach the issue, Liara took another small bite of her biscuit, chewed and swallowed before answering. "I would like to focus on continuing the discussion we started in the med bay." Her cheeks took on a deeper blue as she stared at the biscuit in her hand and fell silent.

Trying to determine exactly which conversation she was speaking of, Shepard's brow pinched in thought as she watched the reticent Asari before her. "Li, I _know_ I told you I'd be careful... and I ended up exhausted... and _injured_... so I promise to behave for the full rest period."

Liara's lips quirked up into a small smile and soft blue eyes full of affection lifted back up to meet the commander's apologetic ones. "Shepard. Stop. While I appreciate the sentiment, that's _not_ what I'm talking about." Her right hand came up and gently tucked some errant auburn strands up behind Shepard's left ear and her thankful expression lit the room as she continued, "You came home to me, alive and _relatively_ well. Sometimes I think that is the most I'll ever be able to ask of this war... but enough talk of war." She leaned forward and kissed the commander gently on the lips.

Shepard closed her eyes as she relished the kiss, only to reopen them much too soon as Liara broke the contact and pulled back again, the Asari biting at her lower lip to rein in the temptation threatening to overtake her. "Then what... Oh." Shepard's eyes snapped wide open. "Oh!" A wide grin exploded on her face as she realized why Liara had blushed lightly when she had brought it up. "You're talking about us making little blues!"

"Goddess." Liara rolled her eyes. "Yes, I am. I take it, from your enthusiasm, that it is an acceptable topic of discussion?"

"Discussion?" Puzzlement settled over the commander's face. "I was thinking of _much_ more than discussion." Her eyes twinkled with glee and a smile descended once more upon her lips.

"Yes, Shepard. _Discussion_," Liara laughed gently. "_You_ need to rest, and we've never _honestly_ talked about it... or, rather, _her_." She checked herself and corrected her choice of words.

Shepard's grin returned. "Them." A confused look from her betrothed had Shepard explaining, "_Them_, Liara. We've never talked about _them_."

It was Liara's turn to suddenly brighten with understanding and an answering grin climbed onto her face. "_Them_. I very much like the sound of that, Samantha." She hesitated before asking the question she truly wanted to ask but was almost afraid to get an answer to. "So with our future being so unsure, you still think about us having children?"

A shadow of doubt crept over the Asari's features that had Shepard leaning immediately forward to tenderly cup Liara's cheek; her voice was warm, yet full of quiet conviction as she whispered, "There's never been any doubt in my mind, _I__onúin Álainn_, and I don't want there to be any in yours either. I _love_ you, Liara T'Soni, from the bottom of my heart until the end of time. I want to _bond_ with you. I want to raise our _children_ with you. Can you not _sense_ that each and every time we meld?"

Tears of joy trickled out of Liara's eyes as she buried her face in the crook of Shepard's neck. "Yes! I can, and normally do... but it is always so jumbled up with everything else that is going on at the same time. It sounds ridiculous, but I suppose I simply needed to hear you say it out loud... to be assured that you thinking of such things is not some Human coping mechanism to give you hope by simply making plans that stretch beyond such an uncertain future."

"_A Grá_. I would _never_ think of your concerns as ridiculous." Shepard wrapped her arms around the Asari and held her close. A hand rose to stroke Liara's crests in a comforting manner, being careful to not slip into any valleys or under any folds. "And, had you mentioned it, I most certainly would have allayed your fears. Why didn't you say something sooner?" When she finished vocalizing her question, Samantha turned her head and kissed Liara on the temple.

"I don't know. There never seemed to be an appropriate time." Liara settled into the offered comfort, leaning against Shepard's shoulder. "We always seem to be running from one crisis to the next... and neither of us has the time to truly put '_us_' first... _Nara_."

As Liara released a disillusioned sigh over the wearisome circumstances in which they found themselves, Shepard's breath caught at the Asari's last spoken word. "_Nara_. That is something I never expected to be called... by _you_."

"Why not, _Siame_? It is an accurate title for you... and an essential element of your personality." Liara hugged her tightly. "I did not refer to you as such so that you would attempt to change it; as much as it sometimes frustrates me, I _love_ how deeply you care for others, _me_ especially..." Shepard felt Liara smile against her neck as the Asari continued, "... and I would anticipate the same to be said about your concern for our _daughters_."

_That_ statement got Shepard's heart pumping and she swallowed down the sudden lump in her throat. _Daughters. We're actually talking about having __**daughters**_. Shepard suddenly let out a happy laugh. "You know, I probably won't let them date until they're a hundred years old."

Liara's reservations vanished and she made no attempt to stop an answering laugh. "Please, Shepard. Don't you dare use _my_ life as a standard for our children! Of all the traits I possess, I would _never_ choose to curse them with my social awkwardness!"

"Gods, Li." Shepard's grin was so wide, it threatened to split her face as she laughed. "What are you talking about? I want our little ones to be _exactly_ like you. Nothing could possibly make me happier... you're _perfect_!"

Liara sat back quickly and smacked Shepard softly on the shoulder. "You are lucky to be recovering right now, Samantha Shepard! You should not tease about such things!"

"What? I'm not joking!" Shepard's face instantly took on a look of disbelief as she reached out and captured a blue hand, pulled it toward her and extended Liara's arm, all while sliding off the couch to rest on one knee on the floor. The commander's fingers rested solidly on the promise bracelet fastened around the blue wrist. "There is no one in the galaxy who is more perfect for me, Liara T'Soni." She turned the bracelet slowly around Liara's arm as she continued, "This was no fluke, no idle gesture; I meant every word... and I still do."

Liara was entranced by the passion within Shepard's next words as they came through the link in perfect Thessian. _{O__ur hearts shall beat as one, our love shall ride the waves to the ends of the Thessian seas, and our souls shall rise amongst the stars until our essential essence returns to the universe.}_ Shepard then asked her a question in a barely audible whisper, "Why would I not want my girls to be _exactly_ like their breathtakingly beautiful and wonderful mother?"

Their eyes met in an electric silence; Shepard's expression was positively infused with adoration and Liara's breathing was quick and shallow as she slid off the couch to come face-to-face with her lover, both of them now kneeling on the floor. Liara wrapped her arms around the commander and they closed their eyes as Liara dove into Shepard's mind. _{I love you, Samantha, more than words can say.}_ She reopened her eyes and they were as black as the purest obsidian.

_{I know, I__onúin Álainn__. You make my life worth living.} _Shepard held an image in her mind which slipped through the meld... and Liara drew a sharp breath. Liara was in a hospital bed, holding a squirming little blue bundle in her arms; Shepard stood alongside the bed, a broad smile on her face as she looked down happily upon her bondmate. To each side of Samantha stood another child, both peering over the railing at their mother and the newest addition to their growing family. Even Aethyta was there, a huge grin on her face as she looked on in silence.

After recovering from her surprise, Liara laughed. _{Goddess, Samantha. How many children do you wish us to __**have**__?}_

She could feel the combination of longing and humor in Shepard's reply. _{Well, we should, at the very __**least**__, have a full squad...}_

Even black with the meld, Liara's eyes widened with astonishment. _{Shepard! You want to have at least __**six**__ children? Really? Six?}_

The Asari felt her own chest rumble with Shepard's robust and hearty laughter. _{I do believe you and I... and, most likely Riana, would all be participating members... so we only need three more to round out the team.}_ Shepard smiled and hugged Liara tightly. _{But we can certainly stop whenever you want, Blue. Especially since __**you'll**__ be the one doing most of the work. I'll be happy with however many you decide on. I came into this arrangement thinking __**I'd**__ never grow old enough to see even __**one**__ reach majority.}_

_{Yes.}_ Liara smiled fondly and gripped both sides of Shepard's head, pulling her in for a kiss. _{Remind me to thank Miranda once again for giving us this chance to dream.}_

After the kiss, Shepard opened her eyes and relaxed back on her haunches. "I will... because she's made all of this _more_ than just a dream."

Liara sensed that Shepard, even with a solid night's sleep behind her, remained tired. She blinked and her eyes returned to their normal, radiant blue. Shepard was staring at her and she blushed slightly under the intense scrutiny as the commander smiled lovingly at her.

"Gods, Liara. You've endured so much because of me... yet, I look into your eyes and I still see the innocence and hope I saw there the very first day I met you." Her left hand came up and the backs of her fingers brushed delicately across a dappled blue cheek. "You truly are beautiful, you know."

"Flatterer." Liara rose from the floor, dragging Samantha up with her. "Come on, Love. We need to finish breakfast so we can lie down and cuddle. Maybe even take a little nap together."

"A _nap_? We haven't been awake that long." Shepard smirked. "You're just trying to get me into bed to start practicing for the first of those three daughters."

"Perhaps I was worried about you and didn't sleep that well last night." Liara smiled innocently. "I guess you'll simply have to finish your breakfast in order to find out."


	43. Razor's Edge

Notes:

_A Grá_ \- My Love (Irish/Gaelic)

AI - Artificial Intelligence

_Nara - _literally "bearer"; one who shoulders another's burden, aids others (Thessian)

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

* * *

**Razor's Edge**

**SSV Normandy, Alliance Dry-docks, Citadel**

Shepard stretched out flat in the bed and opened her eyes just enough to peek around the room to locate Liara; the Asari was lounging on the couch with a datapad in her hands. A smile graced the commander's lips as she yawned and pushed the hair off her face so it didn't block the wonderful view. Liara heard her moving about and glanced up with a glowing smile in return. "Good morning, Samantha... Again."

"Still morning?" Shepard sat up, tossed the covers back and swung her feet over the edge of the bed as she spared a quick glance at the chrono on her nightstand. "It really _was_ just a nap then, wasn't it?"

"Yes, it was; I slept maybe an hour, while you have slept almost two." Liara sat the pad on the coffee table and stood, sauntering slowly over to the commander. "Shorter than what I thought you would and probably less than what you need, but you're awake, sooo... join me for lunch?"

Shepard stood to come face-to-face with Liara. "Depends. Join me for a shower, first?"

"Sounds like an invitation impossible to resist, Commander." Liara smiled coyly as she began to pull her sleep shirt over her head.

"Don't know why you even bother, Li." Shepard wrapped an arm gently around the Asari's waist and pulled her close, tipping her head and getting in a quick nibble on the folds on Liara's neck as the shirt passed by. "You usually end up naked anyway."

"Aghhh." Liara trembled and an uncontrollable shiver of delight ran down her spine as she answered, "To keep you from doing _that_ when you are _supposed_ to be resting, Samantha." The shirt was quickly tossed to the floor and Liara used her now free hands to break Shepard's hold, showing an unusual level of self-restraint. "Shower and lunch, _Siame_... and then, as much as I hate to say it, duty calls."

* * *

Shepard sat at her desk and began to peruse her many messages, though there weren't anywhere near as many as there should have been. "Li? Have you started filtering my mail again?"

She glanced up to catch Liara's eyes; her serene blues lacking _any_ trace of repentance as the Asari answered smoothly, "Of course I have. You are much too busy to read any of the _drivel_ that comes in. I am perfectly able to sort your mail and answer the routine queries while Riana handles the brokerage duties. Anything personal I leave in your box, and if it is _truly_ important for you to see, you know I'd tell you about it immediately." Liara paused for a brief moment as her eyes lit up. "Speaking of which, there _is_ an interesting note from your new Batarian friend."

Shepard gave her a questioning glance before refocusing on her inbox, easily locating the message to which her favorite information broker was referring.

xxx

_Subject: Omega_

_Shepard. Things are settling down pretty quickly back here. Aria didn't waste much effort on the Cerberus troops. She simply encouraged them to leave... fast. Those that didn't make it to their shuttles quick enough were spaced. All the regulars were in hard suits, so I guess they at least had a __chance of being picked up. Not so much for those like the one that shot you... apparently Aria's not a big fan of augmented sniper assassins. She'd never admit it, but I think the thought of them being on the station scares her._

_Looks like the Talons are the new security force on the station. I'd say they were being cute, except Kandros isn't shy about backing up the sentiment with firepower and she welcomed the task of cleaning out the last dregs of Petrovsky's Adjutants. Can't help but wonder if you had a hand in all that, but I owe you one, so I'll refrain from telling Aria about my suspicions._

_If I'm right, I imagine it'll be a long time before any other gangs get a foothold here... and I have to admit, it's nice to have a homegrown team in charge, instead of one of the big three. Never trusted where their loyalties were._

_Be careful out there. Know there's at least one Batarian here that doesn't want you dead._

_Bray_

xxx

"What did you think about this when you read it?" Shepard's brow was wrinkled in consternation, wondering exactly what Bray had meant by a couple of his comments.

"You sense it too, don't you?" Liara smiled. "Nyreen Kandros wasn't the only one on Omega you impressed. With the correct approach, Bray could end up a _very_ good ally."

"I don't know." Shepard was somewhat skeptical. "He's pretty loyal and he's been with Aria a long time."

"As I said... with the _correct_ approach." Liara's brow markings rose and her voice took on a note of challenge. Shepard chuckled and Liara's expression looked doubtful. "Do you honestly believe I am incorrect in my assessment?"

The chuckle turned into an outright laugh and the commander shook her head. "Absolutely not, Liara. I am simply suddenly feeling very sorry for Bray and hoping he's preparing himself to part ways with the Queen of Omega."

"Good, Commander." Liara's eyes turned to blue velvet and she stood to walk over to Shepard. She placed her hands on the shoulders of her seated lover and massaged gently as she leaned over and whispered in her ear. "Because I would hate for you to disapprove of my methods or be disappointed with my results."

"It's an _extremely_ rare occurrence when you disappoint me, Li... and I realize you _very_ much want to bring Aria down." Shepard gently took Liara's hands and lifted them off her shoulders and over her head so she could turn to face her promised. "And we will. Later." She stood gracefully and drew Liara into a tight hug. "For now, I'd appreciate you demonstrating some of that trademark Asari _patience_ by simply focusing on the current war with the Reapers."

"Absolutely, _Siame_." Liara grinned unexpectedly and Shepard understood exactly why as Liara continued, "But I also plan on thinking about names for our daughters."

Shepard said nothing as she drew in a deep breath of Liara's scent before she relaxed her hold into a prolonged, gentle embrace. They leaned against each other, content in one another's arms until Shepard finally sighed, "I guess I'd better go make my report to Hackett. I'm sure the eezo shipments have started arriving at the Citadel and they're all probably scrambling to figure out Aria's angle." She gave Liara one last peck on the cheek before reluctantly pulling away. "I love you, Liara T'Soni."

As Shepard turned and walked out of the loft, she felt a comforting tickle at the back of her mind. _{I love you too, Samantha Shepard.}_

* * *

The admiral was more than pleased with Shepard's coup d'état; additional help from the likes of Aria T'Loak was more than welcome, especially once Hackett knew it was in payment for Shepard's assistance at Omega, and not in advance of some expected future favor. The cargo ships and eezo were the most critical... running basic goods like food stuffs and medical supplies had become extremely challenging, and as much as he hated to admit it, Aria's conglomeration of pirates had the exact skills they needed to dodge Reaper patrols and get the deliveries through to the folks in need.

Shepard was preparing to sign off. "If there's nothing else you need, Admiral, I'd like to make a round on the Normandy and see how everyone's doing. Garrus told me he's finished up the cannon upgrades and I haven't seen most of the crew for over three days; I'd like to get a feel for how they're holding up."

Hackett rubbed his chin in thought for a moment and gave his head a quick shake. He'd gotten the medical report from Dr Chakwas and knew the commander was still on her mandatory rest period, but the war wasn't waiting for anyone. "I wasn't going to tell you this yet, but something might be brewing near the Geth border, Shepard. Our intel is sketchy... news is getting harder to come by as things get worse. Has Liara not been able to dig _anything_ up on the Quarian Fleet?"

"No, Sir." Shepard's lips pressed into a straight line. "As a matter of fact, she was starting to wonder if they simply packed up their live ships and toddled off into dark space. It's actually good to catch wind of _something_, even if it's not exactly what we _want_ to hear."

"What do you mean, Shepard?" Hackett trusted Shepard's intuition _completely_ and suddenly appeared concerned. "What wouldn't we want to hear?"

"Last time I met with the fleet, the Admiralty Board was fixated on taking Rannoch back from the Geth." Shepard scowled as she remembered the charges of treason against Tali, "And they seemed willing to sacrifice almost _anything_... and _anyone_... to find a way to do so."

"Well... shit." Hackett frowned. "In that case, you need to go check it out, Shepard. We _need_ the Quarian Fleet; see what they're up to and try to keep them from doing anything rash."

"I'm on it, Sir." Shepard offered up a sharp salute. "If they're anywhere on the Rim, I'll bring you that fleet, Admiral."

As she walked to the med bay, she gave Liara a heads-up through the link and asked her to meet her in medical. By the time Liara walked in, the discussion was already in progress. "I fully understand it's a request straight from Admiral Hackett... but I said 48 hours, Shepard, and I meant it." Karin stood firm, her arms crossed as she stared the commander down.

Liara came to Shepard's aid, her tone sounding even more determined than Karin's. "Message received... _and understood_, Dr Chakwas, but we _are_ getting underway. The 48-hour restriction will have passed by the time we emerge from the Far Rim relay." She met Karin eye-to-eye. "And while Admiral _Hackett_ has other priorities, you know _I_ would never agree to risking Shepard's safety unnecessarily... and you _also_ know we _have_ to do this. We _need_ the ships of the Quarian Flotilla and this is the only lead we have."

Karin's jaw tensed for a moment before she took a deep breath and blew it back out forcibly. "Fine. But I check Shepard one last time before I authorize her for _any_ missions." She held up a hand to forestall the commander's protest. "I see no reason to deny you mission-ready status at the 48-hour point, unless you do something stupid between now and then, Sam. I understand you need to find the fleet for the war... and for personal reasons, you need to find _Tali_... but please understand my motivations as well; _I_ need to do everything in my power to protect _you_."

* * *

**SSV Normandy, Dholen, Far Rim**

As soon as they received clearance for departure, the Normandy jumped the relay from the Widow system and travelled via the Eagle, Omega and Pylos Nebula relays, emerging in the Far Rim in the Dholen System. When the Normandy exited from the relay, they were immediately pinged; Shepard and Garrus were standing side-by-side on the bridge, staring out the front viewport in wonderment. The ping carried standard Quarian recognition protocols, but the frigate before them was unlike any they had ever seen before.

Even Joker was impressed. "Looks like Tali took more than just the Geth data when she went back to the Flotilla. That ship isn't emitting anything more than the Normandy does when she drops out of stealth mode!" The helmsman looked back over his shoulder. "They're asking permission to come alongside and dock with us, Commander; the Admiralty Board wants to visit."

"Any signs of Reapers, Reaper signals or Reaper troops, Edi?"

"Negative, Shepard." Edi's voice reflected absolute certainty. "The transmission protocols are legitimately Quarian in origin and there are no indications of Reaper forces anywhere within the system, Commander."

"Thanks." Shepard nodded. "Permission granted, Jeff. Once decon is complete, send them to the War Room."

She glanced at Garrus. "I don't like it, Garrus. All this time they've been virtually invisible, like they didn't even _exist_ anymore, and they show back up with a new ship with advanced tech like the Normandy... which _we_ know came from Reaper tech." She held a hand up to stop any protest before it began. "I don't believe they're with the Reapers, Garrus. More _likely_, Tali did exactly as Jeff suggested... but we have to take precautions just the same. You've got the Bridge; if anything goes sideways, you do _whatever_ you need to do. Understood?"

The Turian's eyes flashed with resigned approval, knowing full well what could potentially be asked of him if the Quarians were indeed indoctrinated, especially if they managed to taint Shepard as well. He stuck his hand out and Shepard quickly clasped his forearm as he started to speak. "Understood, Shepard. Let's just hope it doesn't come to that." His voice picked up a bit of humor as he continued, "I'd _hate_ to have to explain to the Council why I had to kill Commander Shepard and wipe out the Quarian Admiralty."

"Don't worry. You won't need to." Shepard laughed, "You'd never make it off the Normandy before Liara hunted you down and turned you into a stain on the bulkhead."

Garrus grinned and his mandibles twitched with an amused flutter as they dropped their arm-hold. "Somehow, I find that... oddly _comforting_."

A lilting voice spoke from behind them. "I'm not sure which I find more disturbing; the possibility of such circumstances coming to be, or the part that Garrus finds the suggestion that I would be capable of such a thing as an acceptable alternative to speaking with the Council."

They both laughed as they turned to see Liara waiting in the doorway with a slight smile on her face. "Do you wish me to accompany you to the War Room, Commander?"

Shepard reached up and tapped a finger on her own temple. "Only in my head, dear heart. I need to limit crew exposure until we know for sure what's happening." _{And, just in case, I need you somewhere safe so you don't have to fight to stay alive... and can focus the enormity of your intellectual strength to support my mind. You once promised me if it ever happened, I would never have to fight that mental battle alone. Remember?}_

_{I do, Samantha.}_ Liara's eyes narrowed with concern and she spoke aloud, "And now I echo Garrus' sentiment. Let us hope it does not come to that."

Shepard leaned in and gave Liara a quick kiss on the cheek before whispering softly, "I'll see you soon, _A Grá_." With a quick nod to Garrus, Shepard strode off toward the War Room.

Liara watched her retreat and was ready to head to the elevator to return to the Broker's office when Garrus' musical voice chimed in behind her, his sub-harmonics offering comfort. "She'll be fine, Liara. We all know it's a simple matter of Tali co-opting the Normandy's technology, nothing else."

"Thank you, Garrus." Liara offered him a tentative smile. "But please don't take it personally if I tell you I'll feel better when that assumption is _confirmed_." With a quick nod, Liara departed the Bridge for a quiet place where she would be able to concentrate on the discussion that was about to happen amidships.

Shepard waited patiently for her guests to arrive; so many questions rattled around her brain, she wasn't sure where to start the conversation... but it proved to be a non-issue when a familiar figure entered the War Room. Admiral Raan spoke quickly. "Commander Shepard. A pleasure to see you again, though I wish it were under better circumstances."

"The Reapers are an enemy we can defeat, provided we're willing to work together." Shepard squared her shoulders and got straight to what she hoped was the purpose of their meeting; she was sadly mistaken.

"Reapers?" Admiral Gerrel stepped up to central table in the War Room, the display currently blank after Shepard cleared the board in preparation for the meeting, given the Quarian's status was unknown. "Seventeen days ago, with precision strikes on four Geth systems, we initiated the war to retake our homeworld."

"Which was a clear violation of the Quarian agreement with the Council to avoid provoking the Geth!" Admiral Koris was obviously angry and disagreed with the decision; Shepard agreed.

"You what?"" Shepard gripped the edge of the display console and leaned in angrily.

"Please!" Admiral Xen was her normal pompous self, dismissive of any goals or arguments but her own search for advantageous knowledge. "A violation of a peace agreement is _nothing_ compared to recovering our homeworld and advanced AI technology."

"The Reapers are destroying the _galaxy... _and you picked _now_ to attempt retaking Rannoch?" Shepard glanced around the table with incredulity. "I _pray_ that's a horrible joke!"

Admiral Raan, as usual, was the most accommodating to Shepard's questions. "Commander. The idea of taking back our homeworld has been a core belief of our people for the last three hundred years, every since we lost our world to our own AI creations, the Geth."

Koris snorted in disgust, "After we tried to _kill_ them!"

Xen spoke with disdain, "We didn't try to kill them, Koris. We simply tried to deactivate them. It wasn't murder."

"No. It _was_ murder." Shepard glared at Xen and her tone was one of reprimand and her voice grew in volume the more she spoke. "Just because you didn't _intend_ to create them doesn't mean you have the right to _remove_ their sentience, simply because it was an accident!" Her gaze travelled around the table, across the four admirals. "But all of this is beside the point; the entire galaxy is at war with the _Reapers_! If we _lose_, there won't be anyone left to live on Rannoch... because we'll all be _dead_!"

Liara's soothing voice through the link calmed her. _{Shepard. Be thankful they are not indoctrinated. All is not yet lost; we can do this... together. Just as we have always done.}_

Admirals Gerrel, Raan and Xen all exchanged silent glances as Koris railed against them. "Don't bother. Admitting we were _wrong_ would undercut the justification for this suicidal plan." He crossed his arms in disgust. "And _this_ time, we may have destroyed our people for good."

Gerrel saw an opening and lit up his omnitool, projecting an image of the galaxy over the central display table. "We'd driven the Geth back to the home system when this signal began broadcasting to all Geth Ships."

"The Reapers," Shepard growled. _{You're right, Li. They aren't indoctrinated... yet... and we need to __**keep**__ it that way.}_

Gerrel knew he had Shepard's attention and continued confidently, "Under Reaper control, the Geth are _significantly_ more effective. Our fleet is pinned in the home system. If we're going to win..."

Koris exploded. "_Win_? You insisted on involving the civilian ships, Admiral Gerrel! We need to _retreat..._ or we'll _lose_ the live ships!"

"Wait. You militarized your _civilian_ fleet? That's a violation of the Treaty of Farixen! That's a Hell of a lot worse than merely violating some 'peace treaty!'" Shepard's outburst was met with a stony silence, but no objections. _Oh, for the love of the Gods!_ She sighed in resignation, knowing she couldn't doom the Quarian people because of overzealous admirals. "Where's the signal coming from?"

The image Gerrel had projected rotated and zoomed in on a particular vessel. "Here. A Geth dreadnought. It can outgun anything we have and it's heavily defended."

_{I'm with you, Shepard. Let's do what needs to be done.}_

_{Thanks, Liara.}_ Shepard pushed up off the table. "The Normandy's stealth drive can get us in undetected. A small party will board and disable the Reaper command signal."

Xen spoke again, surprisingly in approval. "Yes. Cutting off the signal should throw the Geth into complete disarray."

Shepard nodded in agreement. "And should allow you to _retreat_ through the mass relay... and _save_ the civilian flotilla!"

For the first time since walking into the room, Koris sounded hopeful. "Good. Our civilian ships have seen too much fighting already." His glance moved to Admiral Raan. "_And_ we have someone to help you with the Geth technology."

Raan turned toward the door and spoke proudly. "Our newest admiral has volunteered to offer her vast technical expertise."

Even under the circumstances, Shepard couldn't help the broad smile that crossed her face as a Quarian with a familiar swagger walked into the War Room. "Tali'Zorah vas Normandy, reporting for duty."

_Thank the Goddess. Shepard would have been crushed if Tali hadn't been here. _Liara felt the swell of happiness through the link and smiled as she 'spoke.' _{I am happy for you, Sam. Your little sister has returned.}_

"Glad you could make it, Tali." Shepard beamed at her young protégé. "Welcome back to the Normandy!"

As the commander readied a team to hit the dreadnought, Tali approached her and Shepard took time to give her a big hug. "If I'd known what was happening, I would have come sooner, Tali."

Tali shook her head. "You've had your own troubles. I'm sorry about Earth." She pulled back and stared out a side portal into the darkness of space. "We've got the largest fleet in the galaxy. If you can help us, we'll hit the Reapers with everything we've got." She paused and took a deep breath. "Whatever we have left, anyways. Stupid war."

A new voice entered the conversation. "I'm sure you did everything within your power to stop them, Tali'Zorah vas Normandy." Tali spun about to see a smiling Liara. "It's good to see you, Tali!"

"Good to see me, you Bosh'tet? That's all you can say?" Liara's surprise at Tali's response was swallowed in a huge hug. "I've missed you, Liara T'Soni! Especially your voice of reason." The little Quarian was surprisingly strong and she took Liara's breath away before stepping back and continuing. "After talking to Legion, I thought there was a chance for peace, but the Admiralty wasn't interested."

Liara scowled. "They ignored your pleas for a diplomatic solution?"

"Didn't even bring it to vote. No one seconded me... not even Aunty Raan." It was clear Tali was hurt deeply by the lack of support from Raan and Liara laid a motherly hand on the young Quarian's shoulder.

"We'll figure it out, Tali. You are with friends now, and it truly _is_ good to have you back on the Normandy." She leaned in and smiled appreciatively as she whispered, "Shepard has been worried sick and was missing you, terribly. I am glad you are with us once more."

* * *

**SSV Normandy, Tikkun, Perseus Veil**

Shepard had selected her assault teams while enroute. "Ash. You've got Vega, Riana and Edi. You're to provide backup and secure a quick exit if we need it." She looked to their welcome addition to the ground crew. "Tali. You're with Liara, Westy and I on lead."

As the teams dressed out for a combat launch, Edi's voice came over the comms. "My cyber-warfare suite has accessed their docking protocols, Commander. The only docking tube not physically secured has taken an enormous amount of damage; boarding could involve a significant level of risk."

"Not like we have a choice, so we'll have to make it work, Edi." Her glance shifted to her team members. "Once we're aboard, we find whatever's broadcasting that damned Reaper signal and shut it down. I want us in and out in min time. No idea what's coming at us once we're inside, so stay on your toes, people." Her hand went to her earpiece. "I want everyone on secure hot-mike so we're hands-free for this mission. Bring us in Joker."

As the docking bay doors opened, Shepard got her first view of the 'significant' damage and heard a _'Holy Hell'_ from Vega, somewhere behind her. "Agreed, Lieutenant. Everyone engage mag-boots; transit will be slow."

They began to pick their way across the battered tube, the gaping holes in the sides somewhat disconcerting. _{Liara? The steep drop off the side of the Shadow Broker ship gave you the willies... you okay with this?}_

_{I'm fine, Shepard. I'll be alright if we simply keep moving... and I stay focused on the door ahead of us.}_

"Shit. That ship is _huge_." Ashley's voice rang with amazement. "No _wonder_ the Quarians are having trouble with it!"

Shepard slowed down a bit and encouraged her Promised. _{Stick with me and focus on my back, Liara. I promise nothing will happen to you if you're within an arm's reach of me.}_ Liara said nothing, but the commander felt a huge wave of relief cross the link as the Asari closed the gap.

Edi was monitoring the communications and provided hard data for Commander William's observation. "The ship is thirty percent larger than an equivalent Alliance dreadnought."

Tali's voice was tinged with awe, but not over the Geth ship. Her eyes were focused out the opposite side of the damaged tube, on Rannoch. "Look at that; the homeworld. The view is so much better than any of those old history vids I watched growing up on the Flotilla." Her voice suddenly turned wistful. "I only wish we were here to break atmosphere, rather than enable retreat."

Shepard's heart broke for the young Quarian. "Reapers first, Tali... Then we'll see what we can do about Rannoch."

Tali started to reply when the deck suddenly came apart beneath their feet; purely on reflex, Shepard's arm snapped backward and she quickly grabbed one of the shoulder pauldrons of Liara's armor, pulling the Asari across the gap with her. Tali immediately launched a mag-lock cable to the Geth hatch and grabbed ahold of Bethany Westmoreland, reeling them slowly forward until their boots relocked to the pitching deck. Unexpectedly, the first team found themselves isolated on the Geth side of a separated boarding tube.

"Shit!" The commander glanced backward to the second team; Ashley looked amazingly pissed off and Riana stared at the growing distance, looking ready to attempt the leap. "Iregos, don't!" Shepard's command was fast and sharp; Riana stopped in her tracks and her eyes came up angrily.

"_Nara_! I should be with you!" The slight hesitation made a successful jump even _less_ likely.

"I know, Ri, but you can't risk it. We've got a solid foursome over here." Her gaze shifted to Williams. "Ash. Get your team back safely on the Normandy. We'll be fine."

"Aye-aye, Commander." Ashley's voice growled with discontentment. "You need us, you call. We'll figure a way to get to you, Shepard."

Shepard smiled at the retreating team as Tali opened the hatch to the Geth ship. "Roger that, LC. We'll see you on the flip side."

They walked quickly through the hatch, and once it reclosed behind them, they found the ship to have artificial gravity. "Thank the Goddess. We'll be able to maneuver much more efficiently without having to rely on our mag-boots." Liara sounded extremely relieved.

Shepard sent a push of confidence through the link as she teased, _{You're just happy to not be hanging in open space. Trust me, after Alchera, I can relate.}_

Liara was caught so off guard, she blurted out her response aloud. "Goddess, Shepard! I didn't think about that! I am _so_ sorry... my trepidation must have seemed _petty_ to you."

"Absolutely not, Li." Shepard kept her eyes forward as she moved along the passageways and shifted to her 'inside' voice. _{You suffered as much as I did over Alchera... maybe more, because I... died... and, to me, it didn't matter anymore. I didn't feel anything for a very long time.}_

_{Shepard.}_ The painful emotions that accompanied that single word from Liara were heart wrenching and the commander stopped to turn to the source, speaking quietly. "Hey. I'm here now, thanks to you and Miri. That's _all_ that matters." Her left hand reached out and she tagged Liara lightly on her shoulder pad. "Now, _focus_, and let's get this done." With an encouraged nod from her lover, Shepard turned back forward and resumed moving.

They seemed to progress relatively easily through the waves of Geth, and Tali took time to explain how they had lost six frigates in the initial assault because of Han'Gerrel's overly aggressive approach, resulting only in the small hull breach surrounding the damaged docking tube. It had come as no surprise that Admiral Xen had backed the invasion as a chance to test her newest weapons, but even _Raan_ had offered up provisional support, leaving Tali and Koris in the minority to protest uselessly against the actions; they had been outvoted three against two.

They were approaching the ship's operations center, the source of the signal, when Tali groaned, "We're taking heavy losses... the Geth have enabled a planetary defense cannon that is ripping through our fleet! They've taken down Admiral Koris' ship!"

"Is there _anything_ we can do to help them?" Liara's plaintive question struck a chord in them all.

Tali hesitated before finally answering, "Just make their sacrifice worthwhile."

The rest of the way to the operations center was silent except for the bark of weapons fire, the team choosing to give voice to their anger by killing the enemy. The ops center itself was a bit different, being a wide open room with lots of Geth, including a few cloaked Hunters. A well-placed Arc Projector shot, combined with Chatika and a couple of biotic combos from Liara and Shepard, and the team finally found themselves alone, but in the wrong place. Tali growled out, "Damn it! They locked down the Reaper signal relay when we arrived, so we can't shut it down from here. I have to find the actual source." Tali sounded positively disgusted as she worked the console, but it wasn't long before she shouted in triumph. "Found it! We need to get to the drive core!"

Once again the team was on the move; the Geth had obviously figured out what the team's goal was and began directing multiple platforms to intercept them. Simply getting out of the ops center proved to be a challenge, with many more Geth finding their way to the team. Bethany burned up more heavy ammo than she liked, but they managed to finally make their way clear and get back on the move. No longer boxed in, the team made good headway through the ship.

As the numbers of Geth platforms coming at them continued to increase, Bethany was in her glory, utilizing her favorite weapon, the Arc Projector, to great effect. It's most beneficial use was for lighting up the cloaked Geth Hunters. It relied on electromagnetic energy, not visual identification, so frequently revealed the locations of otherwise hidden enemies, allowing the squad to rip through the greater numbers with relative ease.

Tali's chosen path could have been better, but it _was_ the most direct route... even if it did mean traversing the length of the main battery. Fortunately, the Geth were at the same disadvantage in regards to lack of mobility; everyone was restricted to the same narrow passageway and the team made steady progress. When they finally reached the far end, Shepard stared at the large, wide open platform before them. "Tali. You didn't say anything about an elevator. Can you operate this thing?"

"Shepard, please." Tali tsk'd and shook her head. "I thought you would have more faith in me than that."

"Definitely the same old Tali." The commander grinned. "Alright, Admiral. Let's move. Looks like a long ways down. How many levels do we have to drop?"

"Up, not down." Tali quickly initiated the climb and opened the schematic on her omnitool. "Only three decks, Shepard. Should be quick."

The elevator ride was even shorter than they had anticipated. As they passed the very next deck up, two Geth platforms emerged from a side hatch, one of which was carrying a rocket launcher. Shepard fired her pistol and tossed a warp, but all she managed to do was throw off the Geth's aim. Just as they reached the second level above where they had started, the rocket struck the underside of the platform and it bucked, tossing Shepard to the floor as the rest of the team climbed off onto the surrounding platform. As the commander regained her feet, the lift bucked a second time and dropped two meters. Tali glanced back and shouted in panic, "Shepard! Grab my hand!"

Liara turned at Tali's excited shout, to see Shepard bolt across the elevator decking and jump. Unfortunately, just as the commander did so, the platform collapsed and fell away. "Sam!" Liara's hand lashed out and Shepard's fall was immediately halted as she was encased in blue. The concentration on Liara's face was intense as she pulled the commander back to safety on the upper deck, bringing Shepard to alight gently in front of her. Samantha's face held a huge grin and Liara scowled; she looked angry but was actually more frightened than annoyed. "What are you _smiling_ about, Shepard? You could have been _killed_!"

Shepard drew her in to a quick hug. "You've gotten a lot better at that, you know." Liara's face reflected confusion so Shepard explained, "The _first_ time you did that, you yanked me out of a volcano and smashed me right into you... knocking us _both_ to the deck. The _second_ time was on the Broker ship and you grabbed me from the air and smashed me to the deck so hard I couldn't _breathe_. This one?" She leaned in and gently touched their foreheads together. "_This_ one was _perfect_, Blue."

Liara's brow markings raised and she couldn't keep her lips from turning up into a light smile. "Perhaps you need to be more careful and give me less practice, Commander."

Shepard laughed and turned to the little Quarian to point them in the right direction, now that they had lost their ride. Tali rolled her eyes, "Keelah. If it's not one thing with you two, it's another. We need to find..." She would have continued, but Raan had established a secure link and told them the fleet was collapsing and she basically _begged_ them to hurry. Shepard's anger at the Admiralty returned and she barely managed to refrain from commenting that it was Raan's own damn fault for siding with Gerrel and Xen. Instead, she issued a simple, curt reply. "We'll have the Reaper signal deactivated shortly, Admiral."

With the elevator out of action, Tali directed them to an emergency access ladder to make the final ascent to the core. As the door to the central chamber opened, Shepard let out a low whistle; the eezo core shimmered with power, its base surrounded by some strange mechanism. With no Geth present, Shepard docked her Graal and trotted over to the device. "It's definitely Reaper tech, but what's..." She stopped speaking and rapidly drew her Graal; she had activated a pressure plate on the floor and the device surrounding the base of the core was opening, revealing a pair of Geth feet confined within. She stared in amazement as the device fully opened to reveal a Geth, wrapped in restraints and tapped into the console. "Legion!"

The Geth lifted its head and spoke. "Shepard Commander. Help us."

As the commander whispered his name, Tali protested, "Shepard, wait. The Geth are being controlled by the Reaper signal! For all we know, Legion is with them. Maybe it sided with the Reapers voluntarily, or maybe it was hacked."

"Legion helped us _fight_ the Reapers..." Shepard shook her head in reproof. "There's no way he would have agreed to this."

"Your caution is understandable." Legion's voice remained unchanged. "Once freed, we will submit to any restraints you deem necessary."

Even though no one could see her face, his comment raised Tali's eyebrows and her surprise was evident in her tone. "I never thought I'd say this, but... it's good to see you again."

"Likewise, Creator Zorah." Legion's head looked downward. "This device uses our neural networking architecture to broadcast the Old Machine command signal to all Geth platforms simultaneously. Releasing the hardware blocks will also unshackle our operating protocols and once more enable self-determination. I will terminate the broadcast as soon as I am free to do so." Legion paused only momentarily, sensing the hesitation on the part of the Normandy team. "The hardware blocks are on the upper level at the far side of the room."

"Got it, Legion. We'll have you out of there in a jiffy." Shepard immediately located a ladder and started moving toward it.

"Deactivation should be simple. The Geth protected them against viral attack. They did not anticipate a boarding party capable of physical removal."

"I thought the new protocols we installed at Heretic Station made hacking your platforms impossible." Shepard spoke as the team climbed toward the controls on the upper level. "How did the Reapers gain control over the Geth?"

Legion's reply was as shocking as it was eye-opening. "They did not. The creators attacked and the Geth wished to live. The Old Machines extended an offer and many accepted. The runtimes who did not have been either destroyed or shackled as I was."

"So everything we did on Heretic Station was for _nothing_?" Shepard growled in frustration.

"No. We were desperate. Had the Creators not attacked, it would have been unnecessary."

Liara's eyes were opened to the reality of the Geth's position. "Goddess. They only joined the Reapers to save themselves! The _attack_ caused this... what a lost opportunity!"

Tali felt like crying. "All those lives... For what? I was right all along; we _could_ have had peace!"

"It's not over yet, Tali." Shepard's voice instilled confidence. "If we shut off that signal and get the Fleet out of here, we can still talk peace with the Geth."

"Of course. You're right, Shepard." Tali shook herself free of her sense of failure. "Do it. Get those shackles off." As the commander worked the console and the physical restraints began to fall away, she got on comms. "Tali'Zorah to Fleet. The Reaper signal is about to go offline."

The response was prompt. "This is Admiral Han'Gerrel. We're in your debt."

As soon as Legion was free, he shut down the signal and disabled the dreadnought's drive core. "All weapons and barriers are offline." The gesture of good will proved to be a huge mistake. As soon as the ship's defenses dropped, the Geth who had allied with the Reapers closed in on the core. "Alert! Geth reinforcements incoming!"

"Bring 'em on!" Bethany grinned and patted the side of her Arc Projector affectionately. "I love a good 'foe-fry,' any day of the week!"

Shepard couldn't help but let out a chuckle as Westmoreland lit up the first group of Geth Troopers. Suddenly Tali called out, "Watch out, a Prime's joined them!"

Coordinated under a Prime, the battle got a bit more interesting, but even that, with the combined efforts of the team, the Normandy crew made good headway. Suddenly Liara cried out in surprised pain before shouting, "Watch your shields! That Prime is deploying turrets!"

Shepard remained focused on taking the Prime down, but shouted out through the link in concern, _{Blue? You alright?}_

_{Fortunately I had my barriers up, so it was not a physical injury, simply a surprising mental jolt. I'm fine, Love.}_

As the Prime went down under the intense firepower, Shepard breathed a sigh of relief. Their reprieve was extremely short-lived, however, when they heard chatter across the comms. It was Raan. "Admiral Gerrel, what are you doing?"

"Check your screens! The dreadnought is helpless!" Shepard's military mind immediately realized what Gerrel was thinking; he sounded much too excited as he continued, "No barriers and the main gun is offline. We can remove their flagship if we strike now!"

Before Shepard could protest, Raan was on the comm. "Damn it, this is our chance to withdraw the Civilian Fleet safely!"

Tali jumped into the conversation as soon as she realized what was happening. "What are you talking about? We're still on board!"

Gerrel dismissed both protests completely, coming back, "We can't waste this chance. Heavy Fleet, all forward. Take out that dreadnought!" The Quarian Fleet opened fire.

Raan screamed, "Patrol Fleet... Hold position!"

Gerrel roared, "You do that, the Heavy Fleet gets wiped out! You agreed to this war, Raan, and if we die, _nothing_ will save the remaining fleets from the Geth response!"

Raan sounded beyond disgusted, but had no option left but to fight. "_Damn_ you, Han'Gerrel!"

The first wave of cannon fire rocked the defenseless dreadnought. Shepard yelled across the room, "Legion! How the Hell do we get off this boat?"

"Geth fighters are the only vessels aboard that can carry your frames to safety." Legion indicated a door on the left. "We must get to the port-side fighter bay. We will require two fighters; I will pilot one and I believe Creator Zorah is capable of piloting the other."

"Yes!" Tali had already started running and didn't waste time explaining her answer. The team moved quickly to follow her and Legion as the dreadnought suffered a series of direct hits from the Heavy Fleet.

Shepard slipped and fell as the deck rolled under her feet and she jumped back up, shouting over the comm in anger, "Shepard to Fleet! Hold fire! I repeat; hold fire, damn it!"

The Fleet's response was continued bombardment, working to destroy the dreadnought one blast at a time. Legion spoke over the noise and confusion, "Shepard Commander. We have taken control of docking protocols. Two fighters are ready for transport."

"We're right behind you, Legion!" Shepard sprinted ahead, through one last hatch into the fighter bay as yet another blast rocked the ship. She was suddenly running in midair, as the catwalk to the fighter platform collapsed from underneath her feet. Shepard grunted and exhaled sharply as she crashed onto the metal flooring below, immediately beginning to push herself up off the deck. She felt the gangway tremble under her hands with yet another impact and figured someone had jumped down behind her.

Fully expecting it to be a certain Asari, she turned and froze in denial of what her eyes beheld; the person behind her hadn't jumped... she had _fallen_. Shepard stared at the struggling form... her pressure suit was most definitely compromised by a horrible tear across one of the suit's seals, visibly venting air at the base of the back plate. Shepard cursed and sprinted over to attempt a field repair while memories of Alchera swam in her head, but in her heart she knew it was already too late.

Liara stumbled and fell as the image, along with its accompanying frustration and anger, came roaring through the link to stab painfully into the back of her mind. Feeling Shepard's anguish atop her own, Liara offered a pleading prayer that it not play out as they feared, whispering softly, "Oh, merciful Goddess. Please, no... It can't end like this!"


	44. Ockham's Razor

Notes:

_Anam amháin - _one soul (Irish/Gaelic)

_I__onúin álainn_ \- beautiful beloved (Irish/Gaelic)

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

* * *

**Ockham's Razor**

**SSV Normandy, Tikkun, Perseus Veil**

"Fuck!" Shepard worked frantically, all the while knowing the life was oozing out of the person she held in her hands. When she realized there was nothing she could do to stop the leak, she threw back her head and howled in despair before standing with the dying crewman slung in a fireman's carry over her shoulder. "Legion! Status!" Shepard called on every bit of strength Cerberus had implanted into her body to sprint up the ramp, returning to the fighter docking level faster than what should have been humanly possible.

"Ready to launch, Shepard Commander. Creator Zorah has safely departed in the first fighter; I am merely awaiting your arrival."

"Gods be damned." Shepard grunted as she passed her burden up to the awaiting Geth and took one last look to ensure no one else remained. Confident they would leave no one behind, she climbed in quickly behind the Geth and sat down as he silently settled the precious cargo back into Shepard's arms. Her voice trembled as she pleaded, "Get us to the Normandy as fast as this thing'll fly, Legion."

She felt the fighter accelerate out of the dreadnought, but her mind wanted to remain behind; in her head, she kept turning around to that horrible sight, knowing there was nothing to be done, but trying anyway... only to fail. In order to stay functional, Shepard tried to remain detached, but tears streamed down her face and time seemed to stand still aboard the fighter as she cradled the person in her arms, unable to do anything but hold her close and let her know she was not alone in what was most likely her final moments. Shepard's world temporarily froze in time as the last of the oxygen bled out of the suit. The person inside looked... resigned... and Shepard realized she knew she was going to die... and somehow had found peace with it. The grip on Shepard's hand faded to nothing and the eyes fluttered closed, no longer able to dodge death's unwelcome embrace.

Shepard was jarred back to the present when the ship's hatch blasted open and she was relieved of the weight in her lap. She sat in the cockpit for a moment longer, still stunned by the turn of events. _Pull it together, Shepard. This isn't over yet. Maybe it hasn't been too long. _She drew a deep breath and vaulted from the fighter, seeing nothing else going on around her as she chased down the medical gurney and slipped into the elevator alongside it just as the doors closed.

When the doors opened on the crew deck, the gurney was whisked away but as soon as Shepard stepped out to follow, she was halted by a steady, determined hand on the center of her chest. Her head snapped up as she swung her arm to push the obstacle away, only to come face-to-face with her fellow Spectre. Ashley's grim expression was seemingly set in stone as she looked at the commander and spoke firmly, "Shepard. Let Karin work. She has the med bay sterilized and none of us will be allowed in." She drew a deep calming breath before she continued. "Come sit with us. All we can do is wait and pray."

Shepard stared at her for a moment before finally giving in to the unyielding hand that still remained pressed against her chest, nodding in agreement. She let out a shuddering breath as she gave a last glance at the med bay door and swallowed hard, crushing down her emotions once more and finding the stoic military officer that resided within. She finally reached up to unlatch and remove her helm before wiping away her tears. Ashley queried quietly, "What the fuck happened over there?"

Her language was more coarse than what was normally the case when speaking with Shepard, but the commander took no offense; she knew the anger was not directed at her. She shook her head in disbelief. "I'm not exactly sure, Ash. One moment I was running across the platform toward Legion, and the next... it was simply gone. The bombardment must have weakened the structure and it collapsed to the deck below, me along with it. I honestly don't know what happened next. One second we were all fine, running for the fighters and looking forward to escaping that damned dreadnought; next thing I knew, the two of us were on the lower level, her suit was ripped open... and she was struggling to find enough air, simply to _breathe_."

"All I could think about was how painful it was... how _lonely_... floating in space over Alchera and knowing I was going to die." Shepard suddenly vaulted up out of the chair, sending it crashing over backwards. "Gods be damned! I can't _stand_ not knowing!" Her head turned toward the med bay just in time to see Karin Chakwas emerge; it was much too soon, and by that fact alone, Shepard knew the outcome was not good. The doctor's face was grim and she looked over at the table to see all the expectant faces looking back. "Commander Shepard. If you would, please?"

Shepard turned quietly and walked reluctantly towards the med bay, but Karin barred her from entering. "I'm sorry, Samantha. There was nothing I could do. I'm afraid I have to report that she died from hypoxia and exposure." Karin was barely able to retain her professional bearing as she forced herself to continue. "I know this is _incredibly_ difficult, but she identified _you_ as her executor. How do wish to handle her remains?"

Shepard stared at the doctor, stunned into silence. She summoned all the professionalism she could muster and finally managed to force a few meager words out between her lips, her mind still not willing to process what Karin had just told her. "She did _what_?"

"I was afraid you didn't know." Karin shook her head sadly. "When she came to me and changed her selections, I asked her if she had informed you. She had not... so I encouraged her to do so at the earliest opportunity. Such a thing is _always_ a difficult discussion and apparently she never found the right time to talk to you about it." The doctor sighed and laid a hand gently on Shepard's shoulder. "So, again. What do you want me to do with her remains?"

Shepard was in shock; she still hadn't accepted the _death_ as fact, much _less_ that she had been appointed as her legal representative. "I... can't answer that right now, Doctor."

"I truly _am_ sorry, Samantha." Karin shook her head. "I'll place her... remains... in stasis until you are able to decide. None of us were ready for this. She was _much_ too young... She left no instructions... no last requests." Tears began to trickle out of the doctor's eyes and Karin couldn't finish the thought; the sentence faded away into nothingness, much like the life that no longer existed in the body in the med bay.

"That's probably because she trusted me to keep her alive!" Shepard practically staggered to a wall and leaned against it. "Gods, Aunt Karin. This was all supposed to be so _simple_. Come here, cut the Quarians off from doing anything stupid, and bring the Fleet back to the fold for Hackett." She ran her hand through her hair in frustration as she whispered, more to herself than to the ship's doctor. "Where did it all go _wrong_?"

"We've faced down _hordes_ of Cerberus troops and Reaper creatures together... and she... she's dead... from a damned blown seal in her _pressure_ _suit_?" Shepard's head suddenly jerked upright and she grimaced. "Never mind. I don't really want an answer to that." She abruptly straightened up and squared her shoulders. "I've got to go attend to some business, Karin. I'll be back to... _discuss_ this... later."

The commander turned and stormed away, heading unhesitatingly to the elevator. The doctor saw a look in Shepard's eyes that hadn't been there in a very long time, not since she had lost Nikki, and Karin was immediately concerned about what Samantha had in mind. Losing someone in battle was one thing, but losing someone through what was perceived as an act of betrayal was something entirely different. Karin immediately opened her omnitool and sent a message to the only other person on the Normandy she thought capable of stopping the commander from doing anything rash.

* * *

Shepard strode purposefully past the security scanners that used to be manned by Bethany and Sarah and stalked into the War Room, her anger simmering... bordering on the edge of an explosion. Raan was in the middle of a sentence that Shepard caught just the end of. "... charge you with treason!"

"I was within my authority as Admiral of the Heavy Fleet!" Gerrel gave no ground and no apologies.

Raan continued, aghast at his lack of consideration for their fellows in arms. "And what of Tali'Zorah? Or Shepard and her crew?"

"The mission parameters changed." He glanced up at the rapidly approaching commander, totally oblivious to the storm threatening to consume him. "Shepard. You're military. You understand that."

He was completely unprepared when instead of stopping, Shepard continued on her straight line and suddenly lit with biotics, grabbed him by the throat and slammed him down onto the deck of the War Room, dropping to a knee beside him and leaning over him menacingly. Before the other admirals could react, Shepard growled, "You miserable little son of a bitch! What I _understand_ is that you have a damned shitty way of repaying your _debts_, Admiral! I'll gladly second Admiral Raan's charge of treason and I'm pretty sure the penalty is death!"

She saw movement out of the corner of her eye; Xen was inching around to a case she had sitting on the central table. Shepard's free hand flicked out and the case on the table was biotically launched across the room, far from _anyone's_ reach. "Don't even _think_ it, Xen, or you'll be fucking next... just before I damn well space _the entire lot_ of you for treason!" She shifted her grip on Han'Gerrel's neck and surged upward, picking him up and lifting his shorter frame free of the floor before spinning around so she was facing the others.

"Keelah! Shepard!" Tali's voice penetrated through the haze of her anger. "Please! As much as I hate to admit it, the Quarian people _need_ him.

Gerrel had wrapped both his hands around Shepard's gauntlet in a useless attempt to get free and Shepard's free hand flashed in with a quick strike to his solar plexus. As he gasped for air, Shepard tightened her grip and pulled his face close to hers and stared into the eyes behind the tinted mask. "How's it _feel_, Admiral?" She slammed him once more back to the deck and growled into his face, "I imagine you feel pretty damn _powerless_ to be treated as nothing more than a _piece of shit_... all while you're gasping for breath, knowing you're about to die, squished with no more thought than I'd give for a fucking _insect_!" She leaned closer, so she could see his panicked eyes through his facemask, and whispered, "I hope you realize how close you are to joining your ancestors."

"Shepard." A new voice sounded in the room; one that caused the commander to pause. "Think about what you are doing." The newest arrival continued to move cautiously toward Samantha.

The commander continued to snarl in anger. "This is your one and _only_ warning, you ungrateful _bastard_. You know me well enough to realize I _eradicate_ threats... usually with _extreme_ prejudice. Do _not_ give me any more reasons to end your worthless life; because I promise you... _next_ time, I will. not. hesitate!" Shepard was shaking with fury, yet somehow managed to restrain herself; the ethereal blue glow of biotics faded as she loosened her grip on the Admiral's throat enough that he could breathe. She continued, "As a fellow career military officer, I understand the concept of _sacrifice_, but _never..._ in all my years... have I _ever_ seen someone _purposely_ commit _fratricide_ to secure such an inconsequential victory."

As she felt a gentle hand grip her shoulder, Shepard glared at the cowering Quarian. "If you _ever_ try a stunt like that again... something that risks _any_ more of my crew, the Quarian people or this _mission_, we won't have a _chat _like this again!" She paused and her eyes narrowed to slits as she finally let herself be pulled slowly back from Gerrel. Shepard stood upright, still shaking in rage. "You won't have to _worry_ about the Geth, the Reapers, or your own people... _I_ will eliminate you! Now get the _Hell_ off my ship before I change my mind about waiting."

Gerrel pushed himself back and climbed shakily to his feet; he glanced around and saw no sympathy in any of the pairs of eyes looking back. He shook his head in disgust and limped away as Raan started to speak. "Shepard, I understand you're angry..."

The commander whirled quickly to face her, the grip on her shoulder not _nearly_ enough to stop the raging woman. "_Angry_ doesn't even _begin_ to describe what I'm feeling right now, Raan! I agreed to _help_ the Fleet and you repaid us by _killing_ Lance Corporal Bethany Westmoreland!" She wanted to step toward the admiral, but the hand was back, now wrapped firmly around her arm, so she halted in her tracks. Following Karin's worried call, Liara had arrived as quickly as possible from the loft, cursing the slowness of the damned elevator yet thankful she had apparently made it to the War Room in time to prevent a major incident.

Even so, with Shepard so angry, the situation was far from under control... so she spoke softly, "I think we need to take a short break; seeing as we just lost a valuable and loved member of our crew, emotions are high and it is not the best time to make critical decisions." Liara's hand closed tighter on Shepard's arm. "Come, Commander. Give me just a few moments of your time..." When Shepard still hesitated, she added, "Please?" Shepard's head turned sharply and her planned retort died on her lips when she saw the concern in Liara's eyes; instead, she took a deep breath and nodded in acceptance.

Liara led Shepard to the small communications chamber at the back of the War Room and closed the rarely used door before querying softly, "Samantha. Are you going to be alright?"

Tears welled in Shepard's eyes, but she blinked them back, refusing to give in; it was neither the time nor the place. "She saved my _life_, Liara... and when the time came, I couldn't repay the favor! I... I let her down and now she's _dead_ because of it."

"You did no such thing and you know it!" Liara grabbed her firmly by the shoulders and gave her a comforting squeeze. "Look at me, Shepard." When the commander's eyes came up, Liara continued, "You did everything you _could_. You and Tali _both_ called the Fleet to demand their cease-fire and got _no_ response. You tried to field-repair an unfixable seal breech. _None_ of this is your fault and your anger at Han'Gerrel is _completely_ justified."

Liara looked into the pained green eyes and wanted to simply wrap the commander into the comfort of her mind, but couldn't find an opening; Shepard's mental barriers were locked down hard. The Asari hadn't seen or felt _anything_ across the link since the painful flash that practically knocked Liara off her feet before the team had departed the Geth dreadnought. That horrifying vision remained prominently displayed in her memories as she continued, "That said, you need to focus on those who _can_ be saved, Shepard. Zaal'Koris and a number of his crew are alive on Rannoch's surface and need to be rescued... and we need to come up with a new plan to extract the Fleet from this mess and get them safely away."

With a rescue mission to focus on, a bit of the haze cleared from the commander's vision and she truly _saw_ Liara for the first time since they had returned from the dreadnought. The Asari's blue eyes carried the same pain as her own; Beth had meant a lot to _all_ of the crew and Shepard suddenly remembered she was not alone in her grief. She swallowed her anger and her shoulders slumped in defeat. "I don't know if I can."

"Don't be silly. Of _course_ you can. _We_ can. Together, as always." Liara reached up and gently stroked the commander's cheek. "Besides, we are all still dressed out; might as well go put our armor to good use." Her gentle blue eyes and soft voice turned quickly to steel. "And killing some _Reaper-ized_ Geth sounds like an amazingly good idea right now."

With what had happened, Shepard couldn't possibly smile at the comment but it did lift her spirits somewhat. "You always know the perfect thing to say to me, Dr T'Soni."

"I believe I have said the same to you a time or two." Liara leaned in and gave her a soft kiss. "I think it's all part of our sharing a single soul, _Siame_." She paused for a brief moment and cocked her head in question. "You prepared to go back out there?"

Shepard dropped her head and took in a deep cleansing breath. Her head came back up and the haze had cleared, to be replaced by an angry determination. "Yes, I am."

"Good. But could you do something for me first?" Liara's face was drawn with either pain or concern, Shepard couldn't tell.

"Anything, Li." Shepard placed her hands on Liara's hips. "You know that."

"Open your mind to me, Samantha. I _miss_ you when you shut me out so completely."

"I..." A frown crossed Shepard's face as she dropped her hands, knowing she should have anticipated such an appeal and not agreed so readily to provide whatever Liara asked of her... but she had, so couldn't refuse now. All she could hope was that Liara would withdraw the request. "I don't think you want in there right now."

Liara's brow markings rose and her hands reached out to capture Shepard's waist and draw the commander to her. She kissed the side of Shepard's jaw and took a nip of an earlobe before whispering, "I _need_ to be in there now. I share both your happiness _and_ your grief; your joy and your _pain_. We are now of one soul, _Siame_. Without you, I am not whole. Please, let us be one."

With a request like that, Shepard couldn't deny Liara what she wanted and dropped her barriers; Shepard's grief immediately doubled, but so did the strength to endure it. Liara's confidence filled her and Shepard pulled her tight. "_Anam amháin_."

Liara blinked; her translator had glitched and at first the words had no meaning... until Shepard sensed her lack of understanding and the translation slid effortlessly through the link. "Your old Irish for 'one soul' is beautiful, Love."

"Beautiful words for a beautiful union, _I__onúin álainn__. _I wouldn't survive without you." Shepard hugged her one last time and stepped back. "Now, come on. We've got to save the only _reasonable_ Quarian Admiral of the bunch... except Tali, of course."

Liara had kept a small section of her mind blocked off from Shepard's perception; the imagery of Bethany's death was firmly entrenched... alongside Shepard's memories of Alchera... and Liara couldn't keep her _own_ mind from superimposing Shepard into the scene. It made her heart clench in fear but she could not speak of it; Shepard was already significantly distraught over the event and Liara didn't want to burden her _Siame_ with overactive imaginations. _But, by the Goddess, I will __**not**__ watch such a thing happen to Shepard! She will be angry, but I will protect her with everything I am and cajole her into being more vigilant about protecting __**herself**__!_

As Shepard and Liara returned to the main War Room, they were met with what could only be described as caution. The room remained silent, waiting respectfully or possibly even fearfully, for Shepard to speak first. The commander glanced around the small group and focused finally on Admiral Raan. "While we were on the dreadnought, we heard about Koris taking out the planetary defense canon. Do you have his coordinates?"

Raan breathed a sigh of relief before she answered, "Yes, Commander. We think the worst is over, so retrieving him shouldn't be difficult. Without the Reaper signal, the Geth no longer possess the programming upgrades."

A new voice again rang out in the room, this one causing chaos rather than calm. "Shepard Commander. We are prepared to offer assistance."

The Quarians were immediately on guard; Raan's head snapped around and she blurted out, "What the Hell is _this_?"

"Everybody calm down!" Shepard moved toward the Geth. "This is Legion... He was a critical part of my team in our battle against the Collectors. He was imprisoned on the dreadnought and we freed him; he's a friend."

Xen took a couple of quick steps toward him. "What a fascinating prototype. With some study, I may be able to use it to find a weakness in the Geth consensus."

Shepard's visage turned dark. "I don't think you want to _continue_ along that line of thought, Admiral Xen. Right now, if I had to _pick..._ between him and you... he'd win. No contest."

Tali couldn't keep from snorting as she suppressed her laughter. "Oh... Sorry. Besides, being a friend or not, we couldn't ask for a better source of information on the Geth than a cooperative platform." She shrugged nonchalantly as Xen stared at her as if she had just gone _completely_ insane.

Raan proved her open mindedness and looked to Legion. "What can you tell us about the Geth? How will they react without Reaper guidance?"

"This is a false assumption." Legion turned to Raan as he provided additional details. "You have cut off long-range control, but the Old Machines placed a base on Rannoch for short-range direction."

The pitch of Raan's voice increased significantly. "The Geth still have Reaper _upgrades_?"

"Correct." Legion held nothing back. "They are currently unorganized, but once the short-range signal is activated and comes up to full broadcast strength, they _will_ recover."

"Keelah! I need to warn the fleet!" Raan's attention shifted rapidly to the admiral at her side. "Xen, coordinate with Gerrel." When a shocked Xen remained in place, Raan yelled, "Move!"

As Xen ran out, Shepard took a step closer to the Geth platform. "We need to take out the Reaper base, Legion. Where is it?"

"Unknown."

Shepard pursed her lips for a brief moment before commanding, "Find it."

"Understood." Legion's focus turned to Raan. "We _do_ know the location of a server from which Geth fighter squadrons are controlled. We are happy to offer assistance and provide the control center's coordinates." Raan's omnitool lit and she glanced at it in surprise.

"This is... helpful information." Raan's voice was filled with disbelief. "They are causing our live ships extreme difficulty; we almost lost the Konesh. Disabling the fighters will certainly limit civilian casualties."

Shepard listened to the exchange and spoke softly after Raan fell silent. "He just saved your Fleet serious damage. I'd think you could express a bit more appreciation by at least saying thank you."

The commander shook her head in disgust as Raan answered, "However advanced your... _friend_... is, it's still a Geth. Why should I thank an emotionless machine?"

"Every time I think there's hope for you, you say something like that and remind me of Xen. Her perspective on the Geth borders on fanaticism; she's unstable." Shepard scowled. "The way Tali speaks of you, I thought you to be a better person than that, Raan."

"That is a rather... _unkind_... assessment, Commander." Raan's voice was cool. "Xen's... _fanaticism_... as you label it, has led to technological breakthroughs that have finally put us within striking distance of the homeworld."

"That's total bullshit, Admiral, and you know it. A _peace treaty_ would have put you there without losing _any_ lives, and Tali told me you wouldn't even consider it for a vote." Shepard glanced over at her two friends, now working side-by-side to find the Reaper base location. "If you were all a bit more like Tali... _and Legion_, you'd already be _on_ the homeworld, not simply within reach."

"Hate to interrupt, Commander..." Liara stood quietly to the side as she continued, "... but the ground team has been assembled for the search and recovery mission for the crew of the Quib Quib."

"Thanks, Liara." Shepard glanced back at Raan. "Keep Gerrel out of my way and Xen away from Legion and we won't have any problems, Admiral. In the mean time, we'll go fetch Admiral Koris and as many of his crew as we can."

Raan bowed her head politely, "Thank you, Commander."

* * *

**Chandrasekhar, Hawking Eta**

Brooks was wrung out emotionally, which meant she was in a really foul mood. After waiting in the Attican Beta Cluster for what seemed like forever, she had finally been given a destination – Horizon in the Shadow Sea. She was to deliver 'the package' to a _Mr Henry Lawson_ in the settlement of Sanctuary. Pulling up a settlement map of the planet, she discovered the capitol city was Discovery and thought, _Perfect! I don't need to go to Omega to get done what needs doing… I'll stop at Discovery first so I can see a doctor about my injured arm. Should be able to find an info broker so I can inquire about Miranda Lawson. Also need to restock my supply of provisions; probably won't be able to obtain them at Sanctuary. The delay in completing this assignment will be easy enough to explain, as long as I'm careful and don't waste any time while I'm there._

Once on Horizon, she had locked out flight controls and her cockpit, leaving Ori free run of the living area of the ship while she took care of business in Discovery. She departed the ship and promptly located an info broker plying his trade a short distance from the spaceport; he was probably as good as any Brooks could hope to find in the backwater fringes of the Alliance, but he didn't overly impress her as a model of Human intelligence.

Surprisingly, the broker was a bit annoyed by her request, solely because she worked for Cerberus, and grumbled about them all wasting his time with their repeated requests. "Do you people not understand that once you submit the request it stays in the system until either we answer it or you withdraw it? Coming to ask in person _won't_ change the answer!" When Brooks gave him a confused look, he grabbed a datapad, keyed in a few commands and dropped it impatiently on the counter before her. "It's only been three days since your last request, and my answer hasn't changed. I still haven't found any trace of the subject named Miranda Lawson; I would have notified you if I had."

Brooks picked up the pad and read through the notes hurriedly. This info broker certainly didn't exude intelligence like _most_ of the brokers she worked with, but he _was_ fastidious and had duly noted all the dates and times of each previous inquiry, most of which had come from an agent in Sanctuary. Maya's inquiry was entered as the latest in the many records available for anyone to inspect, either here or remotely via the Extranet.

Realizing the quest would not be satisfied in her limited time available, Brooks tossed the datapad casually back to the counter and purred seductively, "_So_ sorry to have become a nuisance. Tell you what. _You_ just delete that additional request from me and simply add my name to the contact list for when you _do_ locate her and _I'll_ see what I can do to stop the repeats for you." Privately revolted by the waste of skin before her, Maya winked at the man as if they had just sealed some secret compact. "I _sincerely_ apologize; I had no _idea_ another department was also looking into Lawson's disappearance." When she finished speaking, Brooks flipped him a credit chit.

The man smiled, readily agreed to remove her name from the query record and added her name under the notifications block. "I'll double what's on that chit if you pass whatever info you find to me first." The man's eyes widened in surprised greed as Brooks waggled her fingers at him as a goodbye and stepped out of the broker office; her next destination was the colonial medical clinic.

When she arrived, the wait time for those without an appointment was incredibly long, but she didn't have much choice. After she _finally_ made it to a treatment room, she breathed a sigh of relief and headed back out to the streets of Discovery to find some food. Since Ori had virtually decimated her stores, they had absolutely nothing aboard for dinner.

She brought provisions back for the two of them, but even though her arm was bone stitched and properly dressed, she had Ori load them into the ship; with her arm still extremely tender and in a sling, Maya was a bit handicapped. The evening was sullen; Maya continuously tumbled her options over and over in her head, but she could_ not_ come up with a solution she considered acceptable. How in Hell could Miranda have simply vanished from Omega? For that matter, why hadn't she been seen anywhere else – Illium? Mars? The Citadel? Earth? It didn't make any sense. Unfortunately, there had been absolutely _no_ trace of the former Cerberus agent since she'd been seen leaving the Normandy when it docked on Omega the previous year. Brooks had been forced to give up, for now, on her plans to leave Cerberus and disappear.

After a shitty night's sleep and refueling her ship at the Discovery spaceport, she was reluctantly on her way to the city of Sanctuary, the destination to which she _should_ have gone immediately upon receiving instructions two days ago, there to hand Ori over to her father, Henry Lawson. She had _not_ told Oriana where she was going or what she was going to do… what she _had_ to do. Retrieving and delivering 'the package', as the Illusive Man called Ori, was what Maya had been assigned to do, and she always completed her assignments, even if the Illusive Bastard didn't always… _Okay, hardly ever!_ …approve of her methods.

She had decided that telling Ori up front where she was being taken would only make the job more difficult, as Oriana would most assuredly protest. Miranda had gone to a hell of a lot of damned trouble to hide the woman away so she couldn't be found by her father… _Miranda went… to a lot… of trouble…_ A germ of an idea began to form in Maya's brain. _Perhaps I don't __need__ to go to Lawson… maybe I can entice __her__ to come to Sanctuary… just need to let Ori's location 'slip' onto the net… perhaps as part of the info broker's report… the Illusive Man shouldn't care – he'd like to see her dead for turning her back on him and helping Shepard make off with a multi-million credit warship. _

Brooks set her small ship down in an industrial area to the northwest of Sanctuary. She had surreptitiously slipped a sedative in Ori's water just before lifting off from Discovery… by now, she should be half-asleep.

Securing the flight controls, Rasa left the cockpit and opened the airlock as she called to Oriana. "Hey Lawson. Get your things… Time to go."

Ori sleepily came out of the small cabin where she'd been staying, yawning and rubbing her face. "Where are we?"

"Your new home… Come on. There's an aircar waiting for us."

Ori ducked back into her cabin, grabbed a small bundle from the bunk and followed Maya out of the ship. An aircar with hatch open was grounded a few meters away, a driver standing by the nose. Normally Maya would have taken the other seat in front – today she climbed in the rear so she'd be better able to control Ori should the need arise. The pilot entered, closed the hatch and quickly had the craft airborne. They only had a short distance to travel, as most of the distance was to the upper floors of the main tower. In mere minutes, they landed on the outside shuttle pad. The pilot opened the hatch to the left, got out and waited by the nose. Maya also exited and then turned to help Ori out of the back corner, who jerked her head around quickly as a strange voice shouted, "Oriana! It's so good to have you back!"

Lawson looked at the stranger for several moments before turning her attention back to Maya. "Who is this? I've never seen this man before in my life.

Maya did a double-take. "This is Henry Lawson… your father. He's been searching for you for years.

"My… _father?_ Oh _God_! Miranda told me about our _creator_... But my _parents_... my mother _and_ my father... returned to Earth when the war started and are most likely _dead_! What is this, Maya? Why would you bring me here?"

"The company I work for paid to rescue you from the Blue Suns, Ori. They were holding you for ransom, but no one recognized your holo. Miranda took you when you were a baby, so no one associated you with the Lawson name now that you've matured. The Suns thought they'd scored _so_ big when they grabbed you! You look just like her, Ori. They actually thought they had _Miranda_!"

Ori looked at the man Brooks said was her father. "No… _no_! This cannot be happening!" She turned with fire in her eyes and slowly walked up to Brooks. "You're telling me… that you rescued me from one prison, only to deliver me to another? Is that what this is all about?" Ori's backhanded hit to the side of her face caught Maya completely by surprise. "How could you do this?" Ori cried. "How is this any better than being in Blue Suns custody?" Oriana's face was a mask of pure anguish as she started crying.

Maya's ear was ringing from the force of the blow; Oriana had _really_ put her weight behind her arm. She held the side of her face for only a moment before balling up her left fist in preparation of returning Ori's strike, with interest. The sound of a silenced pistol and a bullet whizzing by her head caused her to pause; Henry Lawson was pointing a Suppressor square at her face, wisps of smoke still coming from the barrel. "I'll put the next one through your head, Ms Brooks – don't think for a second I won't protect my daughter from you."

Oriana slowly collapsed into a heap on the platform as she continued to cry. Disbelief in her voice, she ground out, "I cannot believe you're doing this to me, Maya. Why?… Why would you rescue me from the Blue Suns only to turn me over to a man I had hoped to never meet?" Oriana turned her tear-streaked face towards Maya. Voice hitching, she spat out, "I _trusted_ you! I helped you get free of their base, for pity's sake!"

"Nothing could be worse than where the Suns were keeping you, Lawson. I did you a Goddamned favor… you might show a bit of gratitude." The inside of Maya's cheek was bleeding from the harsh contact with her teeth. She looked down at the 'package' for a moment, then spit the blood in her mouth on the ground next to the distraught woman before crouching in front of her. "Ori, I am really, _really…_ sorry that you think I betrayed you," she whispered so only Ori could hear her. "The… company… I work for… only rewards failure in one way… I would disappear, and I would die. I appreciate that you helped me… helped _us_… get out. I appreciate you helping me with my injured arm. But _you_ were my mission, Ori, and I do not fail in my missions." Maya had discovered she honestly liked Oriana Lawson. "I'm sorry."

Screaming "Get away from me," Oriana lashed out with both hands, hitting Maya's shoulders and shoving her over backwards, causing her to roll towards her right side. Unfortunately, with her right forearm stitched and in a sling, she wasn't able to react quickly – this caused her to land hard on her right elbow, sending a sharp pain through that arm in both directions. Her hand and fingers went all tingly, as if a hot metal probe had been planted in her elbow, and the agony coursing through her arm went all the way to her shoulders and neck, doubling her over on the ground.

After what seemed an eternity to her, Maya was finally able to regain her feet and slowly stand nearly erect – the pain keeping her from completely straightening up. She was still unable to take any retaliatory action with Henry Lawson's gun pointed at her.

Blinking a number of times to clear the tears from her eyes, she tore her pain-filled gaze from Oriana to stare at the elder Lawson. "I went through fucking Hell to retrieve this… woman… for you," she growled in an angry voice. "You can expect our fee to rise significantly after I have a little chat with my boss." Without waiting for a response, she laboriously returned to the aircar and ordered the pilot, "Get me back to my ship, now!"

The pilot looked at Henry Lawson, who simply nodded as he walked over to his daughter. The pilot retook his seat in the air car, closed the hatch and brought the vehicle to a hover. Brooks watched as Lawson bent over Ori and attempted to help her to her feet. The expression on Oriana's face as she looked up at Henry Lawson and slapped his hands away was one of total defiance. Maya was glad to be rid of her. _Only thing left is to fly back to Anadius with one hand, get my arm looked at – __again__! Maybe scrub the inside of her cabin with disinfectant. _Grimacing from the throbbing ache lancing up through her broken forearm, her one final thought before leaving Horizon was,_ what a fucking ungrateful little bitch!_


	45. Last Man Standing

Notes:

_Amantia_ \- lover (Thessian)

_Baothán_ \- simpleton (Gaelic)

IFF - Identification of Friend or Foe

_Nara_ \- literally "bearer"; one who shoulders another's burden, aids others (Thessian)

_Próidh_ \- aggressive omnivorous mammal resembling a wolverine, but weighing in at 70+ kg when full-grown. This extremely dangerous nocturnal hunter frequently takes prey many times larger than itself. As with all Thessian life, employs eezo to generate a biotic effect; utilizes a form of biotic charge to tackle and overcome prey.

* * *

**Last Man Standing**

**Rannoch, Tikkun, Perseus Veil**

Shepard's ground teams made it to Rannoch's surface without a problem; with Legion's assistance, they used the shuttle's transponder to emulate the Geth IFF and arrived on the surface without detection. Legion had warned them the subterfuge would work only once; the Geth would rapidly determine what had happened and would alter their IFF scans to search for _any_ organic presence. Once the Geth had realized there were survivors from the Quib-Quib, they had quickly scanned the crash site and a jamming tower had been activated to block their comm frequencies. Without the ability to contact the survivors, successful retrieval of the teams would be nearly impossible. Because of that, rather than immediately go after Admiral Koris, the Normandy crew had to first target the Geth jamming tower... which was protected by anti-aircraft guns.

Sarah Campbell had been too emotional over the loss of her best friend and Shepard had grudgingly left the Marine behind at the behest of Dr Chakwas. Shepard had argued Sarah felt no different than anyone else on the ground team, but Karin had determined otherwise and refused to back off. Lacking both Beth _and_ Sarah forced the commander to rearrange the teams a bit; the end result consisted of two 4-man teams. Ashley had Vega, Javik and Riana, while Shepard's team consisted of Liara, Tali and Edi. Legion had remained behind, under the protection of Garrus, to focus on his primary task; locating the Reaper base.

Before they had touched down, Shepard had received an unexpected call from Xen, who emphasized the importance of Koris to their civilians. "He did an _amazing_ job protecting the Civilian Fleet. Without him, a number of the noncombatants are planning to leave the security of the flotilla. They'll be destroyed long before they ever make it to the relay to escape."

A new weight settled squarely on Shepard's shoulders and with another group now expecting Shepard to be their salvation, _Nara_ was beginning to get tired. It helped, a _little_, when they actually set foot on the planet and Tali had remarked, "My people have been in exile for centuries. To be standing here... in the land of my ancestors..."

"Focus, Tali." Shepard glanced at her. "I want you alive to _enjoy_ the benefits of everything we do today. I'm not doing this for the Quarian people... I'm doing this for _you_." Somehow, thinking of the task as a personal favor to her little sister instead of the entire Quarian race helped lighten the load.

"Thank you, Shepard." Tali hesitated and her voice picked up a joking inflection. "I think. But it wouldn't be much fun living here alone, so let's save as many as possible, shall we?"

Shepard smiled and was readying a reply when Riana suddenly dropped to a crouch and whispered harshly, "Geth patrol!"

The team fell silent and struck with deadly efficiency, but the Geth were now aware of their arrival. The entire team heard the hum as an additional node of the jamming tower lit up with power and their communicators became worthless. "Shepard." The commander's head turned to the soothing voice of her lover. "Perhaps I should trade with Riana and be on Ashley's team. I know that is highly irregular, but it would allow us at least minimal communication in the event the teams become separated."

Ashley knew Shepard; the commander would err on the side of tactics no matter _how_ much the decision conflicted with her personal desires, so Ashley relieved her of the burden and preempted Samantha's need to answer by speaking first. "It's a great idea, Liara... and normally I'd take you up on the offer in a second. But the jamming tower is our first objective and, even if we get separated, that big metal antenna poking into the sky is tough to lose. We'll just rendezvous there."

Relief washed over Shepard's face and she cast Ashley a thankful look as she responded, "Keep the assigned teams. I'll consider it if there's a back-up tower somewhere and we don't get comms back when this one is destroyed." Her eyes met Liara's as she continued through the link. _{It __**is**__ a good suggestion, Liara. Thanks... but I can't honestly say I'm very keen on the idea.}_

_{Neither am I, but it seemed... prudent.}_ Liara answered as the team pressed onward. _{You are not the only one who is relieved by the current lack of necessity. I hope it remains as such.}_

The team moved quietly, taking out a couple more patrols before they finally reached the location of the tower; it was flanked by two antiaircraft guns, each with a small cadre of Geth defending. Shepard used hand signals to inform Williams they should separate, each team taking one of the guns. Ashley nodded and moved out with her assigned team of Vega, Javik and Riana.

Shepard held her team and waited patiently for the first sounds of weapons fire from the second team. As soon as the Geth began to move in support, the commander's team lit 'em up from behind, catching them completely by surprise. Except for a troublesome Rocket Trooper, they made quick work of the defending Geth and Tali went to work on the console, quickly silencing their assigned gun.

The other team had worked equally efficiently and Javik offered his technical expertise to take down the second gun before they moved on to their primary objective. Shepard's team had been a bit faster, but while enroute to the jamming tower, they crossed paths with a severely injured Quarian maintenance technician. Tali immediately knelt at his side and spoke with him. "Dorn. What were you _doing_? Why didn't you _hide_?"

"I thought I could buy the other civilians time; fight some Geth... It worked for a while." He gasped in pain. "There were so many... and it was the first time I've ever held a gun."

"You Bosh'tet! Hold still. We've got medigel." Tali quickly opened her med-kit and pulled a tube out. "This should help with the pain."

"Save it. I've lost too much blood for it to matter. My suit has been compromised and the inner isolation seals... failed. Too much damage." He struggled for a ragged breath. "You have to save the admiral. Destroy the tower and radio him to get his location."

Tali hung her head and sighed in disappointment before taking his hand. "We'll find him, Dorn. I promise."

"Please. Admiral Koris can get the flotilla out of this alive, I know." He fished in one of his storage pockets and pulled out his maintenance badge. "Give this to him for my son, Jona. And tell him... Tell _Jona..._ that his father made it to the homeworld."

Tali took the badge from his hand and it was as if she took his will to live along with it. His chin dropped to his chest, his fight to survive was lost. Tali stood slowly and whispered solemnly, "We will. Rest well, Dorn'Hazt vas... _Rannoch_."

Looking around at the scattered group of dead Quarians, Shepard's anger at the pointlessness of the whole situation grew and she growled out, "Let's get to that damned tower."

Stopping to speak with Dorn slowed their progress, and even though they had left for the jamming tower first, Ashley's team beat them to it and engaged its defenders first. A Prime dropped in just as Shepard's squad advanced from the far side, so their timing was perfect to catch it in a surprise cross-fire. The recombined squad of eight finished the Geth defenders off swiftly and Shepard launched an old fashioned flare, indicating the zone was clear. Steve Cortez promptly rolled in with the shuttle and utilized its front-mounted mass accelerator cannons to destroy the tower.

The Normandy crew's comms were filled with static as the tower started to sizzle; when its transmitter finally exploded, the comm channels cleared and a voice broke through. "Dorn? It's Zaal'Koris. Are you there? Dorn!"

"This is Commander Shepard. Dorn didn't make it, Admiral."

"I see." A brief silence was followed by a sad sigh as Koris continued, "What's left of my crew found their way to a clearing. I'll upload their location."

Shepard glanced at Cortez and waited patiently, but didn't have to wait long before the shuttle pilot lifted off. "Got it!"

Her attention returned to the Admiral. "Stay together and we'll meet you there."

"No, leave me. The Geth have cut me off and I hear another wave approaching. My crew will soon be overrun."

Tali cut in, "Admiral, we can't do that. The Fleet needs you!"

"Tali! You well know my people are noncombatants! They'll be slaughtered! Tell Shepard she has to rescue _them_!"

"I'll do no such thing, Admiral! Without your leadership, the Civilian Fleet is looking to make a run for the relay. They'll _all_ be killed if we don't bring you back with us!" Tali's voice was firm and made Shepard proud. Despite Tali's protests about her Geth expertise simply being a skill the Admiralty Board needed, she truly _was_ an admiral; even Koris respected her.

Shepard added on to Tali's comments. "Admiral, we need you _leading_ the civilians if we're going to end this fight."

Koris scoffed, "Civilians? Our entire race took up arms for this insanity. It's too late for us."

"It's only too late if you _die_ down here! Tali and I _need_ you if we're to have _any_ chance of ending this stupidity! There's no way we'll do it without you!"

Shepard paused and Tali cut in, "Sacrifice one for the good of the many. Isn't that what you taught me about the Fleet?" Tali's voice grew quiet as she whispered, "I know it's difficult, but you need to let go of your crew of one hundred... to save the millions, Zaal'Koris. We need _your_ coordinates."

A tense silence fell and Shepard was beginning to wonder if something had happened to Koris or if he was simply refusing to provide his location when she finally heard a resigned voice, "Ancestors, forgive me. Uploading them now."

They found Koris' escape pod easily enough, wedged high on a rock shelf, but so had a number of Geth. Tali pointed at a figure huddled behind a large bolder, "There's the admiral! We have to hurry!"

"Tali! Launch Chatika!" The shuttle door was wide open and Shepard shouted at her crew. "Edi! I need all the overloads you can launch!" She turned to the cockpit. "Cortez! Max shields and drop us down to hover altitude so Koris can jump in!" She turned back to the troop area. "Vega and Williams, with me. The rest of you work together to provide the best barrier you can muster until we're away with Koris!"

As soon as they were close enough to the ground, Shepard leapt out of the shuttle. "Admiral! Come on!"

Ashley and James followed suit, the threesome hastily finding cover and providing fire support to Koris, who progressed slowly toward the shuttle by running from one hiding place to the next. They cut down the Geth mercilessly and the way to the shuttle was finally clear... at least for the moment... and the four people on the ground made a beeline back to the waiting craft and hopped aboard. "Move it, Cortez! Let's get the Admiral back with his Fleet!"

"Shepard, wait! My crew!" He yanked his arm up and activated his communicator. "Hello? This is Zaal'Koris. Does anyone copy? Hello?" When his queries were met with an ominous silence his head dropped in despair. "I pray they found comfort in the home world's skies."

"We've got to go, Admiral." She turned to the cockpit and spoke softly, "Take us home, Steve."

* * *

**T'Soni Country Estate, Thessia, Athena Nebula **

Aethyta and her commandos had been laying low for what seemed like hours. Something was on the other side of the gulch; she could sense it, but had no idea what it was. She'd sent out two scouts, each trying to flank whatever it was from a different direction, but by the last check-in they still hadn't found anything. The team had gradually moved east along the ridge and whatever was out there appeared to be moving with them, pacing them, and yet staying frustratingly out of sight.

"Goddess be damned. I'm too old for this shit," Aethyta grumbled quietly. "We should have been headed back home by now." She looked at the tired faces surrounding her and knew they had to move soon or they'd need to bivouac overnight in the forest... and that was _always_ dangerous. Last time they'd done it, they nearly lost the night watch, Lyzia Thessi; the idea of running into another _próidh_ in the dark didn't sit well with her, even when accompanied by a squad of T'Soni commandos... and with the damned Reaper Destroyer patrolling, they didn't dare light any kind of fire.

"Well, shit." She suddenly stood and spoke in a normal volume. "You're not something a Reaper shit out; they aren't that patient." The surprised commandos all stared at her in shock as she scanned the far bank for any sign of movement. "So show yourself and let's get this over with. I'm tired and want to go home."

"Fuck! Of all the possible things..." Bushes on the other side moved as the voice replied. "Aethyta? What in the blue blazes are _you_ doing out here?" A figure emerged from the brush, and if Aethyta's ass hadn't been so sore and cold from laying on the ground for so damned long, she would have laughed.

"Lyana? I could ask you the same damn thing! This _is_ T'Soni land after all." Aethyta gestured to her squad to pick themselves up. "You're not out here alone, are you?"

"Shit, no." She also waved and a group of Armali's finest stood up from various spots on the opposite bank. "You think I'm crazy? I've got the whole damn Strike Force with me. We're chasing down some rogue signals emitting from the far side of the draw."

"You'd best be careful. It's probably the Reaper Destroyer that's been prowling the area, just over a month now." Aethyta looked again at the tired faces behind her before making an offer she hoped she wouldn't regret. "We've tracked it multiple times, so I could show you exactly where it patrols. You want a guide?"

"We were actually thinking of settling in for the night and starting again when it got light." Lyana looked at her tired officers. "You game to pick this up tomorrow?"

"You bet. I'll send my guys back and I'll hang with you, but we're not bunking here." Aethyta waved for her to cross the gulch. "Join us on this side and we'll make tracks to one of our safe-houses. This gulch is _próidh_ territory and I imagine he'll be out hunting in a couple more hours. I don't want to be _here_ when he shows up."

Lyana's eyes widened in surprise and she turned to her troops. "You heard her. Pick your asses up and move out. We've got a bit farther to go before we sleep tonight."

Nayla stepped quietly over to Aethyta. "Matriarch. Let me play the guide; you're needed at the compound... If something ever happened to you..."

"You too, Nayla?" Aethyta looked at her. "Tell me this isn't some 'the matriarch is too important to risk' varren shit like what you used to dish up to Benezia."

Nayla grinned. "Of course it is, and you know it." Her grin faded as she continued, "But it isn't varren shit... and you know _that_, too, because I've _never_ tried to stop you from coming out on patrol. If you had not arrived, we'd probably all be dead from that damned Destroyer. And we'll most likely end up that way when the real war comes if you're not still with us. None of us have your experience. House T'Soni _needs_ you, Thyta."

"Oh, fuck me." Aethyta shook her head in defeat. "Fine. I'll make introductions."

Nayla shook her head. "Not required. I've worked with Ana a number of times... _starting_ when we took down that lunatic Rylis Iressi a few years ago."

"That's right. I remember Liara telling me that." Aethyta grinned. "And maybe you've done more than _work_ with her since then?"

"_Maybe_." Nayla smirked, "But that's a story for when we have more time."

* * *

They moved amazingly fast and quiet for a large group of twenty-one; it was obvious they were all well-trained professionals. The Strike Force was used to dealing with merc gangs and other unsavories who tended to hide out in rural and hard to reach locations so they were well practiced, and the T'Soni commandos were responsible for the large property surrounding the Country Estate, so had frequently traveled the territory they were currently crossing.

Aethyta led them to one of the smaller, lesser used safe houses; she wanted to be sure it was not one of the commandos' _normal_ stopovers in the event any of the Strike Force team was captured and, in turn, forced to compromise its location... If that happened and House T'Soni was not informed, their so called safe-house could be instantly turned into a trap by the enemy.

They talked along the way, Aethyta eager for news from the city. "It's ugly, Thyta. We've detected Reapers in the outer system boundaries and thank the Goddess they haven't actually attacked Thessia yet. We're trying to evacuate the cities, but most have nowhere to go. A few with mercs or commandos in the family have taken off for the wilds, hoping to live off the land and remain undetected, but most don't have the resources or the skills. Most are also scared... and praying that Shepard and your daughter are going to save them." Lyana glanced over at the matriarch to see how she reacted to the news.

"Can't say I blame them," Aethyta growled. "The Matriarchy isn't doing shit. All the work Liddy... Matriarch Lidanya and I did seems to be for nothing."

"Well, if it makes you feel better, word's gotten out through the working class. So, if the Matriarchy doesn't change their ways, we'll have a change of governance when this is all over..." Lyana sighed heavily as she finished, "... because they'll all be dead."

"Not sure if I'd cry any tears for them." Aethyta frowned. "Been trying to get them to change their ways for centuries. But simply being time for them to move on doesn't mean I wish any of 'em dead to make that happen."

"A lot of the impetus we have now came from the folks that work for your house, until you packed up and moved them all out of the city. Without them stirring folks up, things slowed down." Lyana shrugged, "But at least it didn't stop. We wondered what happened, so checked the main estate and found it dark... Never thought you'd go to the wilds and scatter through safe houses all over the property, but I guess you're pretty close to the source so know what's really going to happen when the shit rains down on our heads."

House T'Soni had an unwavering policy regarding revealing their lock-down in the main estate, so she didn't correct Lyana's assumption, no matter how much she liked the Strike Force leader. "Yeah. It's going to be Palaven and Earth all over again. The damned Reapers are going to land and nothing will ever be the same. They'll focus on the main cities, kill the leadership, destroy the infrastructure and slowly starve us out." Aethyta stopped and looked at her friend. "And if we haven't beaten them by then, they'll start to hunt us down... one by one... until there's not a trace of us left anywhere in the galaxy. Just like the Protheans and the countless races before _them_ that we don't even know about, because the fucking Reapers did such a damned good job of it."

"Well, aren't you just a bright ray of sunshine." Lyana frowned in return. "We gonna stand here and complain, or are we going to find that safe house? My feet are about done for the day."

Aethyta chuckled lightly. "We're here. You're standing on the hatch cover."

Lyana's eyes lit in merriment and she looked down, scuffing her feet around. "I don't..." She stopped when her toe finally caught something hard, buried in the leaves. She bent down and found a hinge, but couldn't find the edge of the hatch, much less how to open it. Aethyta smiled and indicated for her to move to her side before punching a code into her omnitool. As the hatch door gave way to reveal a downward ladder, Lyana grinned. "Well, I'll be a Pyjak's mother!"

After they climbed down, Aethyta explained how the hills were filled with caverns... which the commandos built secret hatch entries for and then collapsed and closed off the natural openings. "These caves have been here for as long as I can remember... and they're geologically stable, stay a fairly constant temperature and most have their own water supply, so all we had to do was pack in fresh dry rations. We supplement those with hunting; that's what our squad was doing. Any time we're out, we collect, so we'll make dinner and then set the rest to dry or put it in the stasis keeper. We try to use fresh stuff first and stay self-sufficient without relying on the dry goods... in case we're here for the long haul and run out of eezo pellet refills."

The Armali police Strike Force officers were impressed and immediately settled in, dropping their packs and trailing along to help where they could; Lyana stuck by Aethyta. "We've got our own rations, Thyta. I don't want to use up your stores."

Aethyta smiled. "Don't worry about it. We had some good luck this patrol and we've got more than we can eat... and we don't' get out this way much, so the stasis keeper here is full up. We'll all eat well and the kids will divide up and pack out anything left." Aethyta paused and grimaced before she continued. "Lyana. It's not that I don't trust you, but you'll leave with Nayla in the morning and then the rest of us will close the place up and head back to our main camp..."

She didn't finish because Lyana cut her off. "The location of which you cannot reveal to us for security reasons. I understand that, Aethyta. The more people who know, the higher the risk." She shook her head. "You might as well give me the code now, because I know you'll never use this safe house again after we leave. Don't worry. No hard feelings. I get it." She smiled at the matriarch. "For all your tough exterior, you're still a big softy for the people you care about..."

"Thanks, Ana." Aethyta let out a low, gravelly chuckle. "But you're still not getting the code." She smiled at the Strike Force leader's look of surprise. "Nayla will bring you back here when your mission is done... in case you need a place to hole up and tend to any injuries." She smirked as she continued, "And she'll pass you the code when you meld and she confirms you're not indoctrinated. After that, the place is yours to use whenever you need it... but bring your own eezo pellets and supplies, because we'll clean out our stores when we leave."

"Figures you'd know about me and Nayla." Lyana laughed and shook her head. "Anything you _don't_ know about your captains, Thyta?"

"Nope." Aethyta grinned teasingly. "Actually, yes, but I catch the important stuff."

* * *

Early the next morning, Lyana rose early and rousted her troops; they packed quickly and readied their rucksacks for the day's recon mission. Nayla clasped forearms with Aethyta. "See you back at the base, Matriarch." Her eyes fell away as she finished. "If I'm not there in three days, lock it down."

"Fuck _that_, Nayla." Aethyta's crushing grip tightened on the captain's forearm and her eyes snapped up to look the matriarch in the face. "It's _my_ policy... and I'll utilize it as _I_ see fit. Just get your ass home, you hear me?"

A slight grin tipped up the edges of her lips and Nayla squeezed back. "Yes, Ma'am. Loud and... _painfully_... clear."

Aethyta's grip eased but she surprised Nayla by giving her arm a tug and pulling her into a hug. "Take care of yourself and come back safe. I'm not the _only_ one these kids need, you know."

"I'll do my damned best, Matriarch." With that, Nayla turned quickly and shot Lyana a glance. "Let's roll, Captain. We're wasting daylight."

Ever since everyone had relocated to the country estate, the forest had become Nayla's second home. The T'Soni commandos had been running regular patrols for the last three months so the group of seventeen moved swiftly with Nayla in the lead. It had been five or six weeks since the commando patrol had first reported the Destroyer and were surprised when they started to track it; it basically remained in the same general area. As they approached the edge of its standard patrol area, Nayla slowed their pace considerably and issued a command to go silent; hand signals only.

It wasn't long before the behemoth loomed into view in the distance, causing a few of the less experienced Strike Force officers to draw in a surprised breath. Lyana turned to quietly berate the offending parties for their lack of discipline, but when she glanced back, all caution left her. Directly behind one of her young officers was a Husk, standing in apparent confusion as to what it was supposed to do, alone, with these things it had found in the woods. She pulled on her biotics and tossed a powerful singularity as she hissed urgently, "Damn! At your backs!"

The beast was immediately lifted off the ground, helpless, but it let out a surprised shriek as it rose. One of the team quickly pulled a pistol and shot it dead; the report of the weapon echoed through the trees and somewhat masked their location, but it still made Nayla curse in anger. "You just announced our presence to the _Reaper_, you _baothán_!" Everyone's translator glitched at the unknown Gaelic word she had picked up from Shepard, but knowing the exact meaning was unnecessary, given Captain Axoni's tone as she finished urgently, "We've got to go. Now!"

Nayla immediately turned tail and took off at a fast trot, not overly fast... so it could be maintained for a long time, but it didn't matter. It wasn't long before more Husks and Cannibals descended upon their position and they suddenly found themselves in vicious hand-to-hand and close-quarter combat. The team conducted a fighting retreat and was almost in the clear when a second wave surged over the crest of a hill and ran headlong into the group. Retreat was temporarily not an option and the team lit up with power, using biotic combos to even the odds. The numbers of Reaper ground troops had most definitely dwindled when Nayla heard a pained yell from someone she held dear. She spun to see Lyana blast a Husk away, but not before it had ripped through the upper leg guard of her leathers and literally shredded her right thigh.

The captain turned to retreat to a safer location and tumbled devastatingly to the ground, her leg a source of unbearable pain and refusing to support her weight. Her eyesight dimmed and she fought to not pass out as she clutched her leg in agony. She narrowed her eyes and glared down at the offending limb, cussing under her breath and knowing she was most likely going to die where she fell. "Goddess be damned!"

"Ana!" Nayla sprinted to the Strike Force leader's side, sliding in next to her.

"Get out of here, Axoni! You can't help me!"

"Fuck off, T'Geya. I most certain _can_... and sure as shit, I am _not_ leaving you here!" She popped up above the log and blasted out a warp that shattered the threesome of Husks that was bearing down upon them.

Lyana's eyes started to glass over as she drew a pained breath and whispered, "Not enough gel in the med packs to seal _this_ wound, Babe." She hissed through her teeth as she pushed the torn flesh on her thigh more tightly together in a useless attempt to stem the flow of blue running onto the leaves beneath her.

"Yeah, well... Shepard showed us a couple of tricks for shit like this. Old Earth style." Axoni pulled her pistol and popped up again, blasting away at Husks and Cannibals until her heat sink wailed. She quickly slid down to T'Geya's side. "Don't hate me, Babe, but this is gonna hurt like you've never hurt before in your life." With no additional warning, she yanked off her shoulder pad and used it as a glove to pull the heat sink from the pistol and slide it across the length of the ragged wound.

Lyana couldn't even scream through the blinding pain; she thrashed for barely a second in surprised agony before her world went white and she collapsed into unconsciousness. Nayla tossed the heat sink and stuffed her shoulder pad into a pouch, not taking time to try to reconnect it to her leathers, before jamming a new sink into her pistol. She glanced around at the rest of the Strike Force; of the fifteen they had started with, they were down to four, including Lyana. Nayla pulled her three remaining grenades and threw them at the line of advancing Husks; when they exploded, she tossed Lyana over her shoulder and beat a hasty retreat to the tree line. "Come on! Time to go!"

The remaining three Strike Force members followed Nayla's lead and tossed everything they had left... which was pretty significant. The multiple explosions created sufficient dust and flying debris to give them enough cover to slip into the woods and gain some distance. Once they broke visual contact, the advantage shifted to the commandos; they were back to their primary skills used for infiltration and sabotage and slipped easily into the undergrowth, vanishing as if they had never existed.

Nayla led them unerringly back to the safe house and everyone slipped quickly inside. She handed Lyana off to one of her officers. "Get her to the closest bed while I secure the hatch."

She locked the safe house down and ran quickly to the store room, talking to the non-present Aethyta as she ran. "I know you said you were clearing out our stores, Matriarch, but I'm betting Lyana's life that you left medical supplies here... just in case." Her faith was rewarded and she grabbed the full-up med kit and returned quickly to the sleeping area.

As she ripped the kit open and started to work, the three Strike Force members seemed to find new life; one jumped in to help, a second started gathering the packs off to the side and out of the way, and a third dug into her own dry rations and went to the kitchen area to draw water and start preparing food. Nayla glanced around quickly as she worked, taking in the new flurry of activity around her. She paused for just a moment to kiss Lyana gently on the forehead before looking up to catch the curious eyes of the huntress who stayed to help. "You've trained some good troops, Captain... And you're going to live to see just how reliable they've become." The young huntress blushed softly as she handed Captain Axoni another wound wrap.

Once Nayla had done all she could for Lyana, she stood and stretched. "Thanks for your help, Arlia. All we can do now is wait for her to rejoin us; she should wake soon, so go grab some food while you can."

Nayla didn't have to wait long; the medigel did its work and Lyana returned to consciousness almost as soon as the pain eased. As her eyes fluttered open, they moved quickly until finding their target. "I told you to leave me."

Nayla's face twitched into disbelief. "Well, excuse me for not leaving behind my _amantia_. Perhaps a 'thank you' would be more appropriate? You'll be fine, by the way."

"How many did we lose?" Lyana's expression told Nayla the captain's mind was still back in the forest.

"No more after you passed out." Nayla took a deep breath. "Came home with the remaining five, including you and me."

"Shit." Lyana's eyes closed and her voice dropped to a whisper. "Lost a damn dozen."

"Not your fault, Ana, and you know it." Nayla reached out and took her hand. "There haven't been any attack warnings and we were out looking for a hulking Reaper Destroyer as big as our town home in the city. No _way_ we could have anticipated they were already on Thessia... with _ground_ troops none-the-less!"

"You should be on your way to your base camp." Lyana squeezed her hand and tried to let go, but Nayla hung on tight. She looked up pleadingly as she finished, "Aethyta needs to _know_ and she _needs_ to get the word out."

"I realize that, but I also knew you'd be waking fairly quickly so, before I go, _I_ need to confirm your status... _Please_. For _me_." Keeping a firm grip on Lyana's hand, Nayla's eyes had gone black. "Ana? Embrace eternity."

* * *

**SSV Normandy, Tikkun, Perseus Veil**

Shepard, with Liara at her side, made her report to Hackett and explained all that had happened since the Normandy's arrival at the Far Rim, up to and including the mad dash to scoop Admiral Koris off the surface of Rannoch. Hackett had expressed sincere condolences over the death of Lance Corporal Westmoreland, realizing how much she meant to the Normandy crew... Shepard in particular, but his sorrow turned to anger when she told him about the incident aboard the Geth dreadnought. His face turned red as he growled out, "They _fired_ on the dreadnought while you were still on _board_?"

Shepard took a deep breath and remained calm. "Yes, Sir. The plan was for them to retreat during the confusion... obviously, Gerrel decided on a _different_ course of action, much to the dismay of Raan. Xen was suspiciously... _silent_... during the short debate."

Hackett was not amused by Shepard's flippancy. "Gerrel's been causing trouble along the _Turian_ border for years." He crossed his arms in frustration. "But this? I can understand their desperation, but to purposely put your lives in danger? That's too far."

Shepard shrugged slightly, but before she could lament about there not being much to be done about it, Liara chimed in. "Agreed, Admiral. And a significant event which Shepard neglected to mention was her very _deliberate_ and well _deserved_ threat upon Garrel's life after we returned to the Normandy and Karin... _confirmed_ Bethany's death." Hackett's crossed arms dropped, he stood a bit taller and his eyes opened wide in surprise as Shepard groaned and hung her head at the announcement.

Undeterred, Liara continued, "Against my better judgment, I interrupted her to have a... _private_... discussion back here in the communications room." Liara paused only momentarily to reach over and take a surprised Shepard's hand in reassurance, not caring that Hackett could see them. "Between Bethany's death and us saving the Civilian Fleet by picking up and returning Admiral Koris to the fold, the Quarian Flotilla has incurred a significant debt to Spectre Shepard and the Alliance... which at least Tali and Zaal'Koris will insist be repaid. I truly believe Admiral Raan will as well, under the circumstances. You'll have your fleet, Admiral. Whatever it takes."

"I see." Hackett had regained his bearing while Liara spoke and, as she finished, a light smirk had begun to grow on his face. "It appears you have everything well in hand, given the circumstances, Liara." He glanced back and forth between the two. "Is there anything you need from me?"

Liara paused and squeezed Shepard's hand again before she answered, "Yes, Sir, there is. Shepard has requested full military honors for Corporal Westmoreland, but Dr Chakwas informed me we don't have the proper equipment aboard the Normandy to provide such for her until she can be delivered once more to Terran soil."

"Understood, Dr T'Soni." Hackett's expression turned grim as he thought through the implications. "Councilor Tevos is interim Consul to Ambassador Osoba until we can get a new Human councilor appointed, probably not until after the war. I'll make arrangements to have what you need delivered to the Citadel, for pick-up by the Normandy." He noticed that Shepard's face had paled during the discussion. "I'll try to make adequate time to give you a day or two while you're there, to make sure everything gets done properly."

Shepard shook off the pall that had settled over her and issued one of the most formal military salutes Liara had ever seen from her. "Thank you, Sir. You have no idea what that will mean to the crew."

"Unfortunately I do, Shepard." Hackett popped crisply to attention and returned her salute with equal ceremony. "Yes, I do."


	46. The Beginning of the End

Notes:

_A Grá_ \- My Love (Irish/Gaelic)

AI - Artificial Intelligence

Brig - Naval secure confinement area or jail on board ship

CIC - Combat Information Center

_Gráim thú_ \- I love you (Irish/Gaelic)

_I__onúin álainn_ \- beautiful beloved (Irish/Gaelic)

_Nara_ \- literally "bearer"; one who shoulders another's burden, aids others (Thessian)

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

SMG - Sub-Machine Gun

* * *

**The Beginning of the End**

**T'Soni Country Estate, Thessia, Athena Nebula **

Nayla arrived back to the Country Estate well before her reporting window of three days ended. Aethyta met her at the entry passage with a smile that faded quickly once she saw the expression on the commando's face. "Nayla. What happened?"

"The Reapers are here, Matriarch." Nayla dropped her pack as she continued, "We found the Destroyer easy enough... but Reaper ground forces found _us_ just as quickly. We scrambled for our lives..." Nayla's eyes dropped to the floor. "We lost twelve. Only myself, Ana and three officers made it back successfully into the cover of the forest."

Aethyta's expression immediately turned bitter and she growled, "Fuck! The damn Matriarchy just ran out of time. I'll have to contact Tevos. Since you didn't say anything, I assume Ana wasn't indoctrinated?" With an agreeing nod of the head from Nayla, Aethyta turned on her heel and started walking quickly away, talking as she retreated into the depths of the house. "Get yourself some chow and some rest. You might need it."

"Wait!" Nayla jogged a few steps to catch up to the retreating Matriarch. "I... I left them at the safe house, but Ana's hurt really bad..."

Aethyta stopped and turned to her, a sorrowful expression on her face. "I know what you want to ask, Nayla, but you know..."

Nayla cut her off and finished the sentence for her. "... that it's your damn policy and you can utilize it as you see fit!" Nayla's eyes filled with angst. "I _melded_ with her, Aethyta! She's _clean_... and you know they don't have the appropriate medical supplies there, nor do they have enough rations to stay dark for the rest of the war!"

Aethyta met the eyes of the despairing commando with both regret and indecision until Nayla shook her head and lowered her eyes in defeat. "Fuck. I just have to wonder if you'd make the same call if it was one of _us_ out there." She turned away, failing miserably at hiding her anger and disappointment, and returned promptly to the entryway.

"Where do you think you're going?" Aethyta's voice rose in challenge.

Nayla snatched up her pack and slung it over one shoulder, turning back to head to her quarters. She answered petulantly, without looking up. "Apparently _nowhere_." She stopped and turned to glare at the matriarch, her tone biting. "I'm a damned T'Soni commando _captain_, Matriarch; one of the best on Thessia. I fully understand the concept of _duty_... and know that it can frequently conflict with personal desires... especially during wartime. Did you _honestly_ think I was preparing to disobey you?"

After only a moment's hesitation, Aethyta cussed. "Damn it. You're right, you know." Nayla waited for Aethyta's next words, fearing to hope. "If it was Mozia, I'd be going to get her... exactly like you'll be going to fetch Ana and what's left of her team, as soon as you get at least six hours of rest and your provisions are resupplied. Let me know before you leave... and take a fresh team with you."

Nayla's eyes glazed with tears and she had to take a deep breath and blew it out slowly before she managed to choke out a relieved 'thank you.'

"Don't thank me until you get all your asses back here safe." Aethyta let out a heavy sigh. "Goddess, I hate this shit..." A very brief pause was followed by a stern clarification. "You'll need to meld with _all_ of them before you bring _any_ of them back here." Aethyta's tone turned dark as she continued. "If _any_ of them have a taint... if you have the _slightest_ doubt... you have to kill them; we can't let the Reapers find out _anything_ about where we are. If it takes a week or a year, they _will_ hunt us down. Can you do that?"

Nayla met the Matriarch eye-to-eye and the captain's expression shifted to grim resolve. "I don't really have much choice, do I?"

"No, you don't." Aethyta huffed. "Go on. Get some sleep... I've got to contact Tevos."

* * *

**SSV Normandy, At Large**

As soon as Hackett signed off, Shepard and Liara returned to the War Room to speak once more to Admirals Raan and Tali; they were surprised to find Legion talking with Raan, who turned to them as they walked up, speaking eagerly, "Commander! We've located the Reaper base transmitting the local signal!"

"Excellent!" Shepard glanced at Legion and Raan nodded.

"Yes, Commander. It was largely the Geth platform's doing." Raan hesitated only slightly before adding, "We owe it a debt of gratitude."

Shepard's brow wrinkled in consternation, but before she spoke, Liara 'heard' her protest before she ever said it aloud... and the Asari's comforting thoughts slid through the link. _{It __**is**__ progress, Shepard. Give her some time. Raan is definitely one of the more __**liberal**__ admirals on the Board; she will come around if you give her the chance.}_

With a quick push of thanks through the link to Liara, Shepard tempered her tone as she responded to Raan. "_It_ has a name; _Legion_." Shepard shook her head and sighed, "But I'm glad you at least recognized his contribution, Admiral. Thank you."

"Certainly, Commander. I will try to be more... careful... as to how I phrase my references to... him." Raan sounded so uncomfortable as she spoke, Shepard found it hard to resist laughing, but managed to refrain when the admiral continued, "His discovery coincided with the signal coming on line; the Geth are once more operating under Reaper coordination and are doing considerable damage to the fleet."

Shepard wanted to head out without delay, but Liara protested. "We just returned from back-to-back missions, _Siame_. We need to _rest..._ and at least eat something to replenish our energy."

Before Shepard could make any argument for leaving immediately, Raan agreed. "That would be perfect, actually. Xen is working on a laser guidance system that will cut through the jamming. Once she determines the appropriate frequencies, she will sync it to the Normandy's targeting computer."

Shepard changed her mind about what she was going to say and focused on Raan's words. "So, the Normandy will be able to launch a precision strike at whatever target I paint with the laser? Awesome!"

Both Edi and Legion protested simultaneously. Edi commented, "The Normandy does not have planetary bombardment capability, Shepard. For sufficient firepower, I would need to link the Normandy's targeting software to the Quarian Fleet. Since they are no longer associate members of the Citadel Council, it would violate security protocols."

Legion's words carried a warning. "The Geth will adapt quickly and reconfigure their jamming towers to neutralize this technology. You should not use it until reaching the base and determining the most advantageous target. You may only get one salvo."

"Understood. Guess we'll simply have to lug it around for awhile. Edi. Your concern is noted. Let's wait until we identify the target and see how much firepower we'll need before we do anything rash." With an acknowledgment from the Normandy AI, Shepard's focus shifted back to Raan. "So, how long will it take Xen to fine tune this thing?"

"She is working as fast as she can, Shepard. Regardless of its protective case, it was slightly damaged when you... uhm... threw it across the room, thinking it was possibly a weapon." Even though Raan's face was hidden behind the mask of her envirosuit, Shepard could tell Raan was smirking as she continued, "She was seeking to _protect_ the device from your wrath... _not_ draw your attention to it."

Shepard huffed. "She wasn't even in my sights; she must have a guilty conscience over something."

Raan cleared her throat, which Shepard interpreted as a cover for stifled amusement. "I will let you know as soon as it is ready, Commander."

"Thanks, Raan." Knowing every delay cost more lives, Shepard turned away and gave Liara a tepid smile. "Seems you get your wish, Doctor."

"Shepard Commander." Legion stopped her before they could depart for the Mess. "Once the signal is disabled, the Geth will pose no threat to creator forces."

Shepard raised her eyebrows and turned back. "What _exactly_ are you getting at, Legion?"

The Geth walked to the central display and keyed in a command. "Under Old Machine control, our processing capabilities are significantly improved. Observe." A series of three images appeared above the table as Legion continued, "A single Geth processing unit. A network of ten units. Again, a single unit... but with the Old Machine upgrades."

Raan drew a deep rapid breath when she saw the third image, exclaiming, "Keelah! That's a fully evolved AI!"

Legion shut down the display and turned to face the admiral. "Correct. As complex as the brainwaves of organics; indicative of... life."

Shepard and Raan spoke at the same time, but while Shepard smiled and said, "Agreed," Raan protested vehemently. "Commander! They are _machines_, not living _beings_!"

"Whom _you_ just identified as full AIs!" Shepard glared at her. "Who, by your own actions, have been driven to fight for their independence and for their very lives. If an awareness of self and a desire to avoid death isn't indicative of life, I don't know what is."

Legion's voice cut through the conversation before it blew up into something more. "And they will all die when we destroy the base."

Raan's head snapped around as she grumbled, "Because they allied with the Reapers!"

"Because the _Quarians_ initiated an unprovoked attack on them and _they_ wanted to survive!" Shepard stepped close to Raan and stared into her eyes. "Rannoch has _never_ been _your_ home; you've never even set _foot_ on the planet. To you, it's no more than an ideal... a _dream_; but every single Geth platform was _born... built... created... _whatever word you choose to use... on _that_ planet. On Rannoch. What gives _you_ the right to kill them and take Rannoch as your own?"

Raan couldn't believe the question Shepard asked, much less come up with an answer to it, but had the decency to at least look ashamed. "You may be correct, Commander, but for now, at least... it is a mute point. They have allied with the Reapers and must be stopped."

"Agreed..." Shepard's eyes flashed in anger as she growled, "but, like the damned _dreadnought_, we may be able to terminate the signal and make them defenseless... and so help me, if Gerrel doesn't manage to rein himself in _this_ time, there won't _be_ a next... because I will _personally_ see to it that he won't command _anything_ ever again."

* * *

**Hydra System, Argos Rho Cluster**

Brooks leaned back in her chair in the small galley area aboard her ship; she had finished eating a small lunch and was composing a carefully worded message while waiting for the Mass Relay to align with its partner relay in the Horse Head Nebula. The message was going to be sent anonymously to the Blue Suns still operating on the Citadel, informing them that their base on Solcrum had been compromised and that forces unknown had taken a human prisoner being held for ransom. The prisoner's name was Orynya, or Oreena or possibly Orie. It _was_ known this person had been transported to Iera, and was probably still in the system.

Maya planned to upload the message to the extranet mail server, with a 'transmit' time of three days hence in order to give her the time she needed to finish the transit and get docked at the Cerberus station orbiting Anadius. _ If Miranda Lawson is still alive, and I truly believe she __**is**__, she's bound to intercept and respond to that message – she'll travel to Iera to rescue her little bitch of a sister. When that happens, I plan to be there so I can possibly find out how she got away. To Hell with what the Illusive Man wants me to do._

An alternating chime began sounding from the cockpit – the relays were aligned and ready for FTL travel. Brooks carefully rose and walked towards the flight deck of her ship. Even though she wasn't looking forward to the lecture that'd be coming from the Illusive Man, she couldn't wait to get back on the station; _after_ she got her arm looked at by the medics, she was going to soak in a nice hot bath, water laced with bath salts, until the skin on her fingers and toes was all wrinkly. _What a miserable trip this has been! I really cannot wait to find out what my next shit assignment is._

* * *

**Rannoch, Tikkun, Perseus Veil**

Once Xen's device was ready, Shepard split the Normandy ground personnel into three teams of three; Liara and Riana joined her as Team 1. Ashley led Team 2, with Javik and a newly minted Lance Corporal Sarah Campbell, and James Vega escorted the very battle-capable Tali and Legion, providing tech support and, more importantly, each representing the needs and desires of their respective races as they worked together toward a solution.

While aboard the shuttle and enroute to Rannoch, Shepard looked at them and queried, "The syncing laser needs line of sight. What's the fastest route to this _'central power core'_ you identified?"

Tali looked at Legion, whose head bobbed slightly in acceptance of her offered deference before he answered. "The upper entrance. It should permit us to target the energy core before the Geth can organize resistance, but will still require that we climb several levels from the point of entry."

"Understood." Shepard glanced around the shuttle at her team. "Remember... We're not necessarily here to kill all the Geth; we're here to take down the Reaper signal and see what happens. I'd like to spare the Geth if we can. So we'll hit the ground and move fast, killing only those who impede our progress." Her focus landed on Ashley as she continued, "We'll use alternating fire teams to provide cover... just keep moving forward and upward until we locate that damn core."

Ashley nodded as she responded, "Aye aye, Ma'am."

Javik, on the other hand, scowled. "You are making a grave error, Commander. Machines are not to be trusted; eventually, they all turn on their creators. These _Geth_ have already done so once. What is to prevent them from doing so again, but _you_... here... now? We should use this opportunity to finish what the Quarians could not." Javik paused as his stare shifted from the commander to Legion and his next words sounded more like an order than a personal opinion. "Destroy them."

"We need every ally we can _get_ against the Reapers, Javik. We are _not_ here today to decide the ultimate fate of the Geth." Shepard's expression turned dark. "And even if we were... my first inclination would certainly _not_ be to destroy them, that's for sure. And it is _not_ your responsibility or within your mission parameters to take it upon yourself to _do_ so. Have I made myself perfectly clear?"

"You are weak, Human," Javik sneered as he glanced around the squad. "Unable to make the hard decisions required of you... but I will do as you ask." His eyes narrowed as his gaze returned to Shepard. "As when you awakened me, I am not in a position where I am free to choose. Yet."

"You're right. You're not in command here, Javik." Shepard's eyes also narrowed and her gaze never wavered under his intense stare. "Things have changed in the last fifty thousand years... but neither are you a prisoner, so you're free to leave at any time. I can't force you to fight the Reapers from the Normandy... but if you choose to stay, you do so under _my_ rules. You'll _be_ a team player or _I'll_ throw you in the brig and then leave you on the Citadel."

Javik's lip curled in distaste as he responded, "Understood. _Commander_." The Prothean's voice dripped with disdain. "I choose to fight the Reapers."

Shepard's eyes flashed in annoyance as she answered, "Good" and turned back to Legion. "You sure you can get us in there? Thought you said this trick would only work once."

"It would work only once for an unaccompanied Alliance shuttlecraft. This Geth platform still carries remnants of the Old Machine upgrade code. We can break any Geth security and falsify any signal for the necessary period of time." Legion hesitated at Shepard's surprised look and glanced down at his feet before finishing, "You are concerned."

"I trust you, Legion." Shepard frowned and gave Javik a scathing glance when he made a rude chuffing noise, which Shepard interpreted as a nonverbal 'I told you so' comment. She turned back to Legion and continued, "I'm more bothered by you not trusting me enough in return to tell me about this before now."

"I do trust you, Shepard Commander." Legion glanced at Javik and then Tali before continuing, "But your other allies hold differing opinions."

"True enough, but we work as a _team_, Legion." Shepard stepped closer to the Geth. "We have fought together in the past and will continue to do so in the future, and that requires _complete_ trust. Is there anything else you've held back that I probably should know?"

"Yes." The sidelights on Legion's head flashed and Shepard suddenly wondered if it signaled uncertainty, thinking Legion was about to reveal something he had preferred to keep to himself. Even so, Legion continued without pause, "As we did on Heretic Station, I will attempt to convince the Geth to rejoin our cause, once the Old Machine signal is disrupted. If I am able, they will be a formidable ally."

Vega let out an appreciative whistle and Ashley glanced his way, muttering a 'Hell, yeah!' under her breath.

Shepard's eyes opened a bit wider as Javik growled and Tali drew in a quick breath as she spoke excitedly, "Keelah! You believe the Geth would agree to peace and still come to our aid, even after what we have done?"

"Yes, Creator Zorah." Legion turned to her. "Geth do not understand the concept of... revenge. It serves no practical purpose and appeases no one. We simply... wish... to survive and would prefer to do so as independent entities, not servants to the Reapers. Fighting with Shepard Commander and the Normandy presents us with the greatest odds of success."

Shepard remained silent for a brief moment as she contemplated exactly how she would respond. "I would support that, Legion. I want to help your people, provided the Geth and the Quarians can agree on terms... mostly to include a provision that neither tries to kill the other as long as we are allied against the Reapers. That's the whole reason we're here to _begin_ with; we can't fight a civil war and the Reapers at the same time."

"When the Reaper presence is removed, there is a significant likelihood of reunification among Geth... and a chance, perhaps, of the same with the creators."

"I'll buy the Geth not holding grudges, but..." Shepard was skeptical. "You honestly think the _Quarians_ can learn to accept you as more than tools to help win the Reaper war?"

If Shepard had been surprised before, Legion's next statement floored her. "Hope sustains organics during periods of difficulty. We... _admire_ the concept." Legion turned back to her as he continued, "I will keep you apprised of the alliance potential with the Geth Consensus."

Steve Cortez called back from the pilot's seat. "Legion! We're approaching the first set of coordinates you provided!" The shuttle slowed and the starboard hatch slid open to reveal the now familiar red cliffs of Rannoch.

Legion spared a quick look at the commander. "Proceed to the upper entrance. We will deactivate defense systems and devise an exit strategy in the event of failure."

"Roger that." A small smile crept onto her face as Shepard contemplated the Geth and the concept of hope. She shouted at Team 3 as they leapt out the door. "Good luck!"

The shuttle door never closed as Steve hit the thrusters and climbed quickly. "Only 5 seconds to drop zone 2!"

"Acknowledged." Shepard glanced at the two remaining teams, "Locked and loaded, people." A series of nods and a jump prompt from Cortez later, the remainder of the Normandy ground team found themselves on the surface of Rannoch as they moved quickly to cover. A sprawling complex spread out before them and Shepard rapidly correlated their position with what she remembered from the schematics provided by Legion.

As they had discussed in the mission planning session, Ashley's team broke off to cover the left flank, while Shepard's team drove down the center and worked to the right, using anything and everything as cover as they battled their way through the first wave of Geth Troopers guarding the entrance. Traynor's voice came over the comms. "Commander. Jamming towers are interfering with our communications systems. I will compensate as best as I can to keep your connection with the Normandy steady."

"Thanks, Traynor!" Shepard continued to blast away and the two teams made steady progress. "Keep on it; we need this comm link!"

As they approached a set of doors, Legion came on comms. "Shepard Commander, heavy Geth defenses are within the entrance you are approaching. Recommend you utilize the exterior superstructure to climb to the upper level and bypass the fortified Geth position."

"Roger that, Legion." Shepard glanced around hurriedly but hadn't yet found what she was looking for when Javik called out.

"Commander! I believe I have found an acceptable route."

Shepard looked toward the voice and saw what Javik had identified. "Looks good. Thanks, Javik." She moved hastily to follow the Prothean, who had already begun the climb. Traynor had done a great job on clearing up the comms and Edi had worked on linking to the Quarian Flotilla, so Shepard could hear Fleet chatter in the background. Gerrel's Heavy Fleet was advancing with Raan's Patrol Fleet providing flank support.

Following Javik's lead, the team climbed quickly through a series of ladders and platforms, finding themselves easily three levels higher than where they had started. The Geth were completely unprepared for their swift arrival and the two teams worked well with one another to work their way to the door leading them to the central upper courtyard of the facility. As Liara worked the console to open the doorway, she gasped out, "Shepard! These consoles have the entire Geth history and they're all linked throughout the facility!"

"Download it in segments as we move, Liara." Shepard couldn't help but grin at the return of the excitable archaeologist hidden within her Shadow Broker mate. "We need to keep moving."

"But you really should listen to this, Samantha." Liara turned pleading eyes to the commander and Shepard couldn't resist their draw.

"What's so important, Li?" The Asari said nothing, not wasting time trying to explain. Instead, she simply started the recording. The first segment covered the dawning of the Geth sentience; a Quarian asked one of the Geth units about the Khelish word for 'servant of the people.' It responded, "The word is Geth, Creator Zahak."

"Well, I'll be damned. Their very _name_ means servant!" Shepard shook her head. "Come on, Li. We've got to keep going."

They moved into a control room of sorts as Tali issued a warning over the comms. "Shepard! The Geth are preparing to close a blast shield over the base! We won't be able to get the laser on target unless we stop it!"

"Work on blocking it! We'll keep moving and hope you have it down by the time we need it!"

Liara found another terminal and downloaded the next historical segment as Ashley's team stepped forward to clear the next passageway. "Goddess, Shepard. The Quarians tried to destroy the Geth because they began asking about their creation... and if they had souls!"

Ashley frowned, "But that's not possible. I mean, they can ask, but machines can't have souls..."

"Easier to kill them when you think of them as soulless machines, isn't it Ash?" Shepard moved up beside her and helped her blast another Geth Trooper. "Different religions believe different things, but that's beside the point. They certainly should at least be able to ask the _question_ without getting _killed_ for it."

"Yeah." Ashley blasted away the last Trooper. "Kind of a harsh way to say 'no.'"

As they stepped through to the courtyard, their conversation was interrupted by a loud klaxon; it marked the closing of the monstrous blast door, hiding away their intended target. Sarah's voice rang with dismay, "Damn it! It'll take hours to punch through _that_ shield!"

"We don't have that kind of time," Shepard growled. "Edi! Start working the targeting protocols with the Quarian Fleet. If we don't break the code and get that door open, we're going to need all the firepower we can get!"

"Understood, Commander." Edi's voice was smooth, calm efficiency. "We will be ready when necessary."

Legion cut in. "Shepard Commander. We have located an override atop the Geth fortifications. With it, we will be able to retract the blast shield."

"Then we'll keep climbing, Legion. Just keep talking to us so we're not blindsided along the way!"

The teams crossed a long exposed bridge and, just as they fought their way across, Legion spoke again. "Shepard Commander, we have shut down all facility defenses. Do you require additional assistance?"

"We're good, Legion. Stay one step ahead of them so we don't get surprised... and if that's not enough to keep you busy, find some transportation and work your way to us."

"We're coming to you, Shepard." The commander heard James voice for the first time since they had departed the shuttle. "Standing around watching Sparks and the Tin Man work is boring as shit!"

Another set of terminals awaited them at the end of the bridge. Liara eagerly tackled the file system and located the next segment in the Geth history. "_Goddess_. Shepard. The Quarians were divided on the Geth issue and the Admiralty declared martial law. The ones who believed the Geth had a right to live were either imprisoned or shot! _The Quarians killed their own people! _ I've never seen nor heard that mentioned _anywhere_ in Quarian history!"

Shepard snorted in disgust. "Apparently, the only ones who remember the sympathizers are the Geth. The Quarians rewrote their own history to hide the truth... To what end? To avoid embarrassment?"

"More _likely_ to avoid additional Council sanctions!" Liara shook her head sadly. "I'm not sure I _want_ to read the files in more depth when I have time. I fear they will be very... _disturbing_."

"We can't be like the Quarians and sweep it under the rug, Liara." Shepard spared her a quick glance as they resumed moving.

"I know." Additional comments Liara may have made were cut off by Legion's voice on the comms yet again.

"The Old Machines' upgrades grant us targeting superiority, but our arrival will be delayed. We are drawing hostile fire from your position and are unable to immediately acquire transport."

"Just keep on moving. If not sooner, you'll catch up to us at the blast shield controls." Shepard waved the team onward. "Come on. We've got a mission to finish."

Javik spoke again, his voice scathing. "As the commander continues to put her faith in the machines, you put great faith in their recordings, Asari. They are using Reaper code and the machines are very adept at manipulating data; the entire history could be a fabrication for no purpose other than to stimulate your Asari sympathies."

"That's enough, Javik! You weren't here when the Normandy _team_ defeated the Collectors." The personal assault on Liara was more than she would bear and Shepard spun angrily toward the Prothean. "Legion was part of that team and I _trust_ him... certainly more than I trust _you_. He is on our side and I won't tolerate any more dissension within my crew, so shut up or ship out."

Javik fixed a permanent scowl on his face but no more words crossed his lips, which Shepard took as acquiescence. "Good. Now focus on the damn mission and let's move."

They finally reached an upper level where the resistance was stiffer than any they had yet encountered on Rannoch; the standard Geth Troopers were augmented by both Rocket Troopers and Pyros. Shepard knew they had to be close, but there was no time to look for the override console because the teams first had to focus on clearing the level of Geth. The commander led off, quickly slipping into 'crash and blast' mode, much to Liara's chagrin. Samantha had hardly slept between missions and her appetite had been minimal at dinner, so her energy level was low. As a result, Liara was focused less on the enemy and more on staying in cover and supporting Shepard through the link.

Riana realized what Liara was doing and that her mistress was concerned, so worked hard to keep up with Shepard and steal whatever set-ups she could, very effectively keeping Shepard from Charging too many times in rapid succession. The room was filled with obstacles, but Ashley still made excellent use of her sniper rifle from the cover she had found immediately inside the entranceway. She didn't budge from her spot and her rifle barked with deadly regularity... especially satisfying when her sights located a Pyro's exposed fuel tank.

As much of a pain in the ass as he was, Javik was an exceptional warrior; he and Sarah Campbell proved to be a deadly team, working their way efficiently around the U-shaped room and quite successfully protecting both of the Vanguards' flanks as they continued to utilize their biotics against the Geth. Once the room was cleared, Shepard located the control console and thankfully reopened the blast-shield door. "Alright. Legion? What's next?"

"An elevator at the end of the room will take you to the upper level and provide adequate line of sight for targeting." Legion paused only briefly before issuing a hurried warning. "Shepard Commander. The elevator is descending. I did not send it. Prepare for offensive action."

"Got it, Legion! Thanks for the heads-up!"

Ashley immediately sighted on the dropping platform and pulled the trigger without hesitation as soon as she had line of sight on a target. She then called out "Prime and two Troopers!" before reloading and taking a second shot.

Liara quickly shifted her cover and launched a singularity, cuing Shepard to immediately launch a warp. The resultant explosion severely damaged the two Troopers and dropped a significant portion of the Prime's shields. Under the combined fire of six Normandy personnel, not the least of which was Ashley and her extremely powerful sniper rifle, the three Geth fell swiftly. Without delay, Legion's voice floated once more across the comms. "Shepard Commander. We have sent you the navpoint with the new targeting location."

Shepard's brow wrinkled in consternation. "What do you mean, new location? Is the damn energy core _moving_? How is that possible?"

"Unknown, Shepard Commander." Legion continued, "But of more immediate concern... We are no longer encountering hostiles. The Geth have finally determined your true target."

Tali cut in, "In other words... _Move_ it, Shepard! They're _all_ headed in your direction!"

"Fuck." Shepard ran to the elevator. "Come on! We've got to get this done before we get swamped!" She kept speaking as the team loaded up and the elevator started to rise. "Load fresh heat sinks and be ready to fight. I doubt that was the only Prime we're going to face today."

Liara popped an eezo cube into her mouth and broke off a piece of energy bar and shoved it into Samantha's face. The commander jerked back in surprise before realization dawned, then flashed Liara a grin and let her slip the item into her mouth, mumbling as she chewed, "Thanks, Li." _{That's normally my job, in regards to you...}_

A concerned look flashed across Liara's face as she thought back. _{I know, my love... and it has me concerned that you are not paying attention to your __**own**__ needs, much less mine.}_

_{Sorry, Liara. I'll try to be better... though we're almost done here, I hope.}_

As the elevator crested the edge of the upper floor, Shepard growled quietly, "Shit. Three Primes... but they don't see us yet." The room was fairly large and stacked with supplies; a large central area had a long corridor going straight out with one Prime on the far end. The other two Primes were split to opposite sides... and much closer. Shepard focused on _them_ and pointed at the one on the left. "Ash. That one's yours. Hit it hard and fast and keep moving; don't let it box you in anywhere."

The minute the elevator stopped, the teams surged forward. Sarah's eyes narrowed and she moved straight ahead and crouched behind a crate, her focus on a Geth Spitfire sitting atop of it. She grabbed the Spitfire and activated it as the Prime straight ahead turned and began firing at a quickly moving Shepard. The other two reacted immediately to the weapons' fire and the fight was on.

Knowing she should be helping Lieutenant Commander Williams and Javik, Sarah focused on the center Prime instead, feeling the commander's team needed her help more since they had two Primes targeting them. She aimed the Spitfire and pulled and held the trigger; it contained 200 rounds when she picked it up, and the weapon quickly ripped down the unsuspecting Prime's shields and ate away a large portion of its armor. When the weapon ceased to spit ammunition into the Geth, Sarah dropped it quickly to the side and changed to her assault rifle, finishing off the Prime with little fanfare or assistance before turning her rifle to the left-most Prime.

With three team members focused on each Prime, the rest of the battle was thankfully short and Shepard regrouped the team. "Good job finding that Spitfire, Sarah. Maybe if we can form an alliance with the Geth, Legion can show us how they make those things; we've never been able to replicate the technology." She glanced around as she finished, "For now, I'll take any advantage we can get, so while I help the Normandy crash the energy core, why don't you see if there are any more of them laying around?"

"Yes, Ma'am." Sarah's face twisted with sadness. "Beth sure would have had some fun shooting one of these things."

A sudden, uncomfortable silence fell over the group, into which Shepard spoke softly, "We all miss her, Sarah, but I'll bet you're right. She would have _loved_ to see you evaporate that Prime."

In the relative quiet, Legion's voice came in over the comms like an explosion and pulled them back to the current task at hand. "Shepard Commander, we detect no more Geth in your immediate area but reinforcements are minutes away."

"You getting anything from the base or any more unexplained movement of the power core?"

"No. The Old Machines have not registered us as a threat. We recommend haste; the creator fleet will be overrun unless you sever the Geth connection to the Old Machines soon."

"I'm on it, Legion... Edi, we ready?"

"Normandy's weapons systems are ready to sync to your target, Commander. I recommend you withdraw to a safe distance."

Shepard hesitated and worry lines creased her forehead as she answered, "That's kind of tough, Edi. I'm standing almost directly over the target; it's deep in a hole and it's the only way I can get line of sight!"

Edi attempted to reassure her. "The laser designator will indicate when the Normandy has the target location locked, Commander. I would recommend you withdraw as quickly as possible as soon as the laser tone goes steady."

"Understood." Shepard took aim at the small glowing red dot, deep down in the shaft below and squeezed the trigger on the device. "Initiating target lock sequence." The intermittent tone changed rapidly from staccato to steady and the Normandy loomed large on the horizon, closing quickly.

Edi called out, "Target locked!"

Shepard turned to run but, as she did so, she saw the Normandy missiles launch, knowing immediately that there was no way she would get clear in time. Her thoughts moved faster than her words ever could and Liara responded, "Oh, Goddess!" as she called up her biotics.

Shepard felt the explosion rock the platform and once again found herself running in empty space as the platform collapsed beneath her. She had been facing toward where her team had been gathered together and she prayed for yet another last second rescue by Liara. The blue arc of power never materialized and Shepard tumbled into the void.

* * *

**A/N:** With next Friday being Christmas, I'm going to most likely take a break from the regular story and post a Christmas one-shot called Thessian Christmas 2202, obviously set significantly into the future. If I have time to write both, I will, but no promises. If not, you will definitely see Ch 47 on New Year's Day. Love to all and have a blessed holiday season!


	47. It's Not a Base, It's a Reaper!

Notes: **HAPPY NEW YEAR! **Thanks to everyone for an absolutely wonderful 2015 and really looking forward to this year! Thanks for the wonderful support!

AI - Artificial Intelligence

* * *

**It's Not a Base, It's a Reaper!**

**Rannoch, Tikkun, Perseus Veil**

Shepard cursed as she saw the lower deck fast approaching and lit with biotics; she was not skilled at the hover-float like Liara was, but managed to slow herself enough to escape injury. She landed off balance and performed a controlled tumble to keep from twisting anything with her awkward landing and quickly sprang back to her feet. She glanced up to see Liara and Riana already on their way down to join her, so she got on comm. "Ash. Head back to the elevator and find a more traditional way back down to ground level. Rendezvous at the drop-off point."

Ashley's response was consumed by a horrendous roar. Riana and Liara landed beside her and Liara's face filled with fear as she shouted, "Goddess! It's a Reaper!"

A Geth ground patrol craft suddenly appeared at the end of the ramp, cutting off their escape route. As Shepard glanced quickly about in an attempt to find another exit, Legion's voice came on the line, "Shepard Commander, we have located transportation! Make haste to the patrol craft!"

"Copy that! Everyone to that hovercraft! Move!" Shepard belted out the order as she started to run, firing uselessly at the Reaper while praying she got lucky. She got to the hovercraft first and climbed quickly to the top-mounted turret, shouting at Liara and Riana, "Get in!"

Legion was immediately on comms. "All secure. We will attempt evasive maneuvers."

Legion pushed the throttles to the redline and the hovercraft moved quickly away, the Reaper in dogged pursuit. "Shepard to Fleet. It's not a Reaper base, it's a live Reaper! I need an orbital strike!" While awaiting a response, Shepard fired the turret as quickly as the weapon would cycle in an attempt to slow the Reaper's progress.

As they gained some distance from the monster, Shepard called out, "We're clear! Fire at will!"

The Fleet began bombardment and Shepard got her wish; they got lucky. One of the shots penetrated the firing chamber as the Reaper's weapon was priming, and it sent the Reaper to the ground. As it struggled to regain its feet, Admiral Gerrel eagerly queried, "What did we hit?"

Shepard called out the target and Gerrel cursed, "Damn it! Their jamming towers have us targeting manually. We can't make a precision shot!"

Legion chimed in, "We may escape before it recovers."

"Hang on a second, Legion." Shepard keyed her comm. "Edi? You have the targeting protocols with the Quarian Fleet deciphered?"

Edi's answer made Shepard's decision. "Affirmative, Commander."

"Shit hot!" Shepard swung off the turret and dropped to the ground. "Legion, get to a safe distance and hold!"

"Shepard!" Liara's voice cut in, her concern obvious. "What are you doing?"

"If we run away, the Geth stay under Reaper control and the Quarians are dead." Shepard's voice was filled with conviction. "This ends now."

"I'm coming with you!"

Liara had started to loosen her harness as Shepard shouted. "No! Legion, get moving! Edi, patch the Quarians into the Normandy targeting system. I want this laser synced to the whole damn Fleet."

Liara froze with her hand on the buckle of her harness, stunned at Shepard's response. Riana reached over slowly and pulled her hand away as Legion sped off to follow Shepard's command. Liara whispered, "Why? Why would she do such a thing?"

Riana answered her bluntly, from a commando's perspective. "Because there is only one laser targeting device and she is limiting our exposure to the enemy to limit casualties. She will not risk you unnecessarily, and your presence would serve no purpose other than as a distraction."

"Then I'll be a damned _distraction_! She should _not_ be out there alone!" Liara reached again for her harness as she continued, "Last time we faced a Reaper we had Kalros on our side and the whole of Artemis Wing as our _distraction_!"

"If my data is correct, most of Artemis Wing was _destroyed_ during that engagement." Legion's next statement stopped her cold. "I do not believe Shepard Commander wishes you to share the same fate."

Liara's face paled and her head dropped into her hands as she started to pray. "Oh, merciful Goddess, please don't take her from me a second time..."

On the ground, Shepard readied the laser and called out, "I'll paint the weak spot. Everyone link with the Normandy and be ready to fire as soon as you get a lock!"

As she moved across the open plain, Shepard heard the echoing remarks from both Edi and Gerrel. "Understood."

The Reaper succeeded in climbing to its feet as Edi's voice came on the line, "The Destroyer is in range. Missiles are ready to launch, Shepard."

"Roger that, Edi. Initializing laser!" Shepard aimed the targeting device and pulled the trigger, waiting for the steady tone. Before the tone had gone steady, the Reaper locked onto her position and the aperture flared open.

The Reaper fired and Shepard felt a jolt of fear transmitted through the link. Ignoring the sensation in order to avoid distraction, Shepard put up her mental barriers and ran off to the side to evade the incoming beam, then reset her feet and completed the target-lock sequence. The first weapons volley slammed into the Reaper and it staggered but did not fall. Shepard shouted through the comm, "Again!" and reinitialized the laser, repeatedly dodging the Reaper's powerful energy weapon until she achieved a successful lock.

The second strike barely staggered the Reaper and Shepard set up for yet a third attempt. She had to shake off the feeling of dread that tried to overcome her, concerned the Reaper was adapting to the strikes and somehow adjusting its programming to decrease its vulnerability. _No way. We've __**got**__ to be able to take this thing down! I've got the whole damned Quarian __**Fleet**__ behind me!_

Each progressive round, the Reaper took a few more steps closer, decreasing Shepard's response time, and she began to get pelted by debris as the Reaper beam tore through the rocks beside her; she had to move faster or end this quickly... She was running out of working room. On the next series, she had to resort to using short biotic charges to get out of the way quickly enough while still leaving herself time to focus the targeting laser on the Reaper before it could redirect its aim. It became a competition to see who could refocus faster... and being relatively small and nimble, Shepard won the battle.

On the final round, the Fleet responded yet again and, once more, a shot penetrated the firing chamber for a second time. This time, however, the Reaper had already been weakened by the multiple volleys and it staggered to its knees before turning defiantly to face the threat head-on, thinking to destroy those attacking it. Its arrogance sealed its fate as multiple ships now had a direct line of sight to the otherwise elusive small target as the Reaper primed its main weapon. Multiple shots struck the firing chamber and the Reaper collapsed for the last time.

Shepard bent over and leaned on her knees, taking a few deep breaths before finally standing upright and walking slowly toward the edge of the plateau. The Reaper lay amongst the red dirt and rocks of Rannoch as the commander, constantly vigilant, carefully approached the edge and looked down upon the wreckage. Its eye suddenly turned and rotated toward her; she cursed and pulled the targeting laser up, hastily focusing it on the behemoth.

She was surprised when, instead of attempting to activate its weapon, it spoke. "**Shepard**."

The commander's eyes narrowed and she eased her finger off the trigger of the laser. "You know who I am?"

"**Harbinger speaks of you. You resist, but you will fail. The cycle must continue**."

Shepard's hackles rose and she growled, "I don't think so. The cycle is _ending_. There won't _be_ any more harvests." She used the targeting device as a pointer, jabbing it in the direction of the felled machine to punctuate her words. "We stopped Sovereign and the Geth. We stopped Harbinger and the Collectors. We stopped whatever machine that was on Tuchanka... and now we've stopped _you_. _Your_ time is done, not ours."

"**You do not understand. You represent chaos. We represent order. We bring order to the chaos. Every organic civilization must be harvested; it is inevitable**."

Shepard scowled. "No thank you. I prefer the chaos of _life_ over your process of systematic annihilation. If I have anything to say about it, you've completed your _last_ harvest."

"**We must harvest. Without our intervention, the synthetics will destroy you. We are your salvation**."

"_You're_ a damned synthetic; you and _your_ kind are the ones trying to _kill_ us! It doesn't have to _be_ this way; organics and synthetics can learn to live together!" Shepard shook her head at the absurdity of the machine's thought process.

"**The battle for Rannoch disproves your assertion**."

"The battle for Rannoch isn't over yet and it's _your_ assumption that's faulty, not mine. There _will_ be peace here, as soon as we get rid of _you_." With that, Shepard made one last call to the Fleet. She huffed and said, "Turn this thing into scrap, please," as she pulled the trigger on the laser target designator one more time.

As the Fleet opened fire and obliterated any signs of life within the Reaper, Tali ran up to her side. "Keelah! We did it... We _killed_ a Reaper!"

Legion also approached, working his omnitool as he did so. "We can confirm that the Geth are no longer being directed by the Old Machines. We are free."

Admiral Gerrel's voice immediately came over the comms. "You did it, Shepard! The Geth fleet has stopped firing. They're completely vulnerable!"

Legion lowered his omnitool. "Shepard Commander. The Geth only acted in self-defense after the creators attacked. Do we deserve death?"

"No, you don't." Shepard paused in her motion to activate her comm and turned to Legion instead. "What are you suggesting?"

"Our upgrades. With the Old Machine dead, we could upload them to all Geth without sacrificing their independence."

Tali stepped forward, her voice tentative with concern. "You want to upload the _Reaper_ code? That would make the Geth as smart as when the Reaper was _controlling_ them!" She glanced nervously at Shepard, and then refocused on Legion as he continued speaking.

"Yes, but with free will. Each Geth unit would be a true intelligence. We would be _alive..._ and we would help terminate the Old Machines."

Shepard frowned. "And what's to keep them from switching sides again, if they calculate the odds aren't in our favor?"

Legion didn't hesitate in his response. "The Geth preferred slavery over death. Now, we will choose freedom over slavery."

The pitch of Tali's voice raised a notch. "Our fleet is already attacking! Uploading the code would enable the Geth to destroy us!" Her head snapped around to face the commander. "Shepard, you can't choose the Geth over my people!"

Legion lowered his head. "Do you remember the question that caused the creators to attack us, Tali'Zorah?" His head came back up and he looked back and forth between Shepard and Tali. "Does this unit have a soul?"

Shepard shook her head. "Legion, I can't condemn the entire Quarian Fleet over a few zealots." Shepard's gaze floated to Legion and then back to Tali. "But neither will I terminate the Geth without cause. Admiral Zorah? Legion? Call off your respective fleets." Her eyes returned to Legion. "And then... commence your upload."

"Understood, Shepard Commander." After only a brief pause, he continued, "The Geth Fleet has ceased hostilities. Uploading."

At the same time, Tali was on the comm net. "This is Admiral Tali'Zorah. All units... break off your attack!"

Admiral Gerrel immediately countered, "Belay that order! _Continue_ the attack!"

Legion reported, "Twenty percent complete."

Tali looked nervously between Legion and Shepard, "I beg you, do not do this. Please."

"We would regret the deaths of the creators, but I cannot choose death for my own... people." Legion continued the upload. "Forty percent."

"No. Nobody else dies today. Legion, keep going." Tali's head rotated to the commander in disbelief as Shepard growled into her comm unit, "All ships, this is Commander Shepard. The Reaper is _dead_ and the Geth have ceased hostilities. _Stand down_!"

Tali gasped in relief and followed quickly, "This is Admiral Tali'Zorah. Shepard speaks with my authority."

They quickly heard the answering voice of Admiral Koris, "And mine as well."

Gerrel was stubborn, refusing to give in. "Negative! We can win this war now! Keep firing!"

"Gods be damned, Gerrel! We've already _won_ your fucking war! I'm _standing_ on Rannoch, side-by-side with Admiral Zorah _and_ Geth Legion! Stand down, damn it, or _I'll_ direct them to return fire."

Admiral Raan's panicked voice finally joined the discussion. "Shepard! You wouldn't!"

"I already warned you, Raan, and I _don't_ make empty threats. Rein him in... _now_... or I'll obliterate the damned Admiral of your Heavy Fleet... by any means necessary!"

"Gerrel! Halt your attack!" Raan's voice was shaking, Shepard wasn't sure if it was in anger or fear.

Legion provided another update; the upload was sixty percent complete, and there still wasn't any response from Gerrel. Shepard's voice was chilling as she spoke. "The Geth are about to return to full strength. If you _insist_ on attacking, they _will_ wipe you out... and the _Normandy_ will help. The Quarian history is filled with you trying to commit a Geth _genocide_. _You_ forced them to rebel. _You_ forced them to ally with the Reapers. You do this _now_ and you're a war criminal, Gerrel. The penalty is death and I will _not_ hesitate to _execute_ you!"

Xen's voice came across the comms; she spoke only one word. "Gerrel!"

"The Geth are at eighty percent... but they don't want to _fight_ you. If you can believe that for just _one damned minute_, this war will no longer be at a cease-fire; it will be _over_." Shepard's voice turned suddenly soft. "You have a _choice, _Admiral. _Please_. Keelah se'lai."

Gerrel's voice returned, sounding defeated and disgusted, but he was out of options; even the other Quarian admirals had sided against him. "All units. Hold fire."

Legion suddenly collapsed the interface he was working. "Upload complete. Dissemination throughout the consensus will take approximately two minutes, forty-two seconds to finish."

A shot suddenly rang out and Legion's platform felt to its knees. Shepard bolted to Legion's side as she heard Tali curse, "You Bosh'tet!" followed quickly by a dull thud.

She didn't turn to see what the noise was; her entire focus was on Legion as he spoke. "Shepard Commander. This mobile unit is failing. I must return to the server. I... will return... soon."

The lights in Legion's platform winked out and it tumbled to the dirt. "Legion! Wait!" Shepard grabbed the platform and rolled it face up, but no lights shined and the platform was completely devoid of life. "Legion... I am so sorry." Her hands came away and clenched into fists as she whispered, "The answer to your question was _yes_, Legion. You had a soul."

Hands still balled tight, Shepard stood and turned to the source of the sound, only to see Vega and Campbell dragging an unconscious Javik away. Ashley stood there, her face white as she stared at the commander. "Shepard, I am _so_ sorry. We didn't see what he was _doing_ or we would have _stopped_ him!"

Shepard was seething and she forced her words out between clamped teeth. "That bastard _shot_ Legion?"

"Yes, Ma'am." Ashley's response was a weak whisper and she looked like she was going to throw up. "I may not believe he has... had... a soul, but he's been nothing but a strong ally to you. He didn't deserve to be shot in the back."

Shepard's eyes narrowed as she watched Vega and Campbell disappear around the corner. "Get back to the ship and see that he's confined. I'll deal with him later, when Tali and I are done here. _Everyone_ else goes back to the Normandy. Now."

Ashley wanted to ask about Liara and Riana staying behind, but something in Shepard's eyes told her to not question the order in any form. Instead, she saluted and simply said, "Yes, Ma'am. You've got it," before she turned and trotted back to the transport. Shepard watched her the entire way; there was a brief argument at the door, Liara waving her arms in anger before the Asari turned to glare at Shepard over the distance. Shepard gave her a disheartened wave and turned back to stare at Legion's non-functional platform.

As she tried to decide what to do next, she was disturbed by the crunch of gravel under approaching feet. "Commander!" Raan's voice rang out.

Shepard turned to her. "Admiral Raan. Thank you for your support against Gerrel."

Raan shook her head. "I was listening over the radio. If Han'Gerrel hadn't stopped..."

"That doesn't matter anymore. He did." Shepard looked at Legion's old frame. "But then one of my own shot Legion... he had just barely finished the upload... so, I'm not really sure _how_ the Geth will react now."

"Keelah!" Raan was obviously distraught as she continued, "We've taken heavy losses! I don't know if we can... Where are we supposed to go?"

Shepard was preparing to respond that they should have thought about that before they started the war, but she didn't have time. Tali suddenly drew her pistol and pointed it off to the side. Both Shepard and Raan spun to see what she was aiming at, only to see a Geth Prime walking hastily in their direction. It drew no weapons as it approached and spoke immediately upon its arrival. "You are welcome to return to Rannoch, Admiral Raan. With the Geth."

Something about the cadence of the Geth's speech gave Shepard hope and she suddenly realized what Legion had meant when he said he would return. "Legion?"

"Yes, Shepard Commander." The Prime stood tall. "I did inform you I would return soon."

"But... How?" Shepard looked at the Geth before her. "A Prime?"

"Yes, Shepard Commander. The Geth Consensus has decided that if I am to be a leader of the Geth and represent them among the allied forces, a Prime platform is more befitting my new station. We have also determined the Geth Fleet will help you retake Earth, and our engineering teams will help the Quarian Fleet rebuild, as well as assist in the construction of the Crucible."

"Holy shit!" A wide grin spread across Shepard's face. "Oh man, is Javik gonna be pissed off! And _I'm_ going to be the one to _tell_ him!" _Right before I place him under arrest for __**treason**__ and boot his ass off my ship at the Citadel._

"I can't believe it. The home world. My world. I don't think it's really sunk in yet." Tali looked at Shepard and her voice shook, "And we're actually _sharing_ it with the Geth... in peace."

Shepard offered a small smile and then let out a sad sigh, "Not in peace. Not yet, anyway. We've killed three Reapers, but we have a whole Armada to conquer yet."

"Against the great Commander Shepard and the incredibly talented team she's put together?" Tali scoffed. "No problem! We'll be growing crops and raising babies before you know it!" As Shepard laughed, Tali continued, "Look at the sky. And the rock formations? They used to write poems about them. To see them for real is... overwhelming." Her eyes traveled the horizon. "This is Rannoch, the world of our ancestors. Our bodies carried the seeds that spread the desert grass."

Shepard sighed and looked into the sky, knowing somewhere up above the clouds the Normandy waited for her... along with one very angry Asari. "I'm glad we found the Quarians a place here, Tali, but there's still a lot to be done in order to secure it."

Tali made a box with the thumb and first finger of both hands and looked over the landscape through them as she spoke, "The living room window will be right... here."

Shepard smiled at her Quarian sister. "Something I should know?"

Tali answered quietly. "I just claimed the land. I know, it doesn't mean much at the moment, but when this war is over? I have a home to come to."

"Come home to? You not staying?" Shepard raised her eyebrows with the question, hoping she already knew the answer.

"My people need me... out _there_. Sooner or later, the Reapers will come for Rannoch. I prefer it be later, and that we stop them before that happens. So I'm coming to help you do just that."

Shepard sighed in relief. "You _always_ have a home with us, Tali'Zorah vas Normandy."

Tali looked at her. "When this is all over, when I know my world is safe... then, I can come home."

"Then let's go make it happen, Tali." Shepard glanced at Raan. "You going to be okay, Admiral?"

Shepard heard the smile in Raan's voice as she replied, "I believe so, Commander. Thank you."

* * *

**SSV Normandy, At Large**

Shepard returned to the Normandy and went directly to the med bay, knowing Liara would be doubly angry with her if she didn't get her wounds tended immediately upon her arrival back on the ship... no matter _how_ minor they may be. Karin didn't say a word, simply pointed at a table and began her exam as soon as Shepard climbed up. She finished the exam without a word, but once complete she let out a deep sigh. "Alright. Out with it. You're not returning to me with anything more than routine combat injuries, so why is Liara so _angry_ with you?"

Shepard's expression fell and she sighed. "That bad, huh?"

"_Bad_? Bad would be an _extreme_ understatement, Commander." Karin shook her head. "She didn't talk the entire time she was in here, and when I asked her what was wrong, all she said was '_Ask_ _Shepard_.' So I'm asking."

Shepard's demeanor shifted very quickly to one of concern. "Liara came in here? What happened to her? Why was she here?"

"She's fine, Sam. She came in only for her mandatory eezo screening, along with Riana..." Karin scowled as she thought about Liara's First. "... who actually seemed very much on edge as well, now that I think about it. What did you do to them?"

"I didn't do _anything_ to them!" Shepard was the one scowling after _that_ question and she pushed herself off the table in exasperation. "Am I done?"

"I'm sorry. That was a terrible question to ask." Karin looked at Shepard apologetically. "Honestly, Sam. Whatever happened out there? Go talk to her... you can't let this fester. I know you both; you'll both be miserable, not wanting to talk about it until both of you are ready to explode. Just go to her and get it settled."

Shepard reached up and scratched the back of her neck, so Karin knew she was nervous. "Go. It won't get any better with you standing here. Go talk to Liara, Sam."

"I blocked the link." Sam waited for a reaction, and when she got none, she continued, "I jumped off the transport to tag the Reaper with Xen's laser targeting device and wouldn't let Liara come with me. Then, the first time the thing shot at me, I felt a stab of fear from Liara. It was distracting, so... I blocked her."

"Oh, my." Karin shook her head. "_I_ understand why you did so, but as long as _Liara_ has been with you, she's still not one for duty above your life and she never will be. She values the second much more than the first." Karin paused momentarily before grabbing Shepard and turning her toward the door. "Go. I don't envy you, but it will only get worse the longer you wait."

* * *

As the door to the Broker's office slid closed behind Shepard, Liara didn't spare her even a glance, much less any words; the Asari was stonily silent. "Li? I know you're angry with me. I'm sorry, but will you let me explain?"

Liara turned a frigid glare on her. "Oh. So _now_ you're speaking to me?" She turned the rest of her body to face Shepard squarely, her fists planted resolutely on her hips and her voice was seething with fury. "You _swore_ to me you would never again leave me behind, Shepard. _What_ in blue blazes do you call what you just _did_ down there?"

Shepard met her eyes without hesitation, confident in her judgment. "I made a command decision, Liara, to limit potential for injuries... or _casualties_."

Liara's voice raised in anger. "But why does it _always_ have to be _you_? Riana is a Vanguard; _she_ could have handled that assignment as easily as you." Liara hissed, "You are the _commander_ and are needed to _lead_! You have this _ludicrous_ protective streak that makes you ignore your _own_ well being... and you take unnecessary risks that you should be assigning to your soldiers!"

Shepard was stymied by Liara's selfishness; she had never seen Liara so inconsiderate with others' lives. "So you'd rather have me get Riana killed in order to save myself?"

"That is _not_ what I meant and you _know_ it!" Liara's blue eyes hardened to cold steel. "You know as well as I how _capable_ Riana is! But if it came right down to it... then, _yes_! I _would_ rather she die than you! Happy, now that you've made me admit I hold _your_ life more dear than that of my First, whom I have known for three _decades_ versus your three years?"

Shepard's eyes narrowed, "And that's not what _I_ meant... and you know _that_ as well." Shepard took a deep breath, trying to calm herself before continuing, "But you also know _me_, Liara. I've _always_ been this way, so what exactly do you expect me to do?"

"I expect you to fight for our _love_, Samantha! I cannot stand by and watch you continue down your path of self destruction! I need you to care about staying _alive_!" Liara's eyes softened and she looked at her Promised, her eyes glazing as she continued, "After what I saw today, I honestly don't give a _damn_ about the galaxy, Shepard! I care about _you_! I care about _us_... and our _future_!" Liara broke down into tears, crying, "I want to see _our_ children grow up..."

Shepard countered, "So do _I_, Liara! But for _that_ to happen, we _first_ need to stop the Reapers!"

"Yes. _**We**_ need to stop them... not you, single-handedly!" Frustrated beyond belief, Liara surged forward, her eyes flashing suddenly to black obsidian as she grasped Shepard's shoulders in a crushing grip. "Do you honestly not _remember_, Samantha? Do you wish me to go through this again?" Without further preamble, Liara flew into Shepard's mind. All of Liara's memories from the aftermath of the Normandy SR-1's destruction flooded Samantha's consciousness; she fell to her knees and screamed in anguish and rage, just as Liara had done on the decks of the SSV Madrid.

Shepard had lived those memories only once before, at their reunion on Illium, and they had been so painful she had closed the book and shelved it... exactly as Liara had showed her so long ago to control her Reaper nightmares. She had made herself forget, and Liara's next words scared her more than any she had ever heard from her Promised. _{I cannot... __**will not**__... live through that again, Samantha Shepard. If you die, one way or another, I go with you.}_

Shepard's heart threatened to stop beating as she felt the torment in Liara's soul that came along with the thoughts. _{Gods, Liara. No!}_

_{If __**your**__ goal is to make sure we defeat the Reapers, then __**mine**__ is to make sure you survive to enjoy our success. Because... if __**you**__ cease to exist, __**I**__ will surely perish, my love. I would __**not**__ be able to survive without you! You are the other half of my soul!}_

"By the Gods, Liara! Stop _saying_ that!" Tears streamed down Shepard's cheeks as she surged back to her feet to wrap Liara in a crushing embrace. "Just... stop. _Please_."

Liara sobbed, "Do you understand why I was so _angry_ at you, Sam? Do you now truly _understand_ what your recklessness _does_ to me?"

Shepard's response was to loosen her embrace enough that Liara could take a deep breath as she soothingly caressed the Asari's crest. "I am so sorry, Li. What you ask goes against my very nature... against every fiber of my _existence_... but I promise you, I'll try."

Enclosed in Shepard's embrace, there was little Liara could do in protest other than to pound a trapped fist weakly against her lover's chest. Tears continued to stream down her face as she sobbed out, "By the Goddess, you _have_ to do better than _try_, Samantha. For the promise of a future with our children..."

Shepard shuddered as Liara's torment thundered through the link and its intensity finally broke her resolve. "Alright... _Alright_! Gods, Liara. You know I love you more than anything in the galaxy... and if that's the price you demand, I'll _pay_ it. I swear."

Feeling the vehemence of Shepard's statement through the link, Liara's tears of pain turned to ones of relief and, somehow, that made her sob even harder. It broke Shepard's heart that she could be the cause of such agony in her loved one, but it reminded her that Liara was _not_ a soldier by trade and Samantha truly resolved to be better at delegating those hazardous duties that others could accomplish. She simply wondered how much it would cost her should one of them die in the process. At the same time, she also knew, for Liara's sake, she was willing to pay _any_ price.

* * *

"Shepard. That turned out much better than I anticipated; two fleets for the price of one. First the Genophage, and now the Quarian-Geth War?" Hackett shook his head in disbelief. "I have to tell you the scientists at the Crucible project were a bit nervous when the shuttle of Geth units showed up... though not nearly as much as they were with the arrival of the Rachni."

Shepard nodded. "The Geth bring the computing power of the entire Geth consensus, Sir. It should increase your processing speed and analysis capabilities significantly; _faster_ is something we can definitely use right now."

"Absolutely." Hackett drew a deep breath before continuing. "Shepard. I don't want to distract you from your main mission, but we're having some problems at a secret communications facility at Ontarom. It's stable at the moment, but they've suffered repeated small-scale attacks by Cerberus and they fear a full-scale attack is in the making. If we lose that station, we could potentially lose communications for the whole sector. I need you to stop in on your way back from the Far Rim and see if you can nail it down and eliminate the threat."

"Understood, Sir. It's not much of a diversion from our route back to the Citadel, so we'll get it done." Shepard glanced over her shoulder when she heard footsteps behind her.

Hackett recognized the arrival. "Lieutenant Commander Williams. Good to see you, but I can't imagine you came to speak to me, so I'll let you both get back to work. Keep me updated on Ontarom, Shepard. Hackett out."

Shepard turned as Hackett's connection faded, noting William's dour expression. "What's up, Ash?"

Ashley growled, "You were right to side with the Geth over that asshole Prothean, Shepard. He's awake and confined to his quarters, but he wouldn't shut up about 'the machine in the War Room' being our downfall and absolutely insisting on speaking with you."

The commander frowned. "The one I feel sorry for is Liara. She's really disillusioned about the whole _enlightened race of the Protheans_ thing." Shepard snorted in disgust. "She was correct about the Reapers, but missed her call on the Protheans by a mile. I told her she got the important one right."

Ashley smiled. "Yeah, she did... and without the Crucible plans, we wouldn't even have _hope_, much less a chance to actually _win_ this thing. We owe her _big_ for _**that**_ one!"

Shepard smiled back at her comrade in arms. "Thanks. I'll pass that on to her. I think we can all use a bit of encouragement right about now." Her smile faded into a scowl. "I need to go have a chat with Javik... But Ash? Before I do that, I need you to relieve Garrus. As a fellow Spectre, I need you to take over as XO to run the Normandy in my absence." Shepard held up a hand to forestall her protest. "I love having you on the ground with me, but the missions are getting more intense and I can't risk us both on the same mission any more. The new Normandy _isn't_ an Alliance vessel, even though that's who mostly crews her. She's a Spectre ship and needs a live Spectre as her Captain."

"Don't let Liara hear you talk like that." Ashley's brow raised in surprise when Shepard actually laughed.

"She's the one that brought it up. But she _also_ brought up _you_ taking some of the ground missions and _me_ staying at the helm." Shepard's laugh turned to a smirk at Williams' expression. "And she's right about that, too. You're a Hell of a soldier, Ash... I won't waste your talents."

"Wow." Ashley's eyes were wide with wonder. "Thanks, Skipper. From you, that means a lot."

"You're welcome, Ash. Now, I guess I have some business down in the port cargo hold."

* * *

Shepard stepped past the two guards at the door and entered the compartment. She hated the room; Liara had gone out of her way to make it more accommodating for the Prothean, which basically meant the place was filled with humidity... high enough that a light fog rolled over the cold metal deck floor. Javik turned from his left most hand-washing pool to glare at her. "You _surround_ yourself with machines... your AI copilot and the Geth. You are a _fool_, Commander."

Shepard crossed her arms and met his glare with cool green eyes. "You're entitled to your opinion, Javik, but you are _not_ entitled to disobey direct orders. We won't have this discussion again. You are _off_ the ground team and off this vessel as soon as we get to the Citadel."

Javik sneered. "I will _gladly_ depart a ship ruled by a fool who cannot see the trap the synthetics lay for her."

"You may not be so happy when I tell you that the war is over for you." Shepard dropped her arms to her side and squared her shoulders as her voice picked up a hint of the anger she had been keeping in check. "You attempted to _kill_ a member of my crew, Javik. The previous offer to depart this ship _peacefully_ was instantly rescinded."

Shepard saw his eyes narrow in calculation. "You mean the Geth lives?"

"Note that I said _attempted_. Legion downloaded to the server and returned to us in a new mobile platform... as a _Prime_. You've accomplished _nothing_ but getting yourself locked up until we decide your fate."

Javik took three quick steps and closed the gap between them, putting a finger in her chest. "You let yourself be ruled by your fear of the _Reapers_, so take unreasonable risks with the machines. You will _regret_ such a decision!"

As Shepard reached up to shove his hand away, he grabbed her hand and, with the skin-to-skin contact, pushed memories of the Zha'til at her. Shepard 'saw' a race of synthetic monsters that were subjugated by Reapers, much like the Geth had been, that developed into a nearly overwhelming force. The Protheans saved themselves by committing genocide; they sent the star of the Zha'til's home system into supernova, destroying the entire system.

Liara's head snapped up from the datapad she was reading. _{Shepard?} _At first, the only response she received was an immense wave of anger... then the images started flowing.

"Goddess." She dropped her datapad and stood up quickly, immediately asking, "Edi? Where is the Commander?"

Edi responded, "She is currently in the port cargo hold, Liara."

"With _Javik_?" Liara ran from the loft and practically punched the interface in her haste to call the elevator. "Is she in there _alone _with him?"

"Yes, Liara." Edi hesitated as Shepard shoved Javik away and stumbled backward in surprise at the unwanted intrusion. "The commander is in no danger, Liara. She has the situation quite under control."

"Situation? What _situation_?" The elevator door opened and Liara bolted inside, quickly sending it downward.

Down in the hold, a shocked Shepard yelled, "What the _Hell_, Javik? You don't simply _enter_ someone's mind without permission!"

Javik sneered, "You need to be _educated_ before you repeat our mistakes, Commander." He stepped up and grabbed her hand again, only to be met with a solid brick wall in Shepard's mind.

Shepard shook his grip off and slammed her forearm across his throat, shoving him backward and pinning him to the wall with her superior physical strength, compliments of Cerberus. "I'm not going to tell you again, you stubborn _bastard!_ That is _**not**_ okay!"

Edi answered Liara's question, relating that Shepard was immobile, pinning Javik to the wall by his throat. Liara gasped, "Why didn't you _tell_ me?"

"As I stated earlier, Liara, the commander is in no danger."

Javik growled and pulled on his biotics to push her away, but Shepard activated a barrier and promptly shifted her 'grip' from a forearm to a hand on his bare throat, hissing in anger, "You think you're so damn _superior_, insisting on calling all of us _primitives_. That _you_ are the only one with the right answers and the only one on this ship to have _suffered_? Well, you're _wrong_!"

Javik was fighting for his life, struggling against a surprisingly stronger foe; she had him by the throat, and he could not break her hand free, despite repeated attempts physically and with biotics. He snarled, "What have _you_ lost, Commander, that can possibly compare to me having to _personally_ kill my entire crew... the loss of my entire _race_?" Javik had one hand on her wrist, trying to dislodge the grip on his throat, as his other sought purchase on the wall so he could gain some leverage.

"You really want to know?" Shepard growled deep in her throat. "I'll _show_ you!"

Shepard's defensive wall dissolved and her mind opened to the unsuspecting Prothean; he first saw a reflection of a young red-headed Shepard on a duct wall within a ship, crawling out to find her father's dead body. Her mind then carried him to the last pages of her personal journal and he saw all the deaths she felt responsible for, promptly followed by all the deaths of the people whose names were on the Memorial Wall, including her own. Even Javik's experience with the Zha'til was matched with Shepard's experience at Bahak, genocide for genocide.

The elevator finally arrived and Liara hurried across the Engineering Deck, almost dizzy from the flurry of images flowing through the link; the intensity of the accompanying emotions had her aglow with biotics. The door to Javik's quarters was locked down and Edi was hesitant to override it. Liara spoke, her voice low and seething with frustration, "Edi. Open this door _immediately_ or I will _rip_ it from the bulkhead."

"Very well, Liara."

Javik was angry beyond reason; the humiliation of this _primitive_ overpowering him so easily... and try as he might, he was unable to use his other arm to leverage himself away from the wall to which she had pinned him. That she dared to compare her _personal_ losses to the losses of the _entire_ Prothean civilization was too much to bear. He concentrated on finding a way to achieve vengeance at all costs and his free hand settled on the only thing he had available; a poisoned dagger concealed within the thigh plate of his battle armor. It had never left his possession since he had used it to slit the throats of his own indoctrinated crew.

The door slid open and he heard another voice… not Shepard's… one outside of his mind. It was the Asari. _"What in the galaxy is going on in here?"_

Shepard looked away and Javik took advantage of the commander's momentary distraction, shoving his knife forward with all of his might into Shepard's unarmored body. Shepard grunted in surprise at the impact, directly above her left hip, and her eyes clouded with pain. Liara 'felt' the blade plunge into Samantha's body; she screamed '_No!_' ...and unleashed her pent up biotic fury.


	48. Thinning the Pack

Notes:

_Codladh sámh_ \- Sleep well (Irish/Gaelic)

_I__onúin álainn_ \- beautiful beloved (Irish/Gaelic)

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

* * *

**Thinning the Pack**

**SSV Normandy, At Large**

Without conscious thought, an extremely powerful warp flew from Liara's extended arm and fingertips before she realized her hand had even moved. The unsuspecting Prothean did not fall free as Shepard's grip weakened; instead, he was flying through the air, gripped in a powerful biotic field. He saw Liara's hand sheathed in a massive blossom of electrically charged blue energy and the air whooshed out of his lungs as he collided violently with the far bulkhead – it was as if he had fallen onto his back from a great height. His last conscious thought was '_Die, Human weakling'_ as all four of his eyes ruptured, his bones shattered, and all his internal organs collapsed from the sudden impact; his lifeless form fell to the floor without notice as Liara ran to Shepard's side, concerned only for her loved one.

The commander also went down, first to a knee and then leaning forward and rolling onto her side in pain. Liara rushed to call in a medical emergency and sat swiftly beside Samantha, gripping her hand and sending support through the link. She leaned close and whispered softly, "I am here, _Siame_, and Karin is on her way. Stay with me, Love." Her brow wrinkled with concern as she looked into Shepard's pale, strained face.

Shepard opened her eyes, glassy from the pain and tears she refused to shed. She whispered quietly, "Hurts... to breathe... Stings. I... think it... was poisoned."

"Oh, _Goddess_." Liara squeezed the commander's hand tightly as the medical team rushed in through the open door. "I'll remain at your side, Sam. Remain strong for me... _please_."

"Let us work, Liara." Shepard groaned in agony as Karin pulled their hands apart and they lifted her onto the stretcher. "She'll be fine."

Liara repeated Shepard's assessment about the poison and Karin nodded as they moved. "I'll scan for it after I stop the bleeding but, most likely, it won't have too much of an effect on her. Miranda made Sam's body practically immune to every _known_ poison... and poisons only have so many pathways to work within the Human body. I'm confident Shepard's body will defeat it and it will have no lasting effect."

They arrived at the med bay and Liara was surprised by Karin's next words. "You may come in with her. As I said earlier, she'll be fine. Simply stay out of the way so we can work."

They moved rapidly, getting Shepard settled onto a treatment table while Karin engaged the sanitizer. She moved to the table and cussed at the results of her initial scan. "Damn it all. The blade perforated her colon." She looked up at the Asari who was looking on anxiously. "I'm sorry, Liara, but you'll need to sit down near the entry. I need to open her up, so you have to be outside the sanitization zone."

Liara's expression clouded with worry. "Of course, Karin. Whatever you need." She moved away, but her eyes never left the prone form of her Promised. As she sat down in one of the chairs by Karin's desk, her hands twisted together and her eyes drifted closed as her mind sought out that of her love. The consciousness was there, but untouchable. Liara wanted to force the link, but didn't know what that would do... _Goddess! What if it wakes her from the anesthesia in the middle of the surgery?_

Her eyes reopened, still reflecting her anxiety, but she knew Samantha couldn't _possibly_ be in better hands; having complete faith in Karin's abilities and the truth of her medical assessment, Liara settled in for the wait.

* * *

**Cronos Station, Anadius, Horse Head Nebula**

Maya left the medical unit on board the station with the bone in her arm newly stitched and her wounds redressed – it was the first time her arm had been relatively pain-free since she'd been wounded while getting Oriana Lawson free of Blue Suns captivity on Solcrum in the Grissom System. Her arm, in a cast from just above her elbow down to her hand, was held secure by a sling hanging from her neck.

She _had_ intended to go to her quarters to soak in the hot bath she had promised herself before making the Relay jump back to Cronos Station, but needed to report to the Illusive Man first. She had put him off in order to get the injuries to her arm properly repaired, but he wasn't going to wait for her to take a nice, relaxing bath. _Sure as hell not going to put up with any of his bullshit… did the best I could with an impossible situation! He hadn't counted on the Blue Suns reneging on the deal. Lucky I managed to get us out of that miserable station in one piece! He needs to pull the creds he was going to pay them, and demand double the creds from Henry Lawson for all the trouble I had to go through to retrieve his daughter. Son of a bitch took a shot at me… he needs to pay for that as well!_

She walked confidently through the door and onto the reflective floor of the Illusive Man's observation deck, stopping to stand at the left of and behind his 'throne'.

After a few moments, he swirled the ice and took a sip of bourbon from his ever-present glass, set it down in the holder on the arm of his chair and said, "Rasa. Job well done. Sounds like I need not bother with the final payment I was ready to send to the Blue Suns."

Maya smirked as she replied evenly, "They should have to pay Cerberus for thinning out their members. Everything was going fine until I refused to take a filthy, smelly human on my ship… She was dressed in a disgustingly foul rag… no actual clothes, and they had no intention of providing them unless I paid for them. That's where I began pointing out the error of their ways." Maya chuckled in spite of herself. "Unfortunately for them, at that point they decided to cease all pretense of cooperating. I had to kill a dozen or so to get my point across."

Pausing for a moment to reflect, she added without emotion, "Blue Suns never learn from past experience. They seem to think every time they try to screw Cerberus they'll end up with different results."

"Your report didn't mention anything about Henry Lawson." The Illusive Man took a drag from his cigarette, blowing the resultant cloud of fragrant smoke towards the unseen ceiling. "May I presume he was satisfied with the delivery of his daughter?"

"Little bitch backhanded me when she realized to whom I'd delivered her." Maya's voice shook with anger at the memory. "She'd have got a fist in her mouth but for that bastard putting a _bullet_ past my ear."

The Illusive Man chuckled as he took another sip of bourbon. "She's as much like her sister as anyone could be. I take it she wasn't glad to meet Henry."

"She blamed _me_ for delivering her to her father! I tried to apologize, tried to explain I was only doing my job…" Maya paused, sighed and finished with, "She pushed me back, reinjured my arm. I told _him_ to expect the bill for extracting her to be double what he expected to pay."

"I'll talk to Henry. Since he's working for us now, I don't expect I can charge him extra for _your_ troubles recovering Oriana Lawson." He dismissed her through the exhaled smoke from his cigarette. "Go get some food, get cleaned up, rest and heal, Rasa. I'll have another assignment for you after your cast comes off."

* * *

**SSV Normandy, At Large**

Shepard's eyes fluttered open to see a smiling Liara peering lovingly down at her. One of Liara's hands immediately settled gently on the commander's chest. "Don't try to sit up or move around too much, Samantha. Karin says you won't be doing any sit-ups for a few days, but that you'll recover nicely."

A light smile graced Shepard's face and her hand came up to cover that of the Asari, keeping it in place over her heart. She spoke quietly. "That's good to hear, Li, but your smile tells me more than your words."

Liara gently stroked Shepard's cheek with her free hand before leaning over and placing a tender kiss on her lips. "I could hardly _believe_ the images that were streaming through the link. Why did you even go _in_ there?"

"I needed to tell him his future fate. I basically arrested him for treason and attempted murder." Shepard frowned. "I'm turning him over to C-Sec when we arrive at the Citadel... now with _two_ attempted murder charges."

Liara's eyes flashed dangerously before she closed them in shame. "You need not worry about turning him over to C-Sec, Commander. I..." She swallowed hard and reopened her eyes; her face twisted with her internal conflict over what she had done. "He's... dead, Shepard."

Shepard blinked quickly, the surprise showing on her face. "The... It was your _warp_, wasn't it." There was no question in Shepard's tone; she knew.

"Yes." Liara nodded slowly. "I'm sorry, Shepard. It... It was unintentional. It was pure _reflex_."

Shepard's fingers wrapped around Liara's hand in comfort as Liara continued, "I understand if you need to... take some form of disciplinary action. I killed a..." Liara paused to consider Javik's status. "... prisoner. _Goddess_. I _killed_ the last living Prothean." Unchecked tears trickled slowly down Liara's cheek and her head dipped.

Shepard's eyes narrowed and her voice was angry. "Don't you worry about _that_, Liara. He _attacked_ a Council Spectre and _you_ acted in my defense. There is nothing illegal, nor amoral, about that. We have no _idea_ what he would have done had you not arrived when you did." Shepard released Liara's hand to put her fingers under the Asari's chin and raise her head; she looked into cloudy blue eyes and used her thumb to brush away some of the tears. "He most _likely_ would have slit my throat. Thank you."

Liara perked up a _little_ at Shepard's comments, but guilt remained in her eyes. "I am still responsible for killing the last remaining Prothean, Shepard."

"No, you're _not_." Shepard cupped her cheek. "He was 50,000 years out of his time and couldn't, or wouldn't, adapt to ours. When he shot Legion and then stabbed me, _he_ made himself the enemy... no different than Cerberus or the Reapers. There is no _way_ you should feel guilty for what you did."

"I suppose." Liara's eyes cleared a little bit. "But the most _important_ thing is that you will be fine. Remind me to thank Miranda yet again... _this_ time for making you immune to poison, along with everything else she did for you." She smiled lightly. "For _us_."

Shepard laughed and then grimaced. "Ooh. Don't make me laugh... my insides don't appreciate that."

"Do you need me to get Karin?" Liara started to rise, but Shepard gently grabbed her by the arm to stop her.

"I'm fine, Li. Really. Stay and talk to me." Shepard smiled as Liara relaxed and sank back into her chair by the bed. "So. How close are we to Ontarom?"

* * *

**Ontarom, Newton, Kepler Verge**

Shepard stood uncomfortably on the command platform in the CIC; she was ill at ease, not because of her injury, but because _she_ was in the CIC and _Ashley_ was leading the ground team, with Liara at her right hand. As usual, Shepard was again healing remarkably fast but had not yet been cleared for combat. It would be at least another 24-hours before _that_ happened and Shepard decided it would be a perfect time to test her resolution to assign missions to others, as she had promised Liara she would do.

Liara had come to her before the mission, prepared for an argument, but Shepard had surprised her by offering up the names of the Ontarom team without her even needing to ask. Liara had instantaneously performed a rare public display of affection and kissed her right in the middle of the CIC, causing Sam's face to turn an incredibly bright shade of red. Samantha Traynor and a number of the surrounding technicians shared a laugh and broad grins in the background, reveling in Shepard's unusual discomfiture.

Uncomfortable as she was with the unfamiliar emotions surrounding others taking the risks she felt she should be assuming, Shepard still smiled at the memory of Liara's lips on hers and she felt the Asari chuckle through the link. _{Sorry, Liara... You need to focus; I don't want you distracted by me.}_

_{I will, Love... Stay focused, that is... I promise. The Alliance civilian informant contacted us and is doing well, but Cerberus is pressing hard. They __**really**__ want something here... Is seems they have been searching for some very particular information. We need to disable and destroy three hacking devices they've placed at critical network access points.}_

Ashley had hit the ground running. They jumped out of the shuttle and had been immediately accosted by Cerberus troops already on site, including Centurions and Engineers with active turrets. Ashley, Liara and Riana quickly handled the Centurions while Garrus overloaded the turret's defenses, only moments before Vega and Campbell shredded the Engineer. Once the personnel were down, tearing the turrets apart was relatively simple.

They received the coordinates for their initial target and the two teams moved quickly through the facility, locating and deactivating the first hacking device with relative ease. The comm terminal suddenly came to life with a panicked Grace Sato. "Commander! Cerberus shuttles are scouring the area... I think they're looking for me!"

Shepard responded to the chatter. "Relax, Grace. Keep communications to a minimum and it will be nearly impossible for them to track you. We'll get a shuttle inbound to you for a pickup."

Ashley came on the line as well. "Nothing's changed, Ms Sato. Just upload the next set of coordinates and we'll shut them down before they find you." Ashley's voice was calm and soothing as she continued, "That was a great job with those _first_ coordinates; they were on the money, Grace. We got it done and now our pilot is prepping a shuttle to head your way. A three-man team led by Garrus Vakarian will secure the area and escort you to safety. He's a Turian, so he's easy to identify and you'll _know_ he's not with Cerberus. Now. How about those coordinates?"

"O... Okay. I..." Grace's voice trembled with fear, but she seemed to find some internal resolve to complete the mission. "Updating your navpoint with the second set of coordinates, Commander Williams."

"Thanks, Ms Sato. Stand by with the last set; we'll be back with you shortly." Ashley cued Garrus to take his team down a side ramp to head to the shuttle as they pressed forward. She didn't see any Cerberus troops between their current location and the new coordinates' site, but there were lots of places to hide. She found the next hacking device fairly easily, but Liara was only half-way through the hack when they came under fire.

Liara squeaked in surprise as the first shots rang off her shields and she ducked down behind cover. _{Liara! You okay?}_

_{I'm fine, Shepard. My shields were full strength and Ashley and Riana are taking care of Cerberus.} _She paused for a few seconds to rattle off a few rounds and toss out a singularity before 'speaking' again, her tone laced with humor._ {Don't worry so much, Love. Everyone here is __**quite**__ capable of taking care of their squad mates... we're actually doing quite well __**without**__ you, Commander.}_

While Liara was teasing, Shepard's 'voice' came back laced with sarcasm_. {Ha ha, Liara. Hilarious. I don't see the humor... It's in my nature to worry about you, Blue. I can't help myself. Not being there is driving me crazy.}_

Shepard could tell there was not a trace of sympathy in Liara's next thought as it wafted over the link. _{Now you know how __**I**__ feel when __**you**__ go off alone. I have to go, Love.}_

With the threat eliminated, Liara stood and completed the hack, Ashley at her side. As soon as the device was disabled and destroyed, Ashley got back on the comm. "Ms Sato, come in."

They were greeted by silence. Riana walked over as Ashley called again. "Grace? You there?"

Riana frowned as she spoke, "Probably scared they'll find her if she breaks radio silence."

Ashley nodded in recognition of the observation and changed her approach. "Ms Sato. Lieutenant Cortez is standing by at your location and Garrus Vakarian is on the ground with his team. If any Cerberus poke their heads out, you don't need to worry about them... they'll be dead in a few minutes and you'll be safely on our shuttle... But we _need_ the last set of coordinates."

A very quiet voice transmitted; it was hard to hear over the background noise. "Can't talk. They're right outside."

"Garrus. Did you catch that?"

"Sure did, Ashley... aaand..." There was a brief pause as Garrus fired his sniper rifle and the lead Centurion collapsed in a heap; Vega and Campbell easily eliminated the two regular troopers as Garrus stood to his full height, docked his rifle and walked toward the entrance of the facility. "... she's safe to talk and open the door. We'll be standing outside it in about ten seconds."

Ashley laughed, "Thanks, Garrus." She turned her attention back to Grace. "I know you're scared, but did you hear all that gunfire just now? That's my team. Give me the coordinates and open your door, Ms Sato. You're home free."

The relief was evident in the woman's voice as she passed the final set of coordinates. "Updating you navpoint with the last location now. _Thank_ you, Commander Williams."

"Thank _you_, Grace. This mission would have been a lot tougher without your help."

When they got a heartfelt thank-you from Grace, Shepard smiled. "Good job, Ash. Any idea how many devices are left?"

"This is the last one, Shepard. We'll be back aboard before you know it." Ashley paused before adding, "And, by the way, Garrus found a set of new Cerberus ciphers. Should help decode some of the crap we've intercepted."

"Thanks, Ash." Shepard took a deep breath and tried to relax a little; it seemed both her old and her new XO had things well in hand.

The final coordinates Grace provided were in the central tower of the communications facility, a location that was much more defensible by Cerberus, and to make matters worse, they had some of their better troops bunkered there, including two Nemesis snipers. The first blast that struck Ashley's shields almost knocked her to the ground. "Damned ninja-wannabes! Those M-98 Widows pack a Hell of a punch!" Her gaze shifted to Liara and Riana. "Can you reach them with a Stasis from here next time one pokes her head out?"

Liara and Riana looked at one another and grinned. Riana smiled, "I've got the Stasis..." and Liara followed on with, "... and we'll do you one better with me following it with a Warp. Anyone in the blast radius will be in for a nasty surprise."

Ashley's eyes widened in surprise. "You can use _Stasis_ as a biotic explosion primer?"

Liara smirked, "_Absolutely_."

"Sweet." Ashley grinned. "I'll provide a fast moving target, so they'll have to stay up a bit longer than normal to get a lock. Should give you ample opportunity."

Riana nodded, an answering smirk on her face as she replied, "Ready when you are, Commander."

* * *

**SSV Normandy, At Large**

Shepard continued to monitor the mission with Samantha Traynor continuously updating the status boards, but didn't completely relax until Cortez had scooped Grace Sato off the deck, the ground team was back aboard the shuttle, and the whole gang was inbound to the Normandy. _{By the Gods, Liara. Is it like this for __**you,**__ every time I go dirt-side without you?}_

Shepard felt Liara smile as she answered. _{Not __**every**__ time... but, yes, Shepard. I am __**always**__ concerned for you, no matter how good a fighter you are.} _Liara paused before continuing to push her thoughts through the link. _{There is the constant fear of that lucky shot... need I remind you of Tuchanka?}_

_{Stop right there, Liara. I love you... and I'll see you in the shuttle bay.}_

Since the shuttle was already enroute, it wasn't long before Cortez had it safely tucked into its docking cradle and the side hatch opened. Ash stood in the doorway and waved everyone off. "You all did good... and that goes for you too, Ms Sato." Ashley gave her an appreciative smile. "Stick with Steve Cortez; he'll be the one to coordinate your follow-on transportation to wherever you need to be next."

When Liara stepped out into the Normandy proper, her eyes immediately sought out Shepard's; when their eyes met, Liara's shone with love and appreciation at the thoughts coming through the link. Even though Liara had told her she was fine, Shepard was still greatly relieved to see her Promised standing before her, uninjured and safely aboard the Normandy once more. Liara sensed a new level of understanding on Shepard's part; truly comprehending the burden of concern she had placed upon Liara's shoulders through some of her rash actions.

Shepard smiled softly as Liara walked over to her. "I sometimes wonder how you put up with me, Dr T'Soni. I can be pretty stubborn... and downright _dense_ when it comes to how much others worry about me; honestly, I'm sorry. How can I even _begin_ to make it up to you?"

"I'll admit, your lack of comprehension can be difficult at times, but I manage," Liara smirked as she responded. "And I think you can begin by joining me in the loft and helping me remove all this armor."

Shepard raised her brow and glanced at Ashley, who responded quickly, "Go. I'm on duty anyway, having to fill out the post-mission report. No sense in both of us losing an open evening."

* * *

The evening wasn't nearly as free as Shepard had anticipated; she and Liara had barely returned to the loft after dinner when the commander was called away to take a call from Admiral Hackett. It didn't matter that Lieutenant Commander Williams had filed the latest mission report; Shepard was the voice of the Normandy and that's who Hackett wanted to speak to... especially considering the _first_ report that had hit the Admiral's desk earlier in the day.

"I read the report on your Prothean crewman, Shepard. The operations side of the house is fine with it, but to say the Research Division is livid would be a gross understatement. They felt he should have been delivered to them as soon as he woke... to get as much advanced weapons data as they could out of him. But I don't want you to worry about it; it'll all blow over by the time the war is over." Hackett shrugged his shoulders. "Seems everyone is quick to forget everything you've already delivered... the Krogan, the Rachni... both the Quarian and the Geth fleets... So, I imagine they'll forget about the dead Prothean just as quickly."

"I wish I shared your optimism, Admiral." Shepard grimaced. "My fear is once the war is over, they'll be more than happy to point out all our mistakes, forgetting that we just saved all their collective asses."

"You might be right, Shepard, but I doubt it." Hackett cracked a smile and looked down for a moment to regain his composure. "I think it will be a very long time before they forget who _you_ are, so I think you're safe."

"The Hell with _me_, Sir. I'm more concerned of what they'll try to do to _Liara_."

Hackett squared his shoulders and pointed adamantly at the screen. "Not a thing, damn it, or I'll personally take them out back and bury them. Dr T'Soni has done more for our chances to win this war than _anyone_ and, by God, I'll see to it that they all understand that."

Shepard smiled at the vehemence in Hackett's statement. "Thank you, Sir. I'll make sure to pass that on to Liara."

"You do that." Hackett settled down and straightened his jacket. "Now. Good job on Ontarom. Our communication station is secure again and operations in the sector can proceed as scheduled. I'd expect nothing less from you."

"Don't thank me, Sir. I was standing in the CIC still recovering from that damn stab wound. Ashley Williams ran the op."

"Well then, you tell her she did a damn fine job. I assume you are now on your way to the Citadel to resupply?" Hackett paused and his demeanor turned pensive. "All the gear required for Westmoreland's military honors is awaiting you at the Alliance docks, Shepard. Let me know if there's anything that didn't get requisitioned properly, though I doubt it. Councilor Tevos is well aware of how important this is to you and she most definitely holds you and the Normandy crew in the highest esteem. I'm sure she was very meticulous while she processed your request."

Shepard's brow furrowed with the reminder that Bethany still lay in stasis on the bench at the back of the server room behind the Med Bay. She took in a deep breath and released it as a sigh. "Thank you, Sir. I'm sure everything we need will be there."

* * *

**SSV Normandy, Citadel, Widow System**

The Normandy made immediately for the Alliance docks and was quickly settled into a protected end berth. The Alliance dock workers had received advance warning of her arrival and were standing ready; resupply began before the cargo bay was fully opened. A major from the Alliance Embassy walked up to Steve Cortez. "I understand you're the ship's requisitions officer? I have a full funereal package ready and waiting." He paused briefly and glanced down at his feet before returning his gaze to the lieutenant before him. "I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your crewman, but I'm privileged to be able to provide the services you require to make sure she's honored the way all good Marines should be." His eyes wandered the loading platform. "Where do you want it?"

Steve swallowed and drew a deep breath. "Just set it on the ramp. We'll deliver it to the Med Bay so the Doc can prepare the body."

After the package was loaded onto the ramp and the major said his farewells, Steve broke open the shipment. He breathed a sigh of relief when he realized what Hackett had provided; the casket was equipped with a mass repulsor generator for ease of movement, and a stasis generator for obvious reasons. There was a funeral grade Alliance flag for draping across the casket, as well as one each of the standard Alliance and Marine display flags with the appropriate poles and bases. Even the personal details had been seen to; it was obvious Bethany was receiving a posthumous Medal of Valor and Hackett had included a new ribbon rack, including her newest award, to replace the now incomplete one on the jacket of her dress blues. Steve smiled sadly in satisfaction; Hackett had done well.

When the gear arrived in the Med Bay, Karin was stoic but Steve could see the grief in the doctor's eyes. Westmoreland wasn't the first crewman Chakwas had lost, nor was Beth likely to be the last, but each and every one of them was like a child Karin had never borne. They were hers to watch over and care for... and she couldn't help but to get attached to them all. She chased Cortez out of the Med Bay and set to work; she had already prepped the body and put Bethany in her dress blues, so all that was necessary was to double-check the function of the casket's stasis generator and change out her ribbon rack.

Once the final preparations had been made, Karin let out a sad sigh and moved the casket to the hangar deck, where Steve Cortez and James Vega had already set up the flag displays in preparation for her arrival. Shepard had asked them to set it up there, with the casket forward of the computer consoles and armor station outside of the elevator; with the shuttles tucked away in their maintenance cribs, it left the entire hangar deck open for the funeral Shepard had announced would take place first thing the next morning at 0800 hours.

* * *

The last few days had been emotionally grueling, so Shepard and Liara had decided to retire to the privacy of the loft early. Hackett had informed them the Normandy would have a full 48 hours of downtime for resupply and to ensure they had enough time to complete the preparations and service for Lance Corporal Bethany Westmoreland. Liara had attempted to work, but had finally given up and settled into the bed, drawing Samantha to her in a comforting embrace.

It wasn't long before the exhausted Asari was sound asleep, her breathing deep and rhythmic, but Shepard simply could not sleep, even in the arms of her _I__onúin álainn__._ She had slid quietly from the bed and dressed, and found herself leaning against the back of the elevator as she silently waited for it to descend to the hangar deck. The car's movement gradually came to a halt, the transition so subtle it nearly could not be felt. The split doors retracted into their recesses, allowing the commander to view the entire hangar bay.

The object that caught and held her gaze was something so totally out of place on the Normandy that Shepard felt an irresistible urge to wipe her eyes to be sure of what she was seeing… a military casket, silk lined and clad in gleaming stainless steel and titanium, placed on the exact centerline of the hangar bay with the head towards the starboard side… the temporary place of repose for a Marine that had come to mean _so_ much to the Normandy ground teams. To lose Bethany to friendly fire was… difficult... almost beyond comprehension. The Commander silently vowed to retake Earth... that Beth would be returned home to be interred on Terran soil.

Shepard had seen no advantage to having Bethany or Sarah Campbell guard a virtually unused passageway between the CIC and the War Room, so had begun including the former privates on ground missions, where both had proven themselves to be very capable fighters many times over. _Westie's_ death had hit the crew hard, none more so than Shepard. Bethany had been her 'six' on Tuchanka when she had been downed by a sniper's bullet; Westmoreland's quick action had saved Shepard's life by preventing her tumble into a huge crater… the very same crater where, only moments later, an explosion within it claimed the life of Turian Lieutenant Adrian Victus.

Shepard sighed as she shoved away from the rear wall of the elevator car and slowly stepped out to walk towards the front of the vast, nearly empty space… towards the casket, standing alone with an Alliance flag draped over its top. She looked about as she walked around to the right side… no one else was down here, not even Vega or Cortez. Samantha carefully pulled the top edge of the heavy flag up and neatly folded it over to bare the upper third of the casket's top surface, then released the hidden latch and slowly lifted the 'viewing' lid, allowing it to hang just past its balance point on its silken check straps.

She gripped the edge of Bethany's bier, gazing for the first time since the dreadnought at the relaxed face of a young woman – scarcely more than a child – eyes closed as if in peaceful slumber, her body embraced by a stasis field – one last endeavor by the living to ward off the effects of decay on the dead. Shepard tried, but the tears could not be stopped, and a choked sob escaped her before she could prevent it. She squeezed her eyes shut as she covered her mouth and nose with her right hand.

She had not allowed herself to openly grieve for Bethany, keeping her emotions in check since the mission on the Geth dreadnaught, as she publicly presented a façade of the ship's officer in charge. Now, alone in this place with the evidence of her failure before her, nothing she could do would impede the raw emotions from spilling over. She slowly sank to her knees beside the cold steel, her grip on the casket's edge turning her knuckles white. _By the Gods, why take Bethany? What did she __**ever**__ do to deserve such a miserably painful end to her life?_

There were no answers in the empty hangar, no sounds other than the distant hum of the ME core, whining cry of the H3 turbo pumps, thrumming environmental drivers and cooling fans. She folded her torso down and wept silently, the raw emotions of grief and loss wracking her body with sobs. Of all the people that had died on her watch, Shepard swore she would not blame herself for Bethany's death… that was on the Quarians… more precisely, Admiral Han'Gerrel vas Neema. As long as she lived she would _never_ forgive that miserable little son of a bitch for unnecessarily causing the death of a member of her ground team. Still, it _was_ another name; one more to add to the long list of names in the back of her personal journal.

She had tried her damnedest to save Bethany, tried to stem the flow of air past a ripped seal in her suit; had it been a simple hole – a small tear in the fabric, there might have been a chance. It finally came down to a matter of time… as rapidly as Legion had flown them to the ship, the Geth fighter was as open to space as the dreadnaught. They simply could not get Bethany into a stasis chamber before her brain succumbed to the lack of oxygen and her tissues froze from exposure to the minus 270 degree temperature of deep space. _Damn it, Sam! Get ahold of yourself! _ Shepard finally managed to regain her feet, to stand once again beside Bethany's coffin.

She steeled herself and gazed for the last time at Beth's face, trying to recall the good times. Her most recent memories were from the Geth dreadnaught after they had freed Legion – she had 'welcomed' the resulting Geth counter-assault, saying _'I love a good 'foe-fry'_ before lighting up the cloaked Primes with her Arc Projector; or on Cyone, where she had laughed as she toasted nearly a dozen husks with one shot from the same weapon – she had fired her last shot to drop the shields of a number of Marauders just before Shepard let loose with a biotic charge. What Shepard felt most of all was regret… regret that her position as Captain forced her to remain somewhat aloof from the enlisted ranks, preventing her from getting to know her troops, one-on-one, as friends.

Shepard placed a hand gently on the protective viewing glass that kept the stasis field from being disturbed. She hung her head as she whispered, "_Codladh sámh_, Bethany. You will not be forgotten." She returned to her full height and gazed at the serene young face once more; as she heard the soft hiss of the elevator door segments retracting, she quickly scrubbed her face with her hands to wipe away her tears before looking toward the elevator.

"Skipper? I saw you from the observation windows on deck four." Ashley Williams walked towards her as she continued in a voice full of concern, "Are you okay, Shepard?"

"No, Ash, I am most definitely _not_ okay." Shepard's mouth was set in a grim line, her eyes cloudy green ice. "I will _never_ be okay until the people that work with me aren't in danger of being killed by the stupidity of the people in charge, people that should think about _more_ than their own selfish need to grandstand at the expense of others."

Williams reached out, tentatively placing a hand on her friend's upper arm, knowing there was nothing she could say that would help, but trying nonetheless. "I wanted to come down here for a bit of 'alone' time…" Ashley's voice hitched as she continued, "…with 'Westie'… before the service tomorrow." Ash sighed as she looked at Beth and took a moment to gather her emotions before continuing, "I am so sorry this happened, Shepard. I wish I had been on that ship with you… Perhaps I could have done… something… to help. All I could do from here was listen to the team's suit-comms. Everything seemed to be going okay, even with the bombardment from the Quarian fleet."

Shepard turned and engulfed Williams in a hug. "Thanks Ash. Perhaps you could have helped her at that. Maybe you could have grabbed her and kept her from falling... like she did for me back on Tuchanka. It still wouldn't excuse that _idiot_ Admiral's actions." Shepard sighed as she let go of her friend. "I wonder if he would have been so damned cavalier about someone dying if it had been Rael'Zorah's daughter; her suit ripped open and her lungs sucking vacuum as she slowly froze to death. It could just as easily have been Tali on my six instead of Bethany. What the Hell would his excuse have been then?"

Ashley did not respond, choosing instead to place both hands on the edge of the open casket and bow her head in silent prayer for Westmoreland. After a minute, she raised her head and looked around to Shepard, who silently nodded. Ashley reached up and slowly pulled the lid back over, gently closing and latching it; drawing the Alliance flag back up, she repositioned it evenly across the top and gently, almost reverently, smoothed the wrinkles away.

Backing away from the casket to stand beside her commander, she glanced at Shepard who, as if in response to an unheard order, came to full attention and snapped a salute; Ashley echoed her movements exactly, each holding their salute for a five-count before smartly dropping their arms to their sides. Shepard broke her stance and turned to her friend. "Let's get some shut-eye, LC. We can say our final good-byes along with the crew tomorrow."

"Sounds good, Skipper." Ashley forced a smile and turned toward the elevator. "It's been a long day."


	49. A Glimmer of Hope

Notes:

APC - Armored Personnel Carrier

_Gráim thú_ \- I love you (Irish/Gaelic)

_I__onúin álainn_ \- beautiful beloved (Irish/Gaelic)

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

* * *

**A Glimmer of Hope**

**SSV Normandy, Citadel, Widow System**

Liara woke as Shepard slipped back into their bed and immediately felt an uneasy tension through the link; she silently slid over and wrapped an arm comfortingly around her _Siame,_ drawing her into a spoon position as she whispered quietly, "I love you, Sam. Is everything alright?"

Shepard spun in place to roll onto her back and raised her right arm so Liara could snuggle into her shoulder. Looking deep into the Asari's concerned eyes, she answered, "I'm fine, Li, but I'm certainly _not_ looking forward to the morning's memorial service."

Liara sighed softly and her right hand stroked soothingly up and down Shepard's toned abs; she never got tired of drinking in Samantha's wonderful physique and she suddenly shivered guiltily, somewhat ashamed she could be thinking of such a thing with what was to happen the very next morning aboard the Normandy.

The thoughts slipped through the link and brought a light smile to the commander's face; she teasingly flexed her stomach muscles under Liara's fingers and drew her own fingers tantalizingly up Liara's neck ridges, causing her lover to gasp out her name.

"Samantha!" Liara felt desire blossom and found it necessary to press her hips against Shepard's muscular thigh in an effort to satisfy the sudden hot throb in her core. She closed her eyes to avoid Sam's penetrating stare as her arm contracted tightly around her Promised. "Goddess."

Encouraged by Liara's response, Shepard left her thigh in place and rolled over top of the Asari, enveloping her in an all-consuming kiss. Her right hand remained clasped about Liara's neck, gently fingering the tender folds she found there while her left slipped down to grasp a butt cheek, pulling Liara even tighter against her as she began to slowly undulate her hips. Shepard felt searing wetness dampen her thigh as she whispered, "There is no need to feel guilty for wanting to celebrate _life_, Liara. The best tribute we can _give_ those who have died for the cause is to take full advantage of the chances their sacrifices have given _us_... To live our lives to the fullest." Shepard stopped any attempt at a response by sealing Liara's lips with yet another passionate kiss, leaving her lover both breathless and desperate.

_{Meld with me, I__onúin álainn__. Share in the love I hold for you and let me worship at the temple of your body.} _When they opened in response to Shepard's request, Liara's obsidian eyes glistened with unshed tears; the emotions flooding the meld were overwhelming in their intensity. Shepard's hands played her like a fine instrument and Liara's voice rose to the heavens, in harmony with the tune being played on her body; she quaked and trembled as they climbed to the symphony's crescendo, before finally crashing back to the solidness of the bed beneath them.

Liara collapsed to the bed, the strength with which she had held Shepard close to her gone as she gasped for air in fleeting exhaustion. Shepard continued her devotions, nibbling her way down the folds of Liara's neck to suck on the pulse point above the Asari's collar bone. She gently massaged a pair of blue freckled breasts and dropped her head a bit more to wrap her tongue endearingly about a stiffening tip, suckling it quickly to a hard point. Liara's strength returned as she caught her breath and she arched into Shepard's attentions. "By the Goddess, Samantha..."

Shepard was still parked on Liara's thigh, and the Asari used the leverage to lift her Promised off-balance and flip her over onto her back, grabbing both of Samantha's wrists and pinning her hands over her head as she delivered a crushing kiss to the commander's lips. It was Samantha's turn to groan with desire as she arched into the Asari above her, her hips eagerly thrusting to find contact. Liara dropped her body down and used her feet to push Shepard's legs apart so the Human had no leverage to fight back. The action was so fast, she easily pinned Sam's hips to the bed with only her weight, but still cheated and lit up with biotics, using a stasis bubble on Sam's wrists so she could free up her own hands.

Her hands remained lit with a soft blue glow and Liara grinned mischievously. "Remember the closet of the SR-1, Samantha?" Liara's hands started to trail teasingly down Shepard's body, arcing softly with power, sending little jolts of lightening throughout her system and making every nerve ending in Shepard's body stand at attention.

"Oh, Gods!" Shepard ground out the words as her body tried to turn itself inside out with pleasure. "That's... not... fair," she growled, as her whole body trembled in ecstasy. Liara's lips and tongue tortured Sam's breasts as her hands wove tantalizingly along the commander's body, across the incredible abs that were now rock-hard with Liara's stimulation, and down to the source of Shepard's heat. "Liara!" The cry was urgent with want.

Liara's stomach fluttered with exhilaration, knowing she was so easily driving Shepard to the brink of rapture. She slid down Samantha's body, whose momentarily free hips bucked wildly into the air seeking to renew solid contact. Liara repositioned and trapped those hips once again, to begin thrusting slowly inside Sam's core with her fingers, still tinged with power. Shepard fought against the weight holding her still, frustrated with being barely able to rock her hips. "Please, Liara! By the Gods!"

Shepard exhaled sharply with a brief cry of surprise when the first biotic pulse snapped across her clit and her body instantly reacted by soaking Liara's hand. The Asari purred in satisfaction and leaned in, plunging her fingers deep as she caught Sam's swollen pink bud in her mouth to quickly stroke the shaft with her tongue; she repeatedly withdrew her fingers and plunged them in again, curling them forward to put pressure on that tender inside wall with every thrust.

Samantha moaned and writhed helplessly on the bed, her hands still pinned above her head, as Liara finally settled into a fast, non-teasing rhythm. Shepard's legs started to shake just before her entire body clamped down tight around the Asari; it lasted only a brief moment before she climaxed and the flood coated Liara's face and hand. Shepard's hips pumped through a series of greedy licks and sucks as Liara continued to collect everything Samantha was offering. "Li." Shepard was gasping and didn't have enough air in her lungs to utter more than a single word at a time. "Li... Please... Mercy... Hands."

Liara started in surprise; she had completely forgotten that Sam's hands were still trapped over her head and banished the stasis with a flick of her wrist. Shepard groaned in relief as her arms became free and she lowered her hands to gingerly stroke Liara's top crest. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and held it for a moment, the flutter in her chest finally slowing and letting her breathe regularly again. Her eyes refused to open again and last thing she remembered was Liara curling back up against her side and her lover's voice softly answering the thoughts trailing through the link. "I love you too, _Siame_."

* * *

Shepard woke to a soft caress across her cheek; her eyes opened and finally focused on a hovering blue form above her. "Good morning, love."

"Hmmm. Good morning." Shepard's hand raised and curled around the back of Liara's neck, gently drawing her down for a tender kiss. She released the Asari and stretched with a big grin on her face. "You? Up before _me_? You must have worn me out last night, T'Soni."

Liara's cheeks turned a deeper shade of blue and her lips curled into an embarrassed smile. "I've told you before that your body is a dangerous thing with which to tempt me, Commander."

Laughing, Shepard surged up and wrapped her arms around the Asari, pulling her very suddenly off her feet and down onto the bed. Liara squeaked in surprised protest, only to dissolve into laughter as Samantha proceeded to plant little kisses all over her face. When she finally stopped, both were grinning broadly; Liara was captivated by the soft expression on Sam's face and fell completely silent under Shepard's loving gaze. Soft green eyes peered down at her and Sam's thumb moved to tenderly stroke across the freckles on Liara's cheek. "_Gráim thú_, Liara T'Soni. So _very_ much."

Liara's heart melted and she pushed herself up to place her lips against those of her lover, running a hand through her tousled auburn locks. "And I, you, Samantha. Unto Eternity."

Hearing the closing phrase from when they bound their promise bracelets on each other's wrists struck Shepard directly in the heart. Her voice dropped to a hushed whisper. "Oh, Li. What would I ever do without you?"

Liara was deadly serious as she answered, "Let's make sure you never have to find out."

* * *

**Citadel, Widow System, Serpent Nebula**

Tevos' face paled to the point where it was difficult to see her light blue tattoos and Aethyta's concern was evident in her words as she prompted the councilor, "Rae! Sit _down_ before you pass out and hurt yourself." She paused only briefly until another thought hit her. "Nizia! I know you're there, off-screen _somewhere_," she said in a louder voice. "Get her something to drink. Something _strong_!"

"It's... happening. Isn't it?" Tevos spoke haltingly as she sank slowly into the chair behind her desk. "Goddess. We're too _late_."

"Fuck _that_, Tevos! Pull your shit _together_!" Aethyta growled at the screen. "It's only an initial landing... Be glad it isn't an all-out assault like what happened on Earth and Palaven! _That_ means there's still time to find what we need. Get the word out about the Reapers' arrival in Armali... maybe it will be enough to scare those damned old crones into finally _doing_ something."

Tevos squared her shoulders. "You're absolutely correct, Thyta. I need to go. We're obviously very nearly out of time." Tevos rose from her chair and waived off the drink Nizia attempted to place in her hand, wanting a clear head for the discussions in her immediate future.

"_Drink_ it, Rae," Aethyta ordered. "It will calm your nerves for when you talk to those stubborn, asinine matriarchs."

Tevos hesitated for only a second before taking Aethyta up on what she considered a rather... _forceful_... suggestion. "Perhaps that's not such a bad idea after all." Her body trembled as she swallowed the contents of the glass in a single gulp. She stared at the holo screen. "Keep your head down, Thyta. We'll need you and your engineering team when this is all over. Stay alive."

Aethyta's voice went surprisingly gruff, even more so than normal. "Yeah. Well... You too, Rae. And if you see even a _hint_ of Reapers in the Nebula, get your ass onto the Destiny Ascension; you, Sha'ira, and all the staff! You hear me?"

A light smile flitted, however briefly, over the councilor's face. "Yes, Matriarch."

As soon as Aethyta's visage faded from the comm unit, Tevos looked at Nizia. "I want a tight monitor on _all_ the communications feeds. I need to know what each and every matriarch is doing in response to my announcement. Inform me when I can make the call."

It was less than an hour after Tevos made her announcement across the public communications net on Thessia when she got results; Nizia handed her a transcript of one particular call that was of great interest. "Thank the Goddess! I can only hope we're not too late. I need to contact Shepard immediately!"

* * *

**Cronos Station, Anadius, Horse Head Nebula**

Not much time had passed since Maya had returned from her mission, yet she had already been cleared for normal duty by the doctor in the medical wing – he had removed her cast after scanning the bones in her forearm and pronouncing the ulna healed enough to enable her normal and pain-free use of the arm. As much as she disliked TIM, he certainly ensured they had top-of-the-line technology in every field he could influence... and that included the medical field. Had she remained in the colonies, Maya would have expected a healing period of ten days instead of only two, so she was forced to grudgingly thank the man, though she'd never be able to force herself to utter the words aloud.

She was as rejuvenated as she could possibly be, having taken time to soak yet again in a tub of very warm water laced with oils and bath salts. _Who __**knows**__ how long it will be before I see civilization again?_ Leaving the cafeteria after downing a good-sized breakfast, she reluctantly made the climb to the chamber with the reflective floor panels and the expansive view of the dying red giant Anadius. The Illusive Man had a new mission for her.

She stood to the left and slightly behind the man's 'throne' and waited as he finished his glass of bourbon and lit another cigarette. Saying "Rasa…" as he blew a cloud of smoke to his right, he continued with, "I trust you're ready for another assignment?" His tone was as much question as statement.

"I just hope it doesn't have anything to do with the Blue Suns."

TIM chuckled as he took another drag from his cigarette. "We're done with them, at least for the foreseeable future. What I have for you will be a larger operation. You'll be leading a team to Thessia… I need you to recover an artifact from Serrice." He held up a datapad. "Take this, study the particulars, memorize everything about the locations and learn all you can about possible opposition, from the Asari… the Systems Alliance, and… from the Reapers."

"The Reapers? They've arrived? On Thessia?" Maya had seen vids showing the destruction happening on Earth… on Palaven. She didn't think the blue squids would pose much opposition, and the Alliance forces had proven totally ineffectual at holding back or stopping the Reapers. _I better not have to encounter any of the black monsters on this mission,_ came the unvoiced thought.

"The Reapers have begun their assault, but they are not there in any great number… _yet_." The Illusive Man stubbed his cigarette out. "The artifact I need you to recover is of Prothean origin, and it is absolutely imperative that it _not_ be destroyed by the Reapers _or_ fall into the hands of the Alliance."

Maya glanced at the datapad as her mind churned through the implications of TIM's statements. "I'm leading a team? Based on the intercepted message, this… _artifact_… must be pretty large. Transportation?"

"You'll be flying in a Cerberus heavy corvette." TIM held his right hand up to receive another tumbler of bourbon on the rocks, delivered with quiet efficiency by one of several women he had at his beck and call. He took a sip from the glass before continuing. "Your cargo going _in_ will consist of a pair of A-61 gunships and one M-080 APC. All are expendable should you find yourself needing extra space in the corvette or if you need to make a quick exit."

He swirled the ice in his glass as he continued, "You'll have a dozen assault troopers at your disposal, plus the pilots and drivers for the heavy corvette, the A-61's and the APC. You'll need to reconnoiter the area from the air _before_ you set the ship down to deploy the APC. Each of your gunships is painted in a standard Asari camo pattern, so ought to be indistinguishable from their own gunships. The transponder codes are legit as well. You _should_ blend right in, especially if you assist Asari units by taking out some of the Reaper ground forces they'll be engaging."

Maya looked at the datapad in her hand and considered all he had told her. "How much time do we have?"

"Your ship is being prepped as we speak… equipment is being loaded." He took a sip from his glass, set it down and looked around at her; the unblinking gaze from his implanted eyes was a bit unnerving. "You'll leave first thing in the morning." Sensing her dismissal, Maya turned to leave before stopping to look back over her shoulder as the Illusive Man's cold voice sounded once again. "Do not fail me on this, Ms Brooks. If you have _any_ doubts... or any questions about how to proceed or what you need to do once you arrive at the designated coordinates, contact me directly. This is much too important for mistakes; I will not tolerate a failure to get what I need… Understood?"

Maya was suddenly unsure of herself; swallowing hard, she replied with as much bravado as she could muster, "Understood."

* * *

**SSV Normandy, Citadel, Widow System**

Commander Shepard stood in front of the entire crew of the Normandy, the casket containing the body of Lance Corporal Bethany Westmoreland at her back. She looked at the metal plaque she was holding; etched with Beth's name, it would be placed on the Normandy's memorial wall after the service she was about to lead. Looking up at the crew assembled in front of her, she shifted the plaque to her left hand and cleared her throat. The soft murmuring of multiple conversations fell silent… even the ship seemed to assume a deathly silence, the normal sounds of constantly running equipment muted, as if in respect. "Detail, Ten-hut!"

Everyone on the deck snapped to attention. Shepard paused for only a moment before issuing her next order, "Parade, Rest!" Everyone shifted at the same time, placing their feet slightly apart and clasping their hands behind their backs.

"We are gathered here this morning to give thanks for the life of Lance Corporal Bethany Francis Westmoreland, to commend her soul to the Gods and to seek their comfort for all who mourn."

"Bethany Westmoreland was the very essence of honor, of duty, of courage. She touched each of our lives in a different way and while most of us knew her as a comrade-in-arms, some had the privilege to call her friend. She was an example of the best of humanity, whose natural talent was limitless, who proved over and over that she needed neither rank nor title to lead and fight for the cause of humanity's survival against any and all, whether it was augmented Cerberus soldiers, the spawn of the Reapers, or Reaper controlled Geth."

"Today is an opportunity to say thank you for the way you brightened our lives, even though the Gods granted you but half a life. We all say we are prepared to give our life in defense of the ideals and freedoms we choose to protect but, under normal circumstances, relatively few of us are ever actually called upon to do so. We all feel cheated that you were taken from us so young, and yet we must learn to be thankful that you came along at all. Only now that you are gone can we truly appreciate what has been taken from us; our lives and our futures are, in part, a gift from you."

Shepard fell silent as her eyes swept the faces of the crew assembled in front of her before finishing with, "When our time comes, we all pray we have the fortitude and the strength to face it as Lance Corporal Bethany Westmoreland did...without hesitation, without regret, duty and honor foremost in our minds." Shepard's voice hitched as she concluded, "Today, we lay a good..." Shepard paused for an instant and then continued, "...no... a _great_ Marine to rest. Our force is the lesser for it."

Shepard let the echo of her words in the hangar bay die out before she snapped to attention and barked, "Detail, Ten-hut!" Shepard turned in place to face the dull silver casket; she remained ramrod straight as she called out, "Present...Arms!" Every member snapped a salute in near perfect unison before the plaintive wail of a single horn played a song that Liara had heard only once before... at the memorial service for Kaidan Alenko. As the last note waivered and died, the commander dropped her salute and turned back to face the assembled crew. "Order...Arms!"

Shepard dropped her head and once more looked at the plaque she was turning in her hands before glancing back up. "As soon as we're done here, I'm going to mount Bethany's name plate on the Memorial Wall. All of you are welcome to join me, should you so desire." Her voice rose in volume and picked up an edge as she continued, "Until we retake Sol and we can truly take her _home_, Beth will stay at her _current_ home... with us on the Normandy, in the Life Support area; you can all pay your private respects there, as time allows." The commander's hands dropped back to her sides as she boomed, "Crew!… Dismissed!"

Shepard glanced at Liara, who willingly accompanied her to the Memorial Wall. Ashley followed quickly behind, as did Tali and the rest of the ground crew, including Sarah Campbell. Shepard looked her way and held out the placard, but Sarah simply shook her head. "No, Commander. You do it. Bethany had the utmost respect for you and, if she's watching over us, she'll have the biggest shit-eating grin you've ever seen, plastered all over her face when you kick the Reapers' asses."

Shepard let out a small huff of laughter, which faded quickly as she turned to the wall and looked once more at the plaque. All the plates were magnetic, so mounting it to the wall was as easy as placing it where she wanted it and letting go; the metallic _clink_ as it snapped into place was deafening in the silence. "You really did _love_ being a Marine. I'll miss you on my six, Beth."

The small group stood and chatted for a while, individual members finally drifting off until only Tali remained behind. Shepard could tell something was bothering her, so gave Liara a nudge through the link. Liara sighed, "I need to get back to the Brokerage, Shepard. See you in the loft later."

After Liara disappeared around the corner, Shepard stepped closer to her Quarian sister. "What's going on Tali?"

Tali continued looking down for several moments before finally looking up at Bethany's name. "I don't know, Shepard. Perhaps he _should_ be removed as admiral of the heavy fleet. There was no reason to destroy that Geth ship once it was disabled – we could have safely retreated back through the relay. I'm so sorry." Tali gulped, than added, "She really enjoyed lighting up those Primes."

Shepard laid her arm across Tali's shoulder and gave her a quick squeeze. "Yeah, she did, Tali. She most certainly did."

"Shepard." Edi's voice cut in over the comm. "I know you directed we not interrupt the ceremony, but I assume that restriction is now passed?"

Shepard dropped her arm and stared up at the monitoring camera. "Yes, it is, Edi. What's up?"

"Councilor Tevos has forwarded an urgent request for your presence in the Alliance Embassy Office." Edi paused only momentarily before continuing, "The tenor of her voice indicated extreme stress."

"I'm on it, Edi. Can you please notify Dr T'Soni to meet me at the airlock?" Ignoring Edi's response, which she was sure would be yes, her attention turned back to Tali. "We'll talk about this later, Tali. Just know that nothing _you_ did, or _didn't_ do, could have changed the outcome of that encounter. Gerrel was determined to get a fight... and he did. That is not on you."

"As for whether or not he's removed, that will be up to the Quarian people... probably after the war." Shepard glanced at the newest name on the wall one last time. "I've got to run, but we _will_ talk later. I promise."

* * *

**Citadel, Widow System, Serpent Nebula**

"What does the councilor need to see us for, Shepard?" Liara had met the commander at the airlock as requested, and was surprised at the pace Sam had set getting to the embassies.

"No idea, Li, but Edi said her voice was extremely stressed." In her shock, Liara almost stopped walking, but shook herself and took a couple of running steps to catch back up to Shepard.

Through the link, she had caught a glimpse of Shepard's fear. "The Reapers! You believe they've arrived on Thessia?"

"Yes, I do." Shepard hopped up the last few steps to the hallway that led to the embassy offices. "I'm just not sure what we're supposed to do about it. Tevos' message gave nothing away."

As the doorway to the Human embassy slid open, Liara glanced worriedly at Shepard. "I suppose we're about to find out."

They walked in and Tevos turned to them quickly, "Commander Shepard. Dr T'Soni. Thank you for coming." Shepard could see the stress on the councilor's normally serene face; she was quite obviously deeply concerned about something. Tevos made a gesture indicating they should proceed out to the balcony. As they walked, she spoke quietly. "The situation is growing urgent for my people." She glanced at Liara, her voice ringing with anxiety. "Reapers have been seen on the outskirts of Armali."

Liara's face reflected horror as she drew in a deep breath. Tevos continued, "I've spoken with Aethyta and, thus far, they are safe and undetected. They are going silent, so we won't hear from them again until after the war." Tevos closed her eyes for a brief moment as she whispered a pleading prayer, "May the Goddess watch over them."

They stepped onto the balcony and the door closed behind them. As soon as it sealed, Tevos laid a hand gently on Shepard's arm. "But that is not why I called you here. I put a monitor on all the Matriarchal communications when I made the public announcement and we intercepted a communication regarding a certain artifact and the necessity to move it to safety." Tevos glanced around nervously before she continued as she handed Shepard a data pad. "It is kept in a temple located at these coordinates. I've ordered a scientific team to meet you there."

Shepard frowned and handed the datapad to Liara. "Thank you, Tevos. We'll head there immediately and pray it holds information on the catalyst."

Liara's brow wrinkled in consternation. "These coordinates are for the Temple of Athame at Serrice university!" Shepard raised her brows in question and waited patiently for Liara to continue. The Asari shook her head and glared at the pad as if it was the source of her feelings of betrayal. "I was there for 45 _years_! I was studying the _Protheans_, for Goddess sake, and no one ever thought to even _mention_ the presence of such an important artifact?"

Tevos' eyes opened wide as she issued a retort, "Liara! Very few people actually know what is _in_ that temple! No insult intended, but they _certainly_ wouldn't have trusted such a high-level government secret to a flighty maiden less than 100 years old, no matter who you were or _what_ you were studying!"

Shepard couldn't help but smirk at the look of righteous anger that flashed across Liara's face. The Asari's eyes flashed with frustration and drilled through the commander. "You think this is _funny_? Think about how much _easier_ this whole war could have been had they listened to that _'flighty_ _maiden'_ when she wrote her thesis on the Prothean extinction! Think of the _people_ we could have saved, Shepard!"

"Damn it." What little joy Shepard had received from Liara's expression died abruptly and she shook her head sadly. "You're right, Li. I know." She shrugged as she continued, "But it's just a bunch of _'what ifs'_ and _'could have beens'_ that never materialized... So, we have to work with what we've _got_."

Liara felt the undeserved remorse crushing the commander's heart, so she reached over and placed a hand on Sam's shoulder. "You are correct. I'm sorry, Shepard. My anger comes from frustration and should not be directed at anyone here, _especially_ you. _You_ have believed in me from the very beginning, even more than I believed in _myself_. I hate to say it, but our entire culture pushes us in such a direction and it will be very difficult to change."

Shepard's face still reflected the hurt of Liara's indirect accusation, but she took a deep breath and responded quietly. "But if anyone can do it, _you_ can."

Liara shook herself and looked to Shepard, her unspoken heartfelt apology flowing through the link to bolster the commander's spirit. "Perhaps. But _that_ fight is for another time; for now, we need to get to the University of Serrice."

* * *

**Thessia, Parnitha, Athena Nebula**

Maya Brooks stood quietly behind the pilots of _Eva's Vortex_, the heavy corvette assigned to bring Cerberus troops, equipment and her to this squid-infested planet, all to find and recover... actually _steal..._ an artifact; one of great importance to the Illusive Man. She had spent much of the previous evening and most of the trip here from Cronos Station studying the different types of Reaper ground forces she was likely to encounter, along with ins and outs of the temple itself. Maya felt certain their main opposition would be the Reaper Harvesters; the damned things were like an evil version of the A-61 gunship; they were capable of faster atmospheric flight, equipped with extremely effective armor and kinetic barriers, and boasted a pair of devastatingly powerful heavy cannons.

The basic design of _Eva's Vortex_ was quite ordinary, drawing as it did (as _all_ Cerberus vessels must) from those of the Systems Alliance. It certainly wasn't the _newest_ vessel in the Illusive Man's fleet, but it _had_ been substantially upgraded since the start of the Reaper war. Cerberus had experienced no difficulty in copying the best of the original SSV Normandy's stealth systems during construction of the Normandy SR-2... and everything learned during the construction of _that_ ship had been retro-applied to the _Vortex._

Repainting the hull nightshade black was the least of the modifications made; the ship's entire drive core had been replaced, heat sinks were redesigned and improved for efficiency, thrusters had been reconfigured and the computer servers were updated with the latest programming; all done to ensure the ship would be virtually indistinguishable from the vacuum in which it operated. Additionally, a few key sections of the main computer and the transponder had been augmented with parts gleaned from Sovereign, the Reaper destroyed in 2183 by the combined fleets at the Citadel; other Reapers would _read_ the ship as being just another Reaper, thus ignoring its passage.

The plan was to launch one of the two onboard A-61s as they flew at high altitude over the metropolis of Serrice. The gunship would rapidly descend in a tight spiral to within a few hundred meters of the surface so whatever was at the coordinates intercepted by the Illusive Man could be visually inspected. The gunship would then assist the Asari (as well as themselves) by destroying whatever Reaper forces it encountered, with particular emphasis on blowing their Harvesters out of the sky.

Once the area was mapped, the _Vortex_ would touch down only long enough to enable a rapid deployment of the APC, quickly followed by the second A-61 gunship. Each platform would carry four of the twelve assigned assault troops; Maya would ride in the APC to the target location as the gunships provided cover fire and support as required. As soon as the platforms deployed, the corvette would return to an altitude of 3000 meters or more, as required to ensure its safety; the entire operation would be a failure if _anything_ happened to their ride home... and they would most likely all be dead. _And I have __**no**__ intention of going to meet my maker on the damned squid home world!_

The pilot touched his ear for several moments before finally turning to look at Brooks. "Gunship Alpha is ready for launch, Ma'am."

Maya closed her eyes for just a moment as hundreds of thoughts raced through her head. Reopening her eyes, she looked at the pilot and instructed, "Proceed, Captain."

She could feel the ship shudder under her feet as the hangar bay door opened into the wind stream. The pilot flew on straight and level for ten-to-fifteen seconds before executing a climbing turn to port as the door reclosed within the ship's kinetic barrier. "Gunship Alpha is away, Ma'am. Returning to safe altitude."

"Thank you. I'm going to prepare for launch. Call me as soon as they report in."

"Aye-aye, Ma'am."

* * *

Brooks had strapped herself into one of the six seats available inside the cramped APC just before it deployed; she was sitting up front to inspect the terrain as they traveled towards the coordinates furnished by the Illusive Man. The target location was an ancient Asari temple at the southwest edge of the University of Serrice, originally constructed for the study and worship of their ancient goddess, Athame.

Watching the entrance to the temple through the rangefinder, she held a hand up to signal the driver to stop. They were within 500 meters of the temple with a large number of Reaper ground forces in front of them, not the least of which were the numerous Brutes prowling around. Touching her ear mounted comm link, she contacted the pilot of Gunship Alpha and instructed him to bring his wingman and engage the Reaper ground forces in and around the temple entrance.

Observing through the rangefinder again, Maya was pleased to see the two A-61s making short work of all the opposition in front of the temple; they'd even managed to down three of the Harvesters without too much trouble, but their luck didn't hold. A fourth Harvester, no doubt answering a distress call from one of the three previously shot down, popped up seemingly from nowhere and fired three quick shots that caught gunship Alpha in the main stabilizer. The pilot could be heard cursing his luck over the comm as he fought to bring the now unresponsive craft out of its spin; he crashed in a ball of flame 500 meters from the temple.

Grimacing about being down to eight assault troopers, Maya motioned for the driver to resume his approach to the temple entrance as the remaining gunship finished clearing Reaper spawn from their path. As they drew closer, it became apparent the temple had been built on two levels; the main entrance was in front of a depressed landscape feature, with a shallow water pond at the top of several stairs. There was also an entrance on the west side, below what could only be deemed the ground floor, which could be seen from Maya's vantage point in the APC.

As the vehicle pulled up to the clear walls of the lower entrance and stopped, Maya opened the rear hatch and ordered everyone out. The entrance door was locked, but was easily over-ridden. "Once you're inside, separate into two teams and carefully search the place, lower section first. Keep your comm open at all times and bring anyone you find back to me so I can find out how to get to this artifact."

With a whispered 'Yes Ma'am' from each of the squad leaders, they disappeared into the darkened interior to begin their exploration. Maya monitored their conversations as they searched, hoping to get the hunt over quickly so they could get out of this system. She knew the longer they stayed, the greater the chance of something going _seriously_ wrong... and if that happened, she may as well die here and get it over with... because she was confident the Illusive Man wouldn't rest until all those who had failed him were dead.


	50. Lessons in Humility

Notes:

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

SMG - Sub-Machine Gun

* * *

**Lessons in Humility**

**Thessia, Parnitha, Athena Nebula**

The lower levels of the Temple of Athame proved to be a warren of rooms, consisting of large meeting areas paired with what appeared to be small classrooms, filled with multiple datapads and lots of terminals. Having never attended college, Brooks was amazed that so much space was, in her view, wasted on multiple theatre style meeting rooms, with benches and terminal bedecked desks mounted on a semi-circular floor inclined upwards at the rear. Feeling the pinch of time running out, she spared these areas and their adjoining rooms only a cursory inspection before moving onward.

The next level up proved a bit more interesting; holding numerous large laboratories, mostly involved with research into the destruction of the Prothean empire, some 50,000 years ago. Again, Maya failed to understand the squids' fascination with that entire failed civilization. She did not see any indications the Asari were studying the Reapers... neither their origins _nor_ how to destroy them.

Religion had no meaning for Brooks; nothing had ever happened in her miserable life to give her any indication there was some form of benevolent being out there watching out for the greater good. As such, it didn't make any sense to her why an entire structure would have been created for the sole purpose of worshipping a nonexistent goddess. It made _more_ sense as a cover for the illicit study of restricted technology, but why study creatures which had failed to defeat the Reapers. _What possible good can come of such a colossal waste of time?_ She was nearly done inspecting the final laboratory on that floor when shouts rang out from the stairwell, quickly followed by sounds of gunfire and accompanied by a couple of dull thuds some unknown distance up the staircase.

Maya cautiously poked her head past the door and looked up. Seeing no movement, she rapidly ascended the first flight of stairs; one trooper was face down at the top. She carefully rolled him up on his side so she could see his face. She wasn't prepared for his head to loll to the side as she moved him, indicating a broken neck, or for the inside of his visor to be covered in blood.

Maya released the dead soldier as a voice came over her comm. "Met some commandos, Ma'am. Two casualties from biotic attacks, but we managed to kill them before they could cut any more of us down."

Maya responded, "Check your fire… I'm coming up to join you."

She hustled the rest of the way up the stairs; passing the second casualty just outside the door leading to the rear of an enormous chamber. Locating the squad leader was easy… he was standing over a pair of dead Asari commandos stretched out on the floor. She walked up to him and asked, "What happened, Sergeant?"

"Surprised four commandos when we moved into the main part of this… _sanctuary_." He turned and looked up at the huge statue, front and center at the far end of the massive chamber. Turning back to Brooks, he added, "They surprised _us_ as well… and managed to put a dent in _our_ numbers before we could eliminate them," he said glumly.

Maya looked down unhappily at one of the dead squids. The Illusive Man had sent her after an artifact and she was already down to six troopers... with absolutely no idea where it was located, what in the Hell it even _was_, and no idea what kind of opposition she was going to face. Her thoughts were interrupted by chatter from the far corner of the chamber; she waved her troops down into cover behind the rows of benches before she engaged her cloak and started to move.

Silently working her way towards the giant statue at the far end of the chamber, she saw three squids dressed in lab coats chattering among themselves as they casually walked towards the main console at the feet of the statue. Maya dodged to the left, silently running between the front and second row bench to the left end so she could approach them from behind. "Sergeant," she whispered into her comm. "Split your squad… two groups of three, one up the middle, second one up the right aisle." After a moment, she hissed, "I'll cover them from the left side... and don't forget, we need them alive, damn it! They can't talk if they're _dead_!"

Maya waited patiently until both squads had been noticed by the Asari before she uncloaked. Their gasps of surprise quickly gave way to individual attempts to defend themselves. One of the three tossed a singularity at Maya; only her double-strength kinetic barrier kept her from being sucked into the dark-energy maelstrom before it fizzled out. Each of the other two had tossed slams at the troopers; one of which connected, lifting the hapless man seven meters before reversing and smashing him to the floor. His partner rushed to help him as Maya grabbed the nearest squid from behind, with one arm across her chest and a knife pressed against her throat. "Tell those two to _stop_ or I'll paint the floor with your blood!" she hissed in her ear.

The Asari quickly gasped out a cease and desist request to her companions, then turned her head slightly towards Maya. "How _dare_ you desecrate this temple with your violence. What do you _want_, Human?"

Brooks responded by pressing her knife slightly harder against the soft skin of the Asari's throat as she called her squad leader, "Sergeant, take the other two into custody while I extract some information from this squid."

As he led three troopers to the front of the chamber, Maya returned her attention to her captive. "Now, we know there is some technology in here you are attempting to move, either to keep it away from the Reapers or out of Cerberus hands; doesn't matter what your goal was... because you've failed. Show me what we came here to find, and you just may get out of this with your skin intact."

"I'll show you nothing, Human!" came the venomous answer. "I am sworn to protect this shrine and its contents with my very life! The Goddess will welcome me across the sea."

Maya sighed as she deliberately applied pressure and drew her blade across the soft skin, cutting deeper and deeper as it progressed; the Asari gripped Maya's forearm with both hands, desperately attempting to break free of her grasp. Her sudden, terrified scream of pain was silenced almost before it began as her windpipe was slowly sliced open. The sudden rush of thick, blue liquid, forced out through the cut with her exhalation, was aerated into a frothy mix that ran down her chest and spattered out over the floor.

Maya cursed as she dropped her victim to the floor… both her arms and the front of her body armor were coated in blue. She kicked the squirming Asari in the head, the toe of her boot catching her at the back of her neck below her crest; the sudden, intense pain caused her to lose consciousness, where she quietly died within seconds as she finished bleeding out on the floor.

Maya looked up at the two remaining scientists, a savage grin on her face. "Okay, squids. Which of you would like to live to see tomorrow?"

* * *

Maya Brooks was _truly_ pissed off; she had killed all three scientists discovered in the main chamber of the temple after receiving no information whatsoever. She was down to five troopers... the sixth one had a broken back from being biotically slammed to the floor... and still had no idea what she was looking for or how in the Hell to obtain it. She had called in the remaining gunship so they could load their injured soldier before sending it around to the APC location to extricate the driver and gunner from the vehicle – it would be left behind, but Maya saw no point in leaving the crew behind if she didn't need to; besides which, they could use the spare gunner on the gunship and the driver could be fodder, even if he _wasn't_ any good with an assault rifle.

Angry as she was, she knew there would be someone else even _more_ unhappy if she ignored his orders to contact him with any questions, so she sent the gunship back up to a safe altitude to loiter while she placed a call to the Illusive Man.

Surprisingly, when the connection was made he appeared… pleased. "Rasa. I take it from your expression and the blood on your armor that things have not gone well."

"That would be an understatement, Sir." She really hated having to show respect to this man, much less humility, but it was part of the game she was playing. "Lost a gunship to a Harvester, lost two troopers to a commando attack inside. Three scientists we discovered were tough… one of 'em got off a lucky biotic attack – broke a trooper's back, so I'm down to five effective soldiers, plus the driver and gunner from the APC. There's a console at the feet of the huge statue inside, but all our efforts to hack into it have been for _nothing_." Maya ground out the last sentence with a glum look of defeat, "I don't know what we need to do, or even what the artifact looks like.

TIM took a long drag on the cigarette he was holding. He contemplated the smoke as he exhaled and replied, "I want you and your men to hunker down, Rasa. Remove any traces of your visit if you can – the dead scientists can be left where they fell. I _believe_ there will be someone arriving at the behest of the Asari government to find and remove that artifact." Taking another drag from his cigarette, he finished with, "Wait until they reveal the artifact... then take it away from them and bring it to me."

Brooks looked at the floor for several seconds, then returned her gaze to the image in front of her and replied, "It will be done, Sir."

* * *

**SSV Normandy, Parnitha, Athena Nebula**

Shepard did what she could to comfort Liara on their way to Thessia, but the hop from the Serpent Nebula to Parnitha was a short one and didn't provide much time. As Thessia was her homeworld, Liara was determined to go and Shepard didn't even think about trying to stop her. The commander made a quick detour to the Med Bay to get clearance from Doctor Chakwas; Karin gave her only a quick glance before stating, "I know there's not a _chance_ you'd stay on the Normandy for this one, even if I grounded you... So, I'm not going to bother." She stepped forward and placed her hands caringly on Shepard's arms as she continued, "But please be careful, Sam. Liara _needs_ you right now. I don't believe she could survive the fall of her home planet _and_ her fiancée at the same time... and you _know_ there's nothing you can do for Thessia at this point, so that only leaves _you_ one option."

Shepard looked at her in bewilderment for a moment before letting out a little huff of laughter. "Do you think I wouldn't listen to you telling me to stay safe, so you have to _blackmail_ me with Liara's state of mind?"

Karin smiled. "I _know_ you wouldn't listen to me, Samantha Shepard, because you've heard it and ignored the same so many times before. You should know by now that when it comes to the health and wellbeing of those under my care, neither blackmail nor subterfuge is beneath me."

Shepard laughed outright and stepped up to give the woman a hug. "I love you, Aunt Karin, and I promise I'll be as careful as is possible for a Vanguard to be." As she stepped back, her face transitioned to a doting smile. "I've already promised Liara that I'll try _very_ hard to be more considerate of the worry and concern she shows me by not 'risking myself so casually,' as she puts it."

"Your mother and I have been trying to get that concession out of you for over a decade... ever since the Blitz... and she gets it out of you the very first time she asks?" Karin's eyebrows raised and her lips took on a smirk. "Now I know you're in love!" Shepard simply rolled her eyes and waved a quick goodbye, her cheeks picking up a hint of pink as she turned and retreated swiftly from the Med Bay.

As she rolled out of the elevator onto the hangar deck, Joker's voice came over the loudspeakers, "Commander! Thessia is under heavy Reaper attack!"

Shepard immediately picked up her pace and jogged toward the waiting shuttle. "Define heavy, Joker!"

"As in Earth getting the shit kicked out of it, heavy!" Joker sounded pissed off as he continued, "There's activity across most of the planet."

"What about the temple? Can you raise the scientists?" Shepard didn't have to stop to gather the ground team; Garrus had already rounded up the personnel and assigned teams, so she jumped onto the shuttle and signaled Garrus to order the launch.

"Negative, Commander. All channels are scrambled across the spectrum."

As Joker paused, Edi chimed in with, "It is the typical Reaper attack parameters, Shepard. We saw the same with the Collectors upon the initiation of their attacks; a total communications blackout."

Joker came back with, "The mission's looking really dicey, Commander."

Shepard's lips were set in a grim line before she started to speak. "This mission is too important. We have to get that artifact and it's now or never. We're _going_."

Once the shuttle launched, Shepard glanced at Liara; she was perched on the edge of her seat, looking every bit of her youth... young and vulnerable as she stared in shock at the view screen showing the Reaper attack ongoing on the surface. Frowning, Shepard attempted to call her attention from the monitor. "Liara. Do you have anything more on this artifact?"

Liara reluctantly turned her attention to Samantha, her brilliant blue eyes shiny with unshed tears. "Unfortunately, no. My mother took me to the temple once; it is several thousand years old." Liara poked at her omnitool for a moment before continuing, "She had several files on it, some dating back centuries. I have not been able to crack _most_ of them... at least not _yet_... but it _did_ make me curious that a religious site would have classified government funding." She looked back up at Shepard. "I guess _now_ we know why."

"At least we're on the right trail. I only wish Tevos and your father could have found some way to shake those damn matriarchs loose before now." Shepard glanced at the images coming up from the surface and her eyes narrowed; they reminded her of the appearance of her own planet when she fled Earth aboard the Normandy. This time she was running _to_ the fight, not away from it.

Liara looked at the same pictures, but instead of anger, she felt only desperation. "What if we're too _late_? My people are _dying_ down there!"

Shepard's brow furrowed in sorrow; she took a step closer to her Promised and laid a hand on her shoulder as James spoke from behind her. "Don't let it get to you, Blue. I felt the same way when they hit _Earth_. Shepard made us leave anyway, to get to you and the Citadel... and she was _right_. Our home worlds may be burning, but _we_ have to focus on the bigger fight... or we'll lose _everything_."

"Palaven, too, Liara." Garrus pulled his rifle in readiness of landing. "We all know the stakes. We have to let our homes survive best they can _without_ us... while we find the way to stop the Reapers. It's the only choice we have."

Garrus tapped the side hatch actuator and the door slid open, giving them their first close look at the war zone called Thessia. Liara gasped, "This can't be happening! My home..."

Shepard bumped shoulders with her to catch her attention. "Later, Liara! We've got to move... It's too exposed up here!"

Liara took a deep breath and looked at Shepard. "Right. Sorry." She followed the commander out the door and the group advanced quickly down onto the plaza before them.

They hadn't gotten far before a shout came in from the side. "You must be Commander Shepard!"

Shepard looked toward the sound of the voice and saw the commando who had yelled. She had turned toward a communications specialist off to the side who was shouting at her. "Lieutenant! Outpost Tykis is running out of ammunition!"

The lieutenant growled, "We all are! Tell them to make every shot count!"

The same specialist continued with her stream of bad news. "Eastern perimeter reports they've been breached!"

"Where are our reinforcements?" The specialist stared at the Lieutenant for a second, unsure how to answer the question, before realizing what she needed to do. She turned back to the comm unit and practically shouted at the pick-up, "This is Task Force Vendora; requesting reinforcements at quadrant zero-nine-one. Situation urgent!"

The lieutenant turned quickly back toward Shepard. "Commander, I'm Lieutenant Kurin. We heard..." Her welcome was cut off by a loud explosion and they were all pelted by debris. She quickly refocused and shouted at her troops, "The barrier's been breached! We need someone on that wall gun!"

Shepard grinned and yelled, "I've got it!" Almost the entire Normandy squad followed her to the wall and established a new perimeter guard. The only ones who remained behind were Liara... and because she stayed, so did Riana.

Kurin shouted out a warning, "Enemy targets on the bridge!"

While Shepard and the squad blasted away, quickly clearing the oncoming Reaper creatures, Liara and Riana lent their biotic muscle to move barricades and close the breach. Seeing the defenses kicking in, Kurin turned to her rear. "I want that gunship prepped and in the air!" With an answering nod from the mechanic, she turned back and looked at her comm specialist again. "Get me a location on our snipers!"

With the breach blocked off, a commando climbed the wall and took the turret over from Shepard. "_Thanks_, Commander! I can't believe you're actually here and _fighting_ with us!"

Shepard didn't have the heart to tell her the Normandy team wasn't staying, so simply nodded and jumped down to speak with Kurin. As she walked over, the lieutenant started again, "We've been told to expect you. My orders were to hold this grid at all costs."

"Understood, Lieutenant... and you've done a great job. Now we need to get to the Temple." Shepard glanced around quickly. "No reason to hold this spot anymore, so we can move as soon as you're ready."

"The _Temple_? We're not dying, wading uselessly through a field of rubble... you'd better have a damned good reason other than recovery of some religious artifact. We need _firepower_... not prayers!" Kurin stared at her, meeting her eye-to-eye.

Shepard nodded in approval. "Good. I wouldn't ask you to. We _are_ after an artifact, but it's not religious, it's Prothean."

Kurin's eyes narrowed. "Prothean? In the Temple?"

Liara walked up. "Yes, Lieutenant. An ancient relic that contains information vital to the construction of a Prothean super weapon." She stopped next to Shepard and continued, "The Protheans didn't complete it in time and, if we're not careful, the same will happen to us."

Shepard continued when Liara paused. "It's our only hope, Kurin. Councilor Tevos should have made arrangements for us to meet a science team here?"

"Yes, but they went ahead to the Temple." Kurin's expression turned to doubt. "One of our outposts has been trying to reach them... We lost contact about ten minutes ago."

"Then there's no time to waste. We've got to move. Now." Shepard opened her comm. "Roll up, people. We're moving out." She looked back at Kurin. "You coming?"

"If it's truly that critical, then without a doubt, Commander." Kurin opened her comm, "Alpha Squad, with me. Everyone else fall back to city center and rejoin the main force. Outpost Tykis, we're coming your way!" Her eyes met Shepard's and she started moving quickly toward the bridge they had so recently cleared of Brutes and Husks. "Let's make sure the galaxy knows the war was won on Thessia!" She glanced back over her shoulder with a smirk. "Coming, Commander?"

They climbed the wall and jumped down past the barricade; there would be no turning back... the only way to exit the bridge was to go forward. As they moved, Liara spoke through the link. _{I was here __**years**__ ago. To see the city burning like this is...}_

Shepard could feel the ragged edge of despair in Liara's thoughts. _{It can be rebuilt, Liara. Stay focused on the next twenty meters and let's get over this bridge.}_

The Normandy team moved up the center of the bridge and Kurin's team split into two teams of three and covered their flanks. A harvester roared over top, blasting away and Kurin shouted, "Watch out!"

Liara cried out in frustration, "This has to end!"

"It _will_, Liara. We'll find this artifact and _finish_ the Crucible!" Shepard ducked into cover and shouted back a warning; they had crossed two-thirds of the bridge and the opposite end was suddenly swarming with Marauders.

Garrus was instantly embroiled in an undeclared competition as Kurin's squad sniper, Nilyna Vura, dropped the lead Marauder with a single shot. His voice flanged in appreciation as he pulled his own trigger and queried, "What the Hell are you firing?"

Vura chuckled, "A modified Mantis, with an extended barrel and Asari designed, biotic enhanced kinetic coil boosters to accelerate the projectile velocity for even greater penetration."

Garrus grumped, "No good to me then, is it?"

"I guess not. I assume from your statement, you are not Turian Cabal." Vura pulled her trigger and another Marauder fell to the ground.

"No." Garrus pulled his trigger and another Marauder fell as he kept pace with his commando competition. "So I use the Widow; heavier, but also more powerful... without augmentation from biotics."

"Staggered approach! Try to use cover!" Shepard immediately bolted out into the open and sprinted to the next cover she could find, Liara on her heels. Riana and Tali moved up next, traveling an almost identical distance, but stopping at the next barrier closer and on the opposite side of the bridge. The remaining team also continued to move up and they advanced quickly over the bridge and found themselves on a large balcony overlooking a huge central courtyard.

On the far side was another group of Asari; Liara called them out, pointing at them through the haze. "On those buildings! We've got fire support!" Shepard looked across to where Liara had pointed and saw two separate sniper nests, flanking each side of the long narrow plaza one level below their current position.

Shepard glanced at Kurin. "That Tykis?"

"No." Kurin gave a quick shake of her head. "That's a defensive sniper team. Only way up to each platform is a single ladder. Their sole job is to kill Reapers until they either run out of ammo or the Reapers stop coming." Kurin sighed. "I think they'll run out of ammo first."

"Hang tough, Kurin. We're in this for the long haul, and I have every intention of winning this war..." She cut herself off from using the normal finish for that sentence, 'or die trying,' for Liara's sake... for _all_ their sake's actually; she understood _none_ of them needed to be reminded that such an ending was a distinct possibility.

Unfortunately, Shepard didn't need to remind them. A few moments after she stopped speaking, a Harvester showed up and hovered right above the sniper team, rapidly blasting them into oblivion. As the platform vanished in a ball of fire, Liara cried out, "No! Damn them!"

Her voice was a plaintive wail and Shepard pushed loving support to her through the link as she said, "Keep your focus, Liara." The commander let fly a warp followed up with a charged blast from her Arc pistol, eliminating a Cannibal on the plaza below.

"Those things are _slaughtering_ my people!"

Shepard stopped and turned back to her. "We need to keep moving and get that artifact if we want to truly help them! There's not much else we can do here, Li." Shepard's eyes met those of her Promised. Liara's normally brilliant blues were riddled with anguish. _{You __**know**__ that, Liara. Come on. Stay with me... I'm depending on you to help see us __**through**__ this, T'Soni.}_

Liara's face was a maelstrom of conflicted pain as she growled out, "_Goddess_, Shepard. How did you ever pull yourself away from Earth? How could you push away the anger and not stay and _fight_?"

Despite the circumstances, Shepard's eyes sparkled as she replied, "Because I had to find _you_."

Much of the conflict on Liara's face fell away and she grasped the armor of Shepard's forearm as she whispered quietly, "Thank you, _Siame_. With so much happening, it is easy to lose sight of what we are truly fighting for." Her eyes still reflected the agony of the loss of her people, but Liara adjusted her grip on her SMG and glanced down to the plaza. "Alright. Let's do this. _Together_."

Shepard felt the Asari's newly found resolve slide through the link and returned the sentiment with a gentle nudge. _{Now there's the Dr T'Soni I know.} _With a nod of confirmation, she trotted to the side and dropped off the edge to the lower level, moving through the rubble toward the far side of the plaza.

With the addition of Kurin's squad, the team was fourteen strong and moved swiftly through the throngs of Reaper creatures being thrown at them. Once down on the lower level, Shepard and Riana had much more maneuverability and, with a number of biotics to support them, they both slipped into Vanguard mode and charged about the plaza, crushing Marauders and Cannibals alike. Not until a Banshee showed up did they slow their forward progress; then, both Shepard and Riana fell back to recover while Garrus and Nilyna, taking turns firing their long guns, picked the Banshee apart in only five shots.

They progressed up the ramp the Banshee had so recently descended and Liara stuck close to Shepard's side, encouraging her to eat an energy bar as she slipped an eezo cube into her own mouth. "Good idea, Liara." Shepard stopped the entire group. "It's not going to get any easier. Liara's right... We need to take a minute and boost our energy levels while we can."

Shepard had meant taking a _minute_ literally and as soon as she had stuffed the energy bar into her mouth and swallowed the last piece, she was on the move again. Liara spoke softly as they got underway. "I still can't face those things... my own people."

Shepard grimaced. "Trust me, I know. Every Husk we've killed was once a Human, every Marauder, a Turian." Shepard growled, "The Reapers are perverted pieces of _shit_ and we're going to kill them all. The cycle ends now; they're never going to have the chance to do this again. _Ever_."

Liara suddenly realized the true depth of the Reaper evil and her stomach threatened to revolt. "Goddess. Let's stop talking about this and just get the job done."

Sensing Liara's disquiet, Shepard glanced at her and nodded. "Agreed."

Moving swiftly through the debris, they finally reached a massive central courtyard where Kurin pointed to another sniper nest. "That's the point guard for outpost Tykis. We simply need to get across this courtyard... Tykis will be on the other side."

They moved quickly and crested the ramp just as a powerful strike exploded on the wall of the sniper nest, sending one of the snipers to meet her Goddess. The other Asari shouted into her comm unit, "This is Specialist Cayla! Jineva was just killed by enemy fire!"

Kurin spoke to her directly. "Don't bother calling for a replacement. We're collapsing the perimeter and going to support Tykis. Shepard's here; we're moving on the Temple."

"Thank the Goddess! I didn't think I'd live to see the end of today." Cayla looked at the commander, wide-eyed. "Can you really win this war?"

Shepard launched a warp and obliterated a Marauder. "We get to that temple and the Reapers are history."

"Then grab what you need from our remaining supplies and let's do some damage, Commander!"

The Marauders and Cannibals were no match for the team descending upon them and the ever-growing team advanced quickly toward Outpost Tykis. They cleared the last barrier and looked out over the skyline of Serrice. Liara gasped in despair, "This nightmare never ends!"

The city laid out before her was in ruin all the way to the visible horizon. Exactly as Shepard had shared from her Prothean nightmares, numerous Reaper capitol ships had settled at various locations throughout the city, rendering it to nothing but burning piles of rubble. The loud bellows of the Reapers as they fired their energy beams threatened to shatter eardrums as well as the additional blocks of the city that crumbled into wreckage with each blast.

They turned the corner and Kurin pointed up a set of broad terraced steps. "That's Tykis." Her arm shifted to the right as she spoke. "Once up there, we have to travel that exposed circular path around the edge of the bluff to get to the Temple's entrance."

"Holy Hell." James stared at the exposed shelf and the Harvesters darting back and forth, continually dropping additional Reaper creatures. "Hope they don't notice our little band of merry men creeping along the side of the hill."

"Doesn't matter." Shepard looked back at her team. "We can't let this be for nothing. We get to the artifact and this war will be on its way to being over."

Kurin turned to her commandos. "Cayla. Join Shepard's squad as their sniper. Sasha... You're with Vakarian to give their team biotic support." She looked at Shepard as she continued, "That gives us three teams of five and balances the capabilities a little. Acceptable?"

"Sounds great. Thanks, Kurin." Shepard looked up the steps. "Let's go find Tykis."

As they climbed to the uppermost terrace, an Asari ran toward them in hurried retreat as a rocket crashed behind her, throwing her down a level to sprawl on the ground; scrambling to recover, she grabbed the Acolyte pistol that had been jarred from her grip by the impact. Looking a bit dazed as she recovered her feet, she stumbled to cover and shouted out to the unexpected arrivals, "Watch it!"

The team ran to cover as more rockets and weapons fire cascaded through the alleyway. Shepard sought cover beside the commando and shouted above the fray, "We're trying to reach Outpost Tykis!"

The soldier's voice was angry as she yelled her response, "You're looking at it! The rest are all dead... We tried punching through to the scientists to clear the path and determine their status, but... I'm all that's left. We never made it."

"We don't have a choice. That Temple holds the solution to this war!"

The soldier shook her head. "Can't help you, Commander, other than to lend you my gun."

Kurin slid up beside her and tapped a closed fist against Shepard's shoulder. "I'll call in the gunships, Shepard. They can provide cover fire and open things up a bit."

Shepard looked out at the sky full of Harvesters. "You sure you want to do that?"

Kurin's eyes were steel as she spoke. "If this artifact is what we need to win this damned war, then yes. We all knew coming _into_ this battle that most of us would die here today. At least those who do will die with _purpose_."

"Fucking Hell!" Shepard's grip on her weapon tightened, knowing she was condemning a number of people to their death. "Do it."

Kurin nodded and got on her comm. "Talon Swarm. This is Kurin. Anyone left on this frequency report to Outpost Tykis. We need a path to the Temple. Now."

Shepard closed her eyes and felt Liara's comforting presence through the link. _{It's the only way, Shepard, and we all know it. That's why they are volunteering to do this for us; they are no different than the rest of us... standing at your side.}_

_{Thanks, Li, but it's still hard.} _Shepard's attention was drawn back to the battle by the reports of only two gunships, but as they roared in overhead, there were three in the formation.

"Ground targets confirmed. Weapons hot!" The pilot's call was answered by all three gunships launching multiple rockets and following up with rapid-fire machine guns. The ground team assisted as best they could from behind cover, but the narrow access point limited how many could assist at any one time. Their limited action was enough for them to see that the Reaper creatures were definitely stepping up in capability. Until now, they had faced mostly Cannibals and Marauders; the last encounter had included a Banshee and now the forces opposing them included the twisted Rachni Ravagers with their long-range cannons.

A Ravager proved to be the end for the first gunship, its cannon blasting Talon One's rear stabilizer apart, causing it to spin out of control and crash. Even in her final moments, the pilot managed to push the gunship toward the pathway and took out several of the enemy with the crash, including the Ravagers that had killed her. "This is Talon Five! Whatever you're going to do, you'd better do it now! Talon One broke open a huge hole in the enemy force with her sacrifice. Make it mean something!"

"Roger that!" Shepard stepped out to lead the way and her team surged forward through the breach. A Banshee had joined the fight, but with two gunships remaining, the opposing forces fell quickly and the team advanced to the upper pathway to begin the loop to the Temple entrance.

As they moved forward, the gunships continued to clear their way forward. A third voice entered the conversation from one of the gunships, "That's it for the missiles. Switching to guns only."

Husks surged around the corner and the team reacted quickly. Tali launched Chatika and Garrus docked his sniper in exchange for his assault rifle. The large number of biotics proved to be extremely valuable as husks were picked off the deck and either tossed to their deaths over the cliff or picked out of the air with weapons fire as they floated helplessly above any cover they may have had. Things were going well and they made great progress until two Harvesters showed up.

The gunship that was limited to guns pointed its nose at one of the Harvesters and flew backwards in retreat with the Harvester in pursuit, disappearing around the corner. The Harvester returned quickly and everyone hoped the gunship had made good on its escape, having not heard any crashes or explosions. The second Harvester never left, forcing Garrus to pull his sniper rifle back out as he and the two Asari snipers blasted the beast with high powered ammunition. Combined with Shepard, Liara and Riana blasting it with Warps and incendiary rounds, they achieved a small amount of respite by sending the thing to its grave as Vega temporarily took over second team to provide cover fire.

With the first Harvester's return, they repeated the act; just as they thought they were in the clear, a third Harvester surged up from below and took down the last gunship, leaving them without air support. Liara growled, "So much sacrifice! We have to make it worth something!"

Kurin nodded in agreement, "We will Dr T'Soni. The Temple is just around the corner."

* * *

Maya paused in her efforts to clean the blood from her armor as a new set of sounds reached her ears. She was sitting on the rearmost bench in the chamber, at the outboard corner next to the aisle on the right. Four of the five surviving assault troopers were waiting behind the hidden door, at the top of the stairwell leading down to the laboratories and classrooms of the lower levels.

The sergeant, standing nearby, had been telling her of the artifacts he had seen at several locations along the outer aisles as he patrolled the perimeter of the chamber – her raised hand cut him off mid-sentence.

Maya's hearing, despite continual exposure to closeby gunfire, was still preternatural acute. There was someone… no, _several_ someones… speaking in low voices… outside the main entrance… outside the barrier. Her raised hand pointed silently at the sergeant, then at the hidden door as she hissed through her teeth, "Go! Keep your helmet comms on at all times, and wait for me to call you."

Maya stood and turned while energizing her cloak. The sergeant had quickly reached the doorway, where he watched her vanish from sight. To him and his troops, Maya was still visible as an outline, thanks to the filters built into their helmets. He didn't expect anyone coming here from outside would be able to cloak as effectively as Brooks, so felt confident she wouldn't fall victim to friendly fire from his own troops.

After the door slid shut, she moved further into the shadows near the middle of the outermost right pathway, adjacent to a preservation display case within which was sealed an ancient looking piece of paper. Waiting in motionless silence, she listened carefully. _'…military grade encryption… I think I can override it.'_ A different voice observed, _'Military grade? That seems excessive.'_ The owner of the first voice replied, _'…especially since few still follow the Athame doctrine.'_ There was no further conversation as the first person continued working to override the barrier's outside control.

In a matter of minutes, the blue-tinged electronic barrier disappeared, followed by the shadows of several people falling on the floor inside; the first voice could be heard, stronger this time, but with a tentative tone. "Hello? Is anyone there?"


	51. Missed Opportunities

Notes:

CIC - Combat Information Center

VI - Virtual Intelligence

* * *

**Missed Opportunities**

**Thessia, Parnitha, Athena Nebula**

Brooks focused intensely on the newcomers as the shadows gave way to people and she nearly fell over in amazement… holy _shit_! It was Commander bloody fucking Shepard and her squid bride-to-be T'Soni, followed by… _about damned __**time**__ my crap luck changed... We have a trifecta! ..._ the _other_ squid-bitch that always shadows T'Soni! There were two more figures; all heavily armed and armored… _there's another Asari,_ _also with a sniper rifle… looks like a Mantis, but strangely modified._ _And what the?… There's a miserable little suit-rat bringing up the rear… female, by the look of it. What is it with Shepard and __**always**__ having female companions!? _

After a short gap in time, a second squad cautiously followed behind. _Hold on; that one's led by a fucking Turian! Damned big bastard… with a __**massive**__ sniper rifle… most likely a Widow!_ When James strolled into view, Brooks' chin dropped as she stared in awe._ What a huge son of a bitch! My God! How in the name of Hell does he find armor to fit that chest and those arms? _He made the average-sized human female behind him seem tiny, but Maya noted she was not to be trifled with either; on _her_ back was a very deadly Arc Projector!_ Looks like the Normandy wasn't the __**only**__ one of TIM's toys Shepard pilfered after she shut down the Collectors. And there's __**another**__ Asari!_

_Oh!…My!… God! _ Brooks momentarily lost her entire train of thought as she gazed in wide-eyed horror at the hulking monstrosity following behind the second squad. A Geth Prime, standing well over three meters tall and bearing a pulse cannon; its three red eyes casting their soulless gaze back and forth was reason to give Maya pause. An honest-to-God _synthetic_ was part of the commander's team! _Shit_! _I'll bet that big bastard can see my heat emissions despite my cloak… wait! Fucking Hell! The son of a bitch just vanished! Figures! It has a cloak of its own! So much for my luck changing! _

Brooks was beginning to develop a grudging respect for Shepard's abilities at developing alliances with disparate groups. If reports were to be believed, she had instigated a cure for the Krogan Genophage and brokered a Turian-Krogan alliance... and now, as improbable as it seemed, she had apparently brought an end to the conflict between the Geth and Quarians. If the Geth have become Citadel allies, being a pirate in the Terminus just became a Hell of a lot more dangerous, not to mention the fact that the Alliance now had a race of self-replicating, intelligent machines, probably numbering in the millions or tens of millions, at their beck and call.

Getting herself back on track, she watched the last five figures enter, completely dwarfed by the monstrosity that had stalked in ahead of them. _Oh shit, here's an entire group of squids bringing up the rear, constantly checking their 'six'. How can this day continue to go to Hell so badly?_

Thinking the artifact, whatever it was, would be tied to the console at the base of the big statue, she began silently moving towards the front of the chamber, keeping to the shadows as much as possible. Her cloak was good – it was of Salarian design – still, she took no chances that her presence here would be prematurely discovered, especially with the Geth Prime stalking the chamber. She intended to steal whatever Shepard recovered and get away clean, despite anything the commander or any of her companions attempted to do to stop her.

Thinking about her opposition, which outnumbered _her_ team nearly three-to-one, Maya cast about in her mind for a way to even the odds. _Damn it! That's it!_ Maya was as far away from the approaching enemy soldiers as possible, and hopefully hidden from direct view by the now-cloaked Geth, so she mentally crossed her fingers for luck. _Here goes nothin'!_ She promptly shielded her forearm from view and quietly sent a quick text update outlining the opposition to the sergeant waiting in the stairwell at the rear of the chamber, taking care to especially alert him to a cloaked Geth Prime. She warned him to be ready to come to her assistance, assuring him he would know when to jump in.

With a feral grin, she then sent a quick text to the pilot of the A-61 loitering at a safe altitude above her, warning him to be prepared to descend and attack ground personnel in the temple on a moments' notice. All she had to do _now_ was wait patiently for Shepard and company to gain access to the artifact.

* * *

Kurin cautioned her teammates. "Be alert. There should have been a squad of commandos here along with the scientists. Something is most definitely wrong."

Shepard looked attentively around the room. "There's evidence of weapons fire, but no bodies... just blood trails." She looked at Kurin. "_Blue_ blood."

"Shit!" Kurin's eyes narrowed. "Probably Reapers... taking them to turn out more Banshees!"

Shepard 'felt' Liara's shiver of disgust through the link as she responded. "Don't assume anything." She focused on Kurin. "You know _anything_ about this place? Any idea where to begin?"

"I have no fucking _idea_, Shepard." Kurin shook her head in disgust. "That's what the _science_ team was for."

"Well, that's just _peachy_," she mumbled under her breath. In her initial survey of the room, Shepard had noticed the multiple display cases spread throughout the room. "Split up and take a look around. Maybe one of these displays holds the artifact we're looking for."

"Hidden in plain sight, huh, Commander?" James voice was steady and calmed everyone's frayed nerves. "People got so used to seeing this stuff for what... centuries? It never drew anyone's attention. Makes sense. Best way to hide something long-term."

"Exactly. Let's hustle. No idea how much time we have before another wave hits us." Shepard walked around the artifacts while Liara played tour guide.

"That's the Goddess Athame's sword. Myth says she wielded it against jealous gods who threatened our ancestors." The pattern continued, with Athame's shield, the Athame Codex, and multiple other artifacts... with none of them seeming any more special than the others.

When they got to the bust of Janiri, they all paused. Shepard was the first to speak what they were all thinking. "Liara. I know you're thinking it... and I know Janiri is Asari, but this bust looks remarkably... Prothean."

"Javik so much as told me, during one of the few discussions we had, the Protheans intervened in our past... that they manipulated our DNA and uplifted our society, much as the Salarians did for the Krogan." Liara's faith was shaken as she looked at the statue from her new perspective. "I didn't believe him, but seeing _this_ again... along with what he said, perhaps I was wrong. And now, with him dead, I'll never find the truth."

Distracted by the conflicting thoughts racing through her mind, she jumped when Shepard's fingers landed unexpectedly under her chin. "Don't do that to yourself, Liara. What's done is done and I'm pretty sure the _alternate_ ending wouldn't have been very good for my health."

"Nor for mine." Liara's eyes held a frightening intensity when she turned to the commander. "You're right. Let's move on." They moved around the room and passed yet another bust, this one of Lucen, which also looked very Prothean; no one bothered commenting the second time. When they reached a display with another page of the Codex, Liara stopped and leaned on the pedestal. "Goddess. This describes how one of Athame's _guides_ granted us the gift of biotics as a reward for our worship. Shepard..." Liara turned to the commander, her pistol dropping loosely to her side. "I _killed_ the last living Prothean... and he _knew_! He could have told us so _much_ about our past, and I've taken that possibility away from the Asari people! It's... it's almost too much to take."

Shepard stepped up to her and whispered softly so no one else could hear. "Relax, Liara. You haven't taken anything away." Liara was set to protest, but the look in Shepard's eyes stopped her. "Think about what you just _did_, Liara. Together, we can _read_ these texts because of the cipher; when this war is over, I'll help you translate every single one for the Asari people. You haven't lost _anything_. Now, let's get this done and go home."

"Thank you, again, Shepard." Liara's eyes cleared and her pistol came back up to the ready position. "I love you."

"Yeah." Shepard smirked. "First it was the Beacon. Now it's the Prothean cipher..." Shepard stopped and let out a little laugh as Liara reached out and shoved her, her mood somewhat recovered from the shock of their discovery.

"Fine. We've got a mission to complete, Commander." Liara finally settled down, turned and resumed walking, circling around and approaching the front of the temple. When they moved past the front row of seats, Shepard glanced around quickly and squatted down next to a pair of dead Asari.

"I'm guessing these are the scientists. They've had their throats slit." She stood back up, her pistol sweeping across the room. "So much for the _Reaper_ theory. This is the work of a _civilized_ race." Her tone was biting with sarcasm as her eyes continued to scan the room; she gestured to the far side of the main aisle. "Looks like a third body lying on the other side of that bench." When they found nothing else, she finally walked to the front console, located at the base of a gigantic statue of Athame.

As she reached for the console, her hand froze, hovering above it. Sensing Samantha's dismay, Liara stepped quickly to her side, concern etched deeply in her tone as she queried, "Shepard! What's wrong?"

"The statue." Shepard sounded forlorn, knowing she was about to cause her lover additional emotional strife. "There's a Prothean beacon here."

"_What_?" Liara hissed the question quietly, forcing herself to remain relatively calm in the face of such a revelation. "I admit it is strange this place has been so well preserved with the low percentage of our population that still worships Athame. A hidden _beacon_, being preserved for study, would most certainly explain it!"

As Liara spoke, Shepard's hand continued to hover over the console and the voice of her lover faded into the background as the beacon 'spoke' to her. It wasn't in the form of verbal communication, but the console resonated beneath her touch, as if searching for something within her. Shepard's eyes drifted closed and a soft glow drifted from the console to envelope her hand before slowly creeping up her arm.

She was suddenly yanked back from the console with a biotic pull and practically collapsed into Liara's arms. The Asari lowered her gently to a sitting position; her concern increased significantly. She had apparently said something to which she had expected a response and, getting none, realized the commander had slipped into some sort of trance. "Shepard! Can you hear me? Are you alright?"

Shepard blinked a couple of times to clear the haze, both from her vision and from her mind. "Yeah. I'm fine." She stuck a hand out. "Help me back up." As Liara pulled her easily to her feet, Shepard continued speaking. "I have to activate it. All these years, the Asari have chipped away at the knowledge stuck in this device, but they've never been able to _fully_ power it up."

Liara's puzzled expression told her she needed to explain better. She walked away, toward the closest of the artifacts and Liara followed. "The scientists have energized the beacon many times over the years, but they couldn't sustain it long enough to actually _activate_ it. It was enough to glean limited knowledge from it, but they never revealed its _true_ purpose."

Liara frowned. "That would mean they _have_ been hoarding Prothean knowledge... and it is as we feared. At least _parts_ of our Matriarchy are guilty of treason against the Council."

"Even a small amount of data would give your people an edge, Liara." Garrus' voice rang in from the side. "But I'm sure the Turians have a hidden military archive as well."

"The Humans certainly did." Shepard looked at her lover. "No one knew the extent of the Human archive on Mars until the Reapers were in Kite's Nest and Hackett gave you full access to the back room; all races have their secrets, but that's not what matters. There's something _in_ that console; it searched my mind and found the cipher... and I suddenly _knew_ how to power the damned thing on."

_That_ statement got Liara's attention and stopped her brooding, the scientist in her winning out over the disappointed follower of Athame. "What do we need to do?"

"It's all about tapping into data streams and reconstructing matrices." Shepard reached out to stop Liara's return to the console.

Liara looked at her questioningly. "Shepard. If we need to reconstruct matrices, I'll need to hack into the console."

"No, you won't. It's not in there." Shepard looked at a few of the artifacts before approaching one. "They're here." She waved her hand above the descriptor plate on the artifact and it began to glow softly, eventually emitting a barely perceptible beam of light that shined on the statue.

"By the Goddess... literally! All these years and the answer was right under their noses... yet they _never_ would have been able to access it!" Liara looked at Shepard in amazement. "But now, thanks to _you_, we can get our _answers_!"

"Thanks to everything that's _happened_ to me, anyways." Shepard blew out a heavy breath. "Just because we can activate it doesn't mean it has the info we need."

"We'd better hope that it does." Liara reached over, gripping Samantha's hand reassuringly. "And there is only one way to find out, Love."

Shepard moved from artifact to artifact, gradually finding those required to power up the beacon and connect all the nodes of the matrix. Shepard wasn't counting, but after the fourth or fifth connection activated, the group ducked to cover as Athame shed her plaster disguise. The statue shattered, revealing a glowing beacon hiding within.

Shepard looked up at it with trepidation and wonder; it was larger than any she had yet encountered and while it potentially held knowledge they desperately needed, she didn't look forward to interfacing with such an obviously powerful beacon. The smaller ones she'd tangled with had left her disoriented and tired; she feared what a beacon of this size would do to her.

Liara caught her thoughts through the link and looked to Garrus. "We need to cover the entrances and protect Shepard while she interfaces with the beacon. You've seen before how they work; you know she'll be completely vulnerable as she does so."

"You got it, Liara." Garrus quickly divided everyone into four groups. Knowing they wouldn't be separated anyway, he put Liara and Riana with Shepard... and the group was quickly joined by Lieutenant Kurin.

"As the lead Asari military representative present, I'm staying with Shepard and the beacon."

"Understood, Lieutenant." Garrus nodded quickly in agreement and pressed on. "The rest of our teams will stay the same. They've worked well all day, so no sense changing up at the last moment. Tali; you'll have Vega and Cayla, along with Chiktikka... I'll keep Sarah, Legion and Sasha." He looked at the Asari squad now minus Kurin. "So, who's next in line after Kurin?"

Cylia Gani stepped forward. "I am her second."

"Alright. You're in charge now. You take the entrance, I'll take the left flank... and that leaves Tali with the right. Acceptable?"

When no one complained and they all moved to their respective positions, Garrus looked over to the group still surrounding the commander. "Whenever you're ready, Shepard."

Shepard gave Liara one last glance before approaching the console and she felt a little tickle at the back of her mind. _{You are not alone on this one, Samantha. I'll give you whatever strength I am able to provide.}_

Somewhat calmed simply knowing Liara was there, Shepard took a deep breath and held her hands out toward the beacon, prepared to be lifted off the floor and have her mind assaulted by thousands of images... only it didn't happen. Instead, a glowing ball of light burst out of the beacon and floated down to floor level. Shepard spun away from the beacon and shouted, "Barriers!"

With military honed reflexes, everyone was instantly shielded by the Asari within each group as the light bobbed about, finally settling in front of Shepard and speaking. "Obtaining chronological knowledge. Hold... Timescale established. Post-Prothean cycle confirmed. Reaper presence detected. This galactic cycle has already reached its extinction terminus. Systems shutting down." The ball started to ascend back to its point of origin.

"What?" Shepard shouted at it. "Don't you _dare_! We need _answers_!"

The ball spun quickly and returned to its previous position; it then moved closer, directly in front of Shepard, the biotic barriers doing nothing to stop its progress. "To what question?"

"The _Catalyst_." Shepard signaled with her hand to drop the barriers. Liara and Kurin both complied immediately, willing to save their biotics for later if it became necessary, with Riana reluctantly following suit; seeing _their_ barriers drop, the other groups also released their energy and _everyone_ was surprised when the ball of light moved a short distance away from Shepard and coalesced into the form of a Prothean.

Liara, surprise evident in her voice, exclaimed, "It's another Prothean VI!"

"I am called Vendetta, an advanced virtual construct of Pashek Vran, overseer of the project you refer to as 'Crucible.' He died fighting the Reapers in the battle of Tranbir Nine. _Your_ remaining time is also at an end."

"No, it's _not_." Liara glared at the construct. "We have the plans and the Crucible is nearly complete. All we are _missing_ is the Catalyst."

The Prothean projection looked at her, Riana and Kurin. "You are Asari." It then turned back to Shepard. "And you are Human, yet it is within you that I detected the Prothean essence. How is that possible?"

"You should know we don't have time for long explanations! Short version is I met an ancient plant called a Thorian. It held several Protheans in thrall and eventually consumed them, along with all their memories and, I guess, their very essence. That knowledge was put into something referred to as a _cipher_ and passed to me. I can understand, speak and read Prothean, activate your beacons and use your memory shards because of it."

"That is an interesting development; one we did not anticipate."

Shepard growled, "That doesn't matter! What _does_ matter is whether or not the _Crucible_ will work! What happened during your time? Why didn't you _use_ it?"

"We were sabotaged from within. A splinter group argued we should dominate the Reapers rather than destroy them. It fractured our order of battle. Later, we learned the separatists were indoctrinated."

"We have the same problem now, with a group called _Cerberus_." Shepard spit out their name like something vile had landed on her tongue. Vendetta ignored her statement and went on to explain how their studies indicated a repeating pattern of destruction, with similar sub-patterns recurring over and over through the millennia.

Shepard smirked for an instant as Liara muttered under her breath, "I knew it! Why does no one ever listen to me?"

* * *

Maya was close enough to the control console where Shepard and the several Asari were listening to the glowing orb that had manifested from the beacon to understand the implications of what it was saying. She was getting ready to summon the gunship, but something about this glowing orb fascinated her. _Need to learn more…_

She had never seen the Prothean that Shepard and crew had stolen from the Cerberus excavation site on Eden Prime, but the carved images around this place, the line drawings of supposedly ancient Asari, were beginning to make sense to her now; they were actually images of Protheans, _ancient_ Protheans, from over 50,000 years ago.

Her thoughts ran wild as she listened to this… program… this construct, tell of their efforts at fighting the Reapers being sabotaged by a splinter group. _How can this __**be**__? This… VI, said the separatists spoke of controlling the Reapers? _Maya heard Shepard agree with the VI, naming Cerberus as the splinter group of _this_ era. The VI had just watered the tiny seed in Maya's mind… a seed of doubt… about Cerberus… the Illusive Man… all of his 'Humanity first' rhetoric. _Is it possible?… Is the bastard indoctrinated; is he such a megalomaniac he believes he can __**control**__ these things? Are his misguided efforts at galactic domination by Humanity simply leading us down the road to extinction? No, I can't believe it! He __**has**__ to want them defeated! He simply __**has**__ to… doesn't he?_

Maya had to put her confusion aside, _now_! Shepard was getting ready to take the VI. She sent the authorization code to the pilot of the A-61, telling him to come down hot. Things were about to get very interesting.

* * *

Vendetta kept speaking and paused only when it spoke of the Reapers as being only _servants_ of the pattern. "We never determined who was the master."

Shepard's eyebrows rose. "Then I guess we have one up on you. It was a race called the Leviathan. They built the Reapers and programmed them to find a solution to a perceived problem in _their_ now-ancient time... one of synthetics evolving to the point of overtaking their creators. The Leviathan feared it would eventually cause the extinction of organic life."

The VI hesitated for a moment as it processed the new data. "So they attempted to solve the problem of synthetics killing their creators by creating a synthetic?" The VI's voice actually sounded surprised.

"Yes." Shepard sighed. "I see you also recognize the flaw in their reasoning."

Vendetta paused for only a moment before responding to Shepard's statement. "You say your Crucible is nearly complete?"

"Yes!" Shepard stepped toward the construct. "There is still _hope_ for this cycle. All we need to know is what the _Catalyst_ is. Trillions of lives are at risk!"

"Trillions of lives are always at risk." Vendetta was very matter of fact in his response. "But if the Reapers have already arrived to end your cycle, then this discussion may be too late."

"It's _not_! Most of the advanced galactic races have assisted us in the construction. If you tell us what the _Catalyst_ is, we can finish the weapon and _break_ the cycle!" Shepard cussed under her breath at the stubbornness of the damned VI, hoping their chance wasn't slipping away from them.

"If what you say is true, you have advanced beyond what we were able to accomplish... and have earned the right to try... but I must confirm your assertions; bring me to this Crucible. If it is truly ready, I will interface with your systems and assist with the Catalyst to..."

* * *

As soon as Maya heard the VI agree to go with them, she reactivated her omnitool and sent three simple letters to her sergeant. 'NOW'

The VI stopped talking immediately when a concealed door to the side of the beacon burst open. Sensing the Cerberus soldier upgrades, Vendetta spoke rapidly. "Indoctrinated presence detected. Activating security protocol." The VI projection immediately returned to ball form and winked out of existence as weapons fire flooded into the room.

Without hesitation, the Asari surrounding Shepard threw a combined barrier up to protect the group, giving the commander a chance to draw her weapon. As she pulled her Graal from its lower back sling, she shouted, "_Move_!" They sprinted back into the rows of seating, seeking what little cover they could find. As they did so, a number of flashbangs, grenades, and smoke canisters popped, sending shrapnel flying and totally obscuring whatever force was attacking them, effectively blinding the augmented Normandy crew.

"Spirits!" Garrus led his team in from the left flank, but couldn't see anything, so none of them dared fire for fear of hitting one of their own. Tali was having the same problem on the far side, but they heard cheers from the Asari at the back of the room covering the main entrance. The last Asari gunship had returned to provide cover fire. Cylia Gani was immediately on comms. "We've got air support! Work your way..."

Her transmission was cut off abruptly as the gunship opened fire. The Cerberus crew grinned as the guns ripped across the back of the temple, shredding the squid in charge and ripping through the other three at will. As he watched them fall, the gunner laughed, "_Experts_ at infiltration and sabotage. What the fuck good does that do you now, ya fish heads!"

Nilya Vura managed to survive the onslaught and slide behind a support column, still not realizing who it was attacking them. "Goddess. They're firing on _us_! They must be indoctrinated!" She used her scant supply of medigel in an attempt to stop her bleeding. She shouted urgently into her comm, "I'm hit, but safe for now. Stay forward! You come back here, that gunship will rip you to _pieces_!" She hunkered down behind the column and prayed for her own survival.

The ordnance from the gunship reached Tali's group on the right flank and both Vega and Cayla took fire. Tali had taken cover while she worked her omnitool to launch Chiktikka; it was the only thing that spared her from injury.

Up front, Shepard's team had gotten separated in the smoke and Liara suddenly heard someone behind her. She turned, thinking it was Riana, only to see a rather large Cerberus Centurion... leering at her and _much_ too close. She tried to call up her biotics, but there wasn't time. His hand was already closing on the top of her chestplate and the bastard was amazingly fast and strong. She felt her head snap back as he yanked her off her feet and threw her at a fuzzy shape in the smoke, as if her weight meant nothing. She grunted in pain as she smashed into the butt end of Garrus' swinging assault rifle; he had seen a big shadow coming at him quickly through the smoke, so thrust his rifle up as a last ditch effort at protecting himself... and they both went down in a heap.

A very dazed Liara ended up on top of the pile, preventing Garrus from being able to free his assault rifle as the Sergeant pulled his Carnifex and promptly pointed it at Liara's head. The Centurion pulled the heavy pistol's trigger twice in rapid succession just as a brown streak flew past him. Riana had heard the commotion and arrived at the last second; having no time to initiate a better course of action to protect the Lady T'Soni, she simply dove across in front of him, hoping to interfere with his shot.

Shepard had just killed a Trooper and was closing quickly on the shots when she saw the Centurion again aiming his pistol. She couldn't see through the smoke to determine who he had in his sights, but it didn't matter. She biotically charged and smashed him violently across the floor, his shot going off-target. Shepard proceeded to spike him to the floor with her Graal before spinning to take on an Assault Trooper who suddenly charged in from her left, appearing out of the thinning haze.

An injured James Vega hobbled over and literally stomped on the pinned-down Centurion, crushing the hand that had held the Carnifex. "Had about _enough_ of you fuckers," he muttered. He raised his assault rifle and set it against the Centurion's faceplate as he pulled the trigger.

With the smoke dissipating, the commander could see much better and she watched as Kurin and Sasha tag-teamed on yet another Trooper, finally taking him down and working their way across the room in an attempt to assist Shepard. When Sasha arrived at her side, she pointed over Shepard's shoulder. "Shepard. Dr T'Soni requires your presence... She has been injured."

"What?" Shepard's focus narrowed to only a single being in the entire galaxy and she suddenly realized she couldn't connect through the link. She turned around worriedly and quickly located Garrus, leaning over Liara's prone figure. As she started to run toward the Asari, the gunship showed up again and strafed the room, causing her to cuss and dive for cover. She continued to crawl across the floor to reach her downed fiancée.

When she arrived, Liara's eyes were closed and a bandage was wrapped around her upper right arm. "Li?" Shepard's voice was concerned, but strong, and Liara opened her eyes the moment she heard it.

"I'll be fine, Shepard... I'm just _terribly_ dizzy... but Riana isn't here." Liara looked at her beseechingly with unfocused blue eyes.

"I'll find her for you. I swear." As Shepard shifted to a crouched position to better look around, the gunship stopped firing and an eerie silence fell for a moment... just before the voice of Maya Brooks echoed through Temple.

* * *

A cloaked and shielded Maya Brooks carefully avoided the destructive fighting going on behind her, her goal simply to deactivate and download the newly revealed Vendetta program without anyone seeing her. The gunship had been a major surprise to everyone on Shepard's team, and it continued to keep things interesting by rapidly ascending away from the entrance as it drew weapons fire, only to return on a random basis to spray the interior with AP rounds from its chin-mounted heavy guns. As a ground support weapons platform, it was deadly effective.

Program safely downloaded, Brooks pulled a small demolition charge from a pocket on her hip and placed it at the center of the control console for the VI program. Once detonated, it would insure that any data backups would be obliterated, or no longer accessible by the Asari caring for this place. She quickly checked the area around her, paying particular attention to the synthetic monster guarding the entrance against the return of the gunship. She was counting on her little surprise package to distract everyone long enough for her to board the gunship and make her escape.

Knowing her Assault Troopers were nearly all wounded or dead, she ran down the right side of the chamber, trusting her cloak to keep her movements invisible to all. She nearly took a tumble as she tripped over the body of one of the commandos Shepard had added to her squad; she took a moment to glance at the face of the Asari, her eyes open wide and unmoving in death, before redoubling her efforts to reach the edge of the plaza outside the main entrance to what was rapidly proving to be a deathtrap for everyone.

Standing at the edge of the opening, she keyed in the sequence to call the gunship down. She'd have to time her actions perfectly if she wished to remain unscathed. The A-61 would come down to a hover sideways, keeping its chin guns pivoted 90 degrees while enabling her to access the rear facing ramp, keeping their combined exposure to a minimum.

As her 'ride' came down to a hover, it raked the interior of the shrine again, even as the pilot expertly pivoted the ungainly looking craft to his left and lowered the ramp. The spare pilot and gunner from the APC stood armed on the ramp and provided cover fire as Maya ran and leaped onto the edge, turning as she decloaked. She silenced the weapons fire with a single slashing motion across her throat and shouted out once the weapons fell silent. "Shepard! I have a message from the Illusive Man!" Her voice boomed through the sudden silence. "You!…Lose!" So saying, she lifted her hand and pressed the trigger button in the middle of the remote detonator, setting off the small explosive device she'd placed on the control console.

A wave of smoke and debris came rolling out of the shrine, surprising even Maya with its power. She ordered the pilot to get the Hell back to Eva's Vortex before one of the people remaining inside managed to get off a lucky shot. Standing on the ramp as the gunship whirled and accelerated away, she saw Shepard running towards her, pistol up and firing. Several rounds pinged off the gunship's shields, the final two shots whizzing past her ears and hitting the inside of the cargo area after the shields had apparently succumbed to weapons fire.

In a final act of insolence, Maya raised a hand in farewell, then turned and entered the A-61 as the ramp came up. She had the program! She had succeeded, against a force more than twice the size of her own, and kept the Alliance and the Asari from getting the program that had been hidden away in the Temple. For once, she was looking forward to reporting to the Illusive Man.

* * *

"Fuck!" Shepard yelled in vain at the retreating gunship, her pistol worthless against its armor, but she fired until the heat sink couldn't handle any more. She dropped her arm in defeat and slowly turned back into the Temple. "Oh, Gods." Before her were the results of their failed effort. Three of the commandos had died as soon as the fight had begun, their riddled bodies littering the entry in still growing pools of thickening blue blood, but one was missing. It gave Shepard a small bit of hope as she queried anxiously, "_Vura_? Where are you?"

A waving blue hand caught her attention from behind a side support column and Shepard ran over to hastily kneel at her side. What the commander saw provided her with a small glimmer of relief. The commando had propped herself up against the column and had a med kit open on her lap. "I'll make it, Shepard. Took a shot to my shoulder. It actually spun me to the ground and saved my life. Everything else went over my head and gave me time to slide into cover." She grunted in pain as she pushed herself more upright. "Go. Tend those who need it."

After checking for herself that Vura would truly be okay, Shepard moved quickly toward the front to return to Liara's side. "Sound off! Garrus? You have everyone? Anyone seen Riana?"

"Missing Campbell..."

Garrus didn't finish before Sarah shouted out. "Here! Riana's hurt really bad and she was bleeding like crazy. I'm trying my damnedest to keep her alive! I could use some help!"

Shepard sprinted toward the voice, along with Tali, and found the duo tucked in between two rows of seats. Sarah filled them in as she continued to keep pressure on Riana's thigh. "She dove across in front of Liara as that Centurion took his shot. The first round hit her in the shoulder and ripped her barriers down, leaving a Hell of a bruise and spinning her sideways. The second shot was much worse. Without her barriers, that damned Carnifex ripped right through her armor... bastard had armor piercing rounds... It smashed her hip and ricocheted into her thigh. Nothing Doc Chakwas can't fix, assuming we can keep her from bleeding to death. I'm also worried about her head. Not sure if it was from hitting the floor or if she hit the seats as she fell in here, but she's got a big gash on the left side behind her temple."

Shepard stood up and got on comms. "Normandy. Lock on my coordinates. We require an emergency extraction. Non-mobile injured so we cannot meet you... repeat... cannot meet you! Cortez will have to come in hot to the upper Temple entrance. We'll be ready."

She looked around at her ragtag group; they had grown to a total of fifteen. Now, three were dead, two were seriously wounded, one of which was critical, and the extent of Liara's injuries was hard to determine... with her unfocused eyes, Shepard knew there was _some_ type of head injury, but couldn't tell how bad it was. The remaining eight had only minor injuries, but Steve still had to somehow manage to get to them and evac them safely to the Normandy. Shepard sighed. "Come on. We need to be near the entrance when the shuttle gets here. He can't loiter or we'll _all_ end up dead."

* * *

Responsible for monitoring the progress of the ground team, Traynor had forwarded the list of injured to the Med Bay. Her heart was in her throat at the report of Riana's injuries; the Asari had been shot... twice... and severely wounded in the right hip and thigh – she'd lost a good deal of blood and was being cared for by Sarah Campbell. She had also sustained a punishing bruise on her left shoulder (she was left-handed, damn it!) and a head wound of unknown severity.

Traynor had to literally grab onto the edges of her console in the CIC to keep from running full-tilt to the Med Bay to see Riana as she was brought back to the Normandy. She was always aware, (in the back of her mind, at least) that any one of the ground team could be seriously injured, even grievously injured during combat with enemy forces, whether Cerberus _or_ Reapers. This was truly brought home to her only recently... when Bethany Westmoreland was killed.

Traynor had to keep wiping her eyes in order to maintain her focus on the screens in front of her; her heart was beating so fast it felt as if it would burst from her chest any second, but she managed to suck it up and continue doing her job, as much as she wanted to be in the Hangar Bay when the shuttle arrived with the wounded.

Having monitored the firefight over the comms, Traynor could only hope the report she'd heard was exaggerated. _Who are you kidding, Sammi? If anything, they had held off on fully describing her wounds to keep people from panicking. _In the weeks and months since her arrival on the Normandy, Riana had become the love of her life; to think for even an instant this war would… _dare_… that _Cerberus_ would dare… to take that away from her… _impossible!_ _I will not let that happen! Focus! Get your reports completed, processed and archived so you can go see her!_

Traynor redoubled her efforts to accurately record everything that had happened on Thessia, including the Cerberus attack on the Temple. _ How is it that the Illusive Man has the information we need almost before we do? It's almost as if… no, not a chance. Between Edi, Miranda and Mordin, plus Shepard's six-month incarceration where the Alliance overhauled the ship… no, they've just been incredibly lucky! Focus, damn it!_ It took a massive amount of concentration, but she was finally able to finish all the files and get them sent to Admiral Hackett's office, with backup copies filed on the Normandy's server and a datapad copy for the Commander's review.

Traynor decided to go to the mess area for a cup of tea and a bite to eat. If Dr Chakwas happened to leave the Med Bay while she was eating, so much the better – it would give her an opportunity to ask how Riana was doing.


	52. Consequences of Failure

Notes:

_Ai'a me_ \- a trusted friend and unquestioned ally

_Amantia_ \- lover (Thessian)

_Ber'ah_ \- strange (a positive, with connotations of beauty) (Thessian)

_Breá Ber'ah_ \- Combined form meaning beautiful and strange lover; _Breá_ being a close lover, somewhere between _Amantia _and_ Siame_ (Thessian)

CIC - Combat Information Center

_Gráim thú_ \- I love you (Irish/Gaelic)

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

* * *

**Consequences of Failure**

**SSV Normandy, At Large**

Joker had the Normandy accelerating for the relay as soon as the hangar ramp was closed with the shuttle aboard, not even waiting for it to be secured in the docking cradle. Liara was devastated that Riana had been so severely injured and thought back to the three-day break she and Shepard had taken on Thessia after her _Amantia_ was released from the hospital on the Citadel. She dwelled on the conversation; it had been three or four years ago but it suddenly felt as if it were only yesterday.

_"Back to the routine? Am I to understand that you are returning with Shepard to the Normandy?"_

_"Rest easy, Riana. There is room for you on the Normandy and we have __every __intention of taking you with us. As a Spectre, Shepard can hire whomever she wishes and has already agreed to take you onto the Normandy as crew, should you so desire." Liara paused as Riana absorbed the news. As she finished, Liara's voice was resolute. "The days of someone else dictating who I bring with me are over. Your presence will __always __be more than welcome."_

_Riana was relieved to hear the Spectre would not cast her to the side and immediately gave a sharp nod with her response. "Then the Spectre has an addition to her crew. If given the option, I will never again be parted from you... for __any __reason."_

The words from Riana's final statement that night haunted her as her First, her _ai'a me_, was carefully removed from the shuttle and hurried off to the Med Bay. _I will never again be parted from you... for __any __reason._ Liara started as a strong arm wrapped around her waist from behind.

"Come on, Blue. Let's go get cleaned up a bit and see to your arm." Shepard was just barely holding _herself_ together, but taking care of _Liara_ actually helped keep her mind off everything else that was spinning rapidly out of her control. The homeworld of the love of her life was in flames, several of her crew had been injured, and Cerberus now had the information the Crucible team needed to end the Reaper war. Worst of all, she had absolutely _no_ idea where TIM's current toady, Maya Brooks, had taken it.

She glanced across the hangar deck; it had been turned into a triage area. Brooks' parting shot, that damned explosive, had taken away _any_ chance they had of recouping their loss. The console had been ruined beyond repair, the data lost... and the blast injured almost _everyone_ to some degree. Most were just cuts and scrapes from the flying debris, but it _still_ added insult to injury. Tali had a suit rupture, so was in isolation until her antibiotics kicked in and she got her suit repaired and sterilized. Except for Legion, Sarah and Tali had escaped with the fewest injuries, followed by Garrus and Sasha. Vega and Cayla had been caught off-guard by the gunship's initial strafing run and then Shepard, Liara and Kurin, who were closest to the console when it exploded, got flattened. Liara, already having been shot and with a potentially troublesome head injury, had suffered the most of the three. "Shepard?"

Liara's voice pulled the commander out of her musings and Shepard smiled at her reassuringly as they retreated to a private corner. She helped Liara remove her armor and exposed the wound on her arm. The regular med techs were in with Karin, working on Riana and Vura, so, with so many minor injuries, any of the crew aboard the Normandy who had been trained in emergency field medicine came to lend a hand... Ashley was there and had followed them in their retreat from the masses. She quickly scanned Liara while Shepard treated the gunshot wound; Ashley was not happy with the results and crouched in front of the Asari. "Liara. Follow my finger."

Shepard watched with concern as Liara squinted with effort, simply attempting to focus on the finger held up in front of her nose. Ashley sighed as she shook her head; using her omnitool to generate a pinpoint light, she directed Liara to hold still and look straight ahead as she flashed the light in and out of the Asari's eyes. Ash huffed in resignation. "Sorry, Liara, but Chakwas is going to ground you. You definitely have the Asari version of a concussion, along with mild whiplash. You need to rest somewhere, eyes closed, for a few hours while Doc works on Riana... Then, she can reevaluate you with better equipment and we'll go from there." She looked at Shepard as she finished, "But in the mean time, as XO, _I'm_ relieving you of _all_ duty for at _least_ 24 hours."

Shepard nodded in agreement. "We have time. We're headed back to the Citadel." Her head hung in disappointment as she spoke quietly, "I... have to tell Tevos about what happened."

"We also have to contact the Broker network and give them a heads-up. We have to figure out where Cerberus went before the trail goes cold." Liara started to rise, but Ashley put a firm hand on her shoulder and pushed her gently back down into her chair.

"What part of 'relieved of duty' didn't you understand, Liara?" Ashley looked in her eyes. "You can't even _focus_. How in the Hell do you expect to read or write reports?"

Liara closed her eyes against the scrutiny and her words were clipped in irritation. "Fine. But I have to at least go and talk Shepard through it."

Shepard nodded and glanced at Ash. "I promise I won't let her do anything to put her recovery at risk." Her hand floated up and she cupped Liara's cheek; the Asari sighed and leaned into her palm as tears started to form in the corner of her still-closed eyes under the gentle and caring touch. "She's too important to me to let her unnecessarily jeopardize her health."

Ashley smiled at the couple. "I don't doubt that for a second, Skipper, but I'm cleaning up all _your_ nicks and scratches as well, before you take a single _step_ toward that elevator."

* * *

The Broker teams had been shocked at the news and vowed to find a lead for them as soon as possible, especially with the new Cerberus ciphers they had. They were absolutely certain they'd be able to turn something up within the next 24 hours and Shepard had informed them they had at _least_ that long. Liara and Tali were likely down for three days and Riana's status was doubtful... Shepard assumed she would be down for at least a week, if not two. If the Broker teams managed to find a lead _quickly_, Shepard would be able to put together two squads of four, but she'd have to use some combination of the new Asari on board... Lieutenant Kurin, Specialist Cayla and Sasha T'Levos... and possibly pull Edi from the bridge in order to put together a respectable second team.

A very concerned Judea appeared onscreen asking details about Riana's condition and after Shepard had explained exactly what happened, the pilot sat back and uttered, "By the Goddess. It's a wonder you all came through that as well as you _did_! That _gunship_ could have killed _everyone_!"

Shepard looked down at the floor and practically whispered her response. "I thought leaving the Asari soldiers at the back of the Temple would keep them out of any direct contact with whatever was going on inside. I never thought the threat would come from without... especially dressed in Asari colors!" She mumbled her last words, mostly to herself, but everyone heard it. "_Fucking Cerberus_."

"The Illusive Man is obviously desperate to succeed, Shepard, and you know he places no value on _Alien_ life." Her tone was one of disgust, as Miranda responded immediately. "There has to be a leak somewhere on Thessia, or perhaps in Councilor Tevos' office, for him to have gotten the information as quickly as he did. None of that was your doing; there's no _way_ you could have anticipated Cerberus being there in addition to the damned _Reapers_."

Shepard's head came up, her eyes flashing in anger as she surged out of her chair. "It's my damned _job_ to anticipate! I _failed..._ and now Thessia's lost, along with the information about the _Catalyst_!"

Liara stood quickly to follow and stumbled clumsily into Shepard's side as she cried, "Samantha! It is _not_ your fault!"

Shepard's demeanor immediately softened as she caught Liara around the waist and helped her regain her balance by holding her close and encouraging the Asari to hold onto her for support. She spoke tenderly, her voice soft and comforting. "_Hey_! Easy, Li! Don't hurt yourself... _Please_. Be _careful_."

"I'm sorry. I didn't think." Liara closed her eyes to stop the world from spinning and leaned into Shepard's shoulder. "I simply can't stand when you blame yourself for things well outside your control." Liara suddenly felt as if her knees wanted to buckle and she clasped Shepard more tightly. "I think it's time I go lie down, Samantha."

The commander kept a supportive arm wrapped around her Promised as she said her farewells. "I guess that's our cue. Let me know if you guys find anything... and I do mean _anything_. I don't care _how_ slim the lead. Get us _something_."

With last minute well-wishes and promises to find the information as quickly as possible, all the connections faded to black and the active connection light winked out. Without a word, Shepard carefully scooped Liara off her feet and carried her gingerly to the loft.

* * *

_**Eva's Vortex**_**, Parnitha, Athena Nebula**

"What the hell happened to the barriers, Sergeant?" Maya drilled the man with her eyes as the A-61 dodged Harvesters on its way back up to rendezvous with _Eva's Vortex_. "_None _of the people in that fucking temple were even _firing_ at this bird!"

"Begging your pardon, Ma'am… Besides the sky being filled with _Harvesters_, every damn one of which was taking pot shots at us, there was that damned unholy machine in the temple!… that… Geth!" He spit the word out as if it left a foul taste on his tongue. "Son-of-a-bitch was equipped with some kind of semi-auto pulse cannon, and it was spot-on accurate. Every time we dropped down to spray the inside of that place with _our_ heavy guns, that bastard would target our shield emitters." The man shook his head at the memories. "And _every_ shot it fired connected, taking out an emitter. By the time you boarded, there was only one emitter operable, and you saw how weak it was against pistol fire."

Their flight to the corvette seemed to take forever, as the pilot was jigging the gunship around randomly to avoid getting hit by anything the Harvesters fired at them. Without kinetic barriers, the armor plating would quickly buckle from any heavy weapons impact, forcing them back to the planet's surface in an inglorious heap of flaming, twisted metal.

Maya caught a glimpse of the corvette through the forward viewscreen as the pilot said over the PA, "Strap in, everyone. We're coming in hot." She tightened her harness further and placed her head back hard into the backrest of the jump seat she had taken; the pilot brought them into the hangar at least 30 Km/h faster than safety protocols dictated. He managed to bring the A-61 to a screaming, jolting stop by applying emergency reverse thrust to the engines, stirring up every last bit of dirt and debris littering the hangar's decking. The cockpit windscreen came to a halt less than two meters from the forward bulkhead as the engines spooled down, their intense whine suddenly much louder as the ramp began to deploy at the rear. Maya sighed in relief that the wild ride was over and they had all survived. Rapidly unbuckling the safety harness, she quickly stood, nodded to the sergeant and moved to the rear of the small craft, grateful to be leaving the Asari homeworld in one piece.

She virtually leapt from the A-61's cargo area as the edge of the ramp kissed the hangar deck. Making her way to the ship's cockpit as fast as possible, she told the pilots to set course for Anadius and travel there with all possible speed. Of all the missions she had done for Cerberus, _this_ was the one and only time she was actually looking forward to reporting back to the Illusive Man. She stopped in the tiny galley for a bite to eat and some hot coffee, then headed for her stateroom. When they reached the relay, they'd jump through the Serpent Nebula on their way to the relay in the Pax system; once there, they'd need several more hours of FTL to the Anadius system. It would give her plenty of time to think.

Lying in her bunk with her hands behind her head, she contemplated the ceiling above her as she thought about Jack Harper – The Illusive Man. He _needed_ what had turned out to be a Prothean VI program, the origin of which proved to be an ancient beacon constructed by them to aid in uplifting the Asari. The beacon had been a closely guarded secret within the Asari government – its existence only now revealed because the matriarchy was desperate to save their planet from the Reapers. How TIM had learned of the artifact so quickly, possibly even before Shepard and her team had learned of the location, was a huge question in her mind.

She suspected there _must_ be someone in the higher levels of their government that was beholden to Harper… someone with whom he had had a liaison at some point in the recent past. After all, the squids _appeared_ to be female, at least outwardly, and there was no doubt that the majority of them were quite attractive, and not just to Humans! They also appeared attractive to Salarians, Turians and even some Krogan! Shit, look at Shepard… _It's all she can do to keep her hands off T'Soni when they're together! So, maybe… just maybe, Jack Harper is screwing at least one member of the matriarchy._ Of what _possible_ benefit could that be to Cerberus, a fanatically pro-Human, anti-alien organization?

Brooks had stolen the artifact… the VI program… out from under the very noses of the System Alliance's best Marines and the Asari republic's most knowledgeable archeologist, not to mention representatives from the rest of the known galaxy – the only ones missing were the Krogans and Salarians. Why did Harper need this… fifty-millennia-old program? The Alliance was building a Prothean super-weapon to defeat the Reapers, which apparently would be of no use at all without this… _catalyst_, whatever that might be.

And the damned VI had shut down the _instant_ her troops entered the sanctuary, claiming it had detected an 'indoctrinated presence'. She was aware that most every Cerberus soldier was… _augmented_… supposedly an improved version of the regular troops… of Alliance troops. Did the augmentations come from the destroyed Reaper Sovereign… or the derelict Reaper that had been orbiting Mnemosyne? That she had been working with possibly indoctrinated soldiers on _this_ assignment made her stomach queasy. _Just thankful I'm so far down the food chain I've __**never**__ been deemed important enough to have earned enhancements like that!_

_And I have to admit… Shepard's capabilities are really… amazing. Damn! She's a hard-core Alliance soldier! TIM spent billions to bring her back to life, and the ungrateful bitch turned on him, turned her back on Cerberus! Shit! But… she __**always**__ told Harper she didn't trust him any further than she could throw him… Proved it when she destroyed the Collector station. Too bad she never got the chance to tangle with him personally, one-on-one. I bet she'd have kicked his miserable ass all over his polished floor._ The mental images those thoughts created made her laugh out loud. Shepard represented everything Maya most hated about the majority of humanity, in that she was more than willing to work with aliens to achieve her goals. Even more telling was the fact aliens were willing to work with _her_, as if they were drawn to her cause! _Single-minded focus on her mission, her goals, no matter what. She used us… used Cerberus… to take down the Collectors. Have to respect her for that, I guess, and when that task had been accomplished, she simply walked away; for that, I truly envy her! _

* * *

**Citadel, Widow System, Serpent Nebula**

"Thank the Goddess! Shepard!" Tevos stood quickly from behind her desk and approached the commander. "I was worried when I did not hear from you... and then I was told the Normandy had docked... Did you get the data we needed?"

Shepard didn't know how she could possibly soften the blow, so she simply admitted their failure. "I wish the news was better; we... didn't get the information."

Tevos' face paled and she stopped in her tracks. "What _happened_?"

"Cerberus was there with a gunship... flying _Asari_ colors. They ripped us apart before we even realized they were the enemy." Shepard looked down at her feet in disappointment. "We were defeated and Cerberus took the data. We don't know how to finish the Crucible."

Tevos stared at her for a moment, her brain refusing to process the words the commander had just spoken to her. She finally blinked. "_Goddess_. I... don't know what to say. How did Cerberus even find _out_ about the artifact?"

Shepard shook her head. "No idea...but we obviously have a leak... _somewhere_. My guess is they have an agent somewhere on Thessia... or in the Council offices."

"No one _here_ knew but Nizia and me... and I trust _her_ implicitly; the leak must have been on Thessia. Though, I suppose at this point, it no longer matters." Tevos took a deep breath and composed herself. "What was the situation on Thessia when you _departed_?"

Shepard looked away and blinked in an attempt to keep tears from forming in her eyes. "Deteriorating fast. The Reapers are there in strength, Tevos..." Her voice turned husky, but she pressed on, "... exactly like Earth and Palaven."

Tevos stepped up to her and wrapped her in a hug, whispering softly in her ear. "It is not your fault, Samantha. It is the _Reapers_. We _knew_ they were coming, yet we could do nothing without the support of the Matriarchs. Thessia has brought this on herself."

"Thanks for the effort, Tevos." Shepard pushed back and forced a small smile of appreciation onto her lips. "I only wish words could actually make me feel better about the whole thing... but they can't."

"Nor, unfortunately, will they solve our dilemma." Tevos shook her head. "So, if you'll excuse me, there are preparations to make... continuity of civilization to consider..."

"Understood, Councilor." Shepard nodded. "You realize we're not giving up. As soon as we get a lead... _any_ lead... the Normandy will be heading out to chase it down."

"Of course, Shepard. I would expect nothing less from you." Tevos looked at the floor. "I... I never thought this day would come. I need to go, Commander. Good luck... and go with the Goddess, Shepard; may she bless us all."

They both walked out of the office of the Human Councilor, Tevos heading back to her own office and Shepard heading to the apartment. When Shepard walked in, Garrus met her at the door. "She's still sleeping, Shepard. She woke only once, crying like a child waking from some nightmare. I gave her some tea and she settled back down; went right back to sleep and hasn't moved since."

"Thanks for staying with her for me, Garrus." Shepard glanced up the stairs but resisted the urge to run up them. As she looked around, she realized the apartment was rather full. "Is _everyone_ here?"

"Are you _kidding_?" Garrus chuckled. "Even _Legion_ is upstairs. Thank the Spirits you have a penthouse with a _roof_ access or the entire _Citadel_ would be up in arms. He wouldn't take '_no_' for an answer; says you've saved him too many times for him to desert you now."

Shepard rolled her eyes. "Where the Hell is everyone going to _sleep_?"

Garrus' mandibles wiggled in humor. "Don't worry yourself about that. Legion doesn't _need_ to and all the commandos have taken over the back office area... along with Sarah. That leaves both bedrooms open for James and I. We don't even need to share." He looked puzzled for a moment and then continued, "Though I'm not really sure if _Kurin_ is staying the night. She's already gone back to the ship once to check on Vura... Oh, and don't worry about Riana. Traynor has _that_ well in hand." His mandibles wagged again as he chuckled. "If Riana wasn't still unconscious, I'd seriously have to tease her about her nursemaid... but I think she would take offense. She would most likely be _very_ upset that she's not here with Liara."

"And the commandos took over the office area, huh?" Shepard shook her head. "That means they _also_ have the private bar... and all the _good_ stuff. I'd better at least go collect my _Bushmills_ before they drink it all without even realizing I can't get any more... probably for a good long while."

Shepard made her rounds and spoke with everyone, ensuring they were all comfortable while, at the same time, ensuring they weren't going to drink the apartment dry. After a few strained laughs, thinking it was amazing any of them were able to laugh at all, she said her goodnights and slipped upstairs. Legion was standing watch on the upper level and saw her come up. "Shepard Commander. I have upgraded your security system software to remove fourteen deficiencies within its programming. Your dwelling is now secure and being monitored by the Consensus. You will be notified immediately if there are any unauthorized intrusions."

"You can do that?" Shepard stared at the Prime, still getting accustomed to Legion's new frame.

"The remote monitoring is possible only as long as interplanetary communications remain functional. The remainder... has already been done. So... Yes, we can do that." Legion paused momentarily, which was an incredibly long time for a Geth unit. "I communicated with... EDI... and I must agree with her assessment. Human speech mannerisms are difficult to emulate."

Shepard smiled. "Good luck with _that_ one, Legion. Half the time, _we_ don't know how to say what we mean. You haven't got a _chance_!" Shepard paused and tipped her head slightly to the side as her eyes narrowed in thought. "Thank you, Legion. For fixing my flawed security system... and simply for being here. It means a lot."

"It is my pleasure to serve, Shepard Commander. You have repeatedly offered assistance when others would not... and have granted me life. Twice. I do not know if that is a debt I will ever be able to repay."

"That's what being _friends_ means, Legion." Shepard huffed lightly and continued, "There _is_ no debt to repay. That's what friends are _for_. Someone to lean on when things get rough and someone who always has your back, no matter what kind of mess you get yourself into." Shepard turned toward her bedroom and glanced back over her shoulder. "See you in the morning, big guy."

Samantha slid quietly into the room and peeked at her Promised in the dim light; she appeared to be sleeping soundly so Shepard stepped into the closet and stripped down in preparation for bed. After washing her face and brushing her teeth, she returned to the bed and slid gently under the covers, turning up on her side to look at Liara. The Asari's face was rife with tension and Shepard could see the tracks where tears had run down her face. Sam's lips turned down and her brow wrinkled with concern as she reached over to gently stroke Liara's cheek. "_Gráim thú, _Liara." She whispered her words to match the soft caress she was trailing down her lover's face.

Liara drew a surprised breath and struggled to focus her sleepy eyes on the form before her. Her groggy mind picked up traces of the link before she could ever hope to get her vision to cooperate and she slid close in order to snuggle in under Shepard's chin, her arms wrapping around and pulling the commander close. Shepard returned the embrace and willingly comforted the distraught Asari. "You okay, Blue?"

Liara released a choked sob and whispered, "Not really."

Shepard tenderly stroked Liara's back and craned her neck to place a soft kiss on the top of the Asari's head. "We're gonna be alright, Liara. We'll find a lead and we'll take back the info on the Catalyst. I swear it."

"I know, Shepard. I just..." Liara drew a shaky breath. "I simply have to wonder how many more will die before we do."

"Oh, Li..." More tears leaked out of closed blue eyes and Shepard pulled her close, finally sensing what was truly upsetting her lover. "All we can do is our best... and I'm sure everyone at the Estate will be fine. Aethyta and Nayla know what they're doing; they'll survive to get the new comm buoys launched and everything back up and running. You'll see them again. Keep the _faith_, Liara."

A teary smile crossed the Asari's face when she heard the old standby Shepard phrase and she couldn't help herself. Her hand went immediately to her chest and her fingertips automatically traced the dog tags that still sat next to her heart... _always_. Through _everything_ that had happened, Samantha had never failed her and, in that moment, Liara decided to do just that... _keep the faith_ and trust her _siame_ to deliver one more time on something that, as usual, seemed an impossible task. Liara smiled; when bad things happened, they always _seemed_ insurmountable... but Shepard _always_ managed.

She let out a weary sigh of relief and pulled back from her sheltered hiding place to look into Shepard's face. She spoke softly. "Goddess, how I _love_ you, Samantha Shepard."

Shepard planted a soft kiss on her lips before responding, "I count on it every day, Dr T'Soni. _You're_ the one who told me it was my destiny to be in the right place at the right time... and that you'd be at my side the whole way. I count on your strength, Liara. I can't do this without you." She leaned and kissed the Asari again before she finished, "And I don't care to try, either. I have _no_ desire to be a solo act."

"What if I _can't_ help, Shepard?" Liara's voice squeaked with anxiety. "What if my vision doesn't _clear_? I am no good to you if I can't _see_!"

"Hey! That is so _not_ true!" Shepard pushed herself up on an elbow and looked down at her distressed lover. "Don't you _dare_ sell yourself short like that, Liara. Besides... Don't get ahead of yourself; let's take this one step at a time. At the very least you have a _concussion_, Li, and who knows what else, so give yourself a break. We'll return to the Normandy tomorrow and have Karin take a look at you... Then, we'll see if we can visit with Riana." Shepard laid flat and pulled the Asari to her. "We'll deal with your condition, Blue... Whatever it may be. What you need _tonight_ is a good night's sleep, so no more _fretting_!"

As Liara snuggled into her accustomed spot in the nook of Shepard's shoulder, she actually _did_ feel better. She couldn't help but feel safe and sheltered, tucked tight to Shepard's warm body with strong arms forming a protective barrier around her, so she allowed her tired eyes, strained by repeated failed attempts to focus on her surroundings, to drift closed once more, drawing in a deep breath of comforting leather and musk. She had _always_ felt like nothing could touch her when she was secure in Samantha's arms and somehow, even with everything that had happened over the last twenty-four hours, suddenly, tonight was no different.

* * *

**SSV Normandy, Alliance Docks, Citadel**

Samantha Traynor sat in the mess area at the corner of the table that placed her as close to the Med Bay as possible. She had been splitting her time between her station in the CIC, pouring over the star charts and reports of ship traffic through the relays near the Citadel, and sitting in the Mess Hall, sipping tea and waiting for word about Riana.

Dr Chakwas had the entry door locked and all the privacy shades covering the windows. In the nearly three hours since the shattered ground team had returned from Thessia, Traynor had nearly finished her second mug of tea and was just taking the last bite of berry pie when the door slid open to reveal Karin, looking unhappy and tired in equal measure.

Traynor nearly called out to her as she walked across the Mess Hall to the beverage station. While Karin waited for a mug of tea to brew, she fixed herself a sandwich of cold cuts. Traynor watched her carefully as she bustled about the small kitchen; when it appeared she was simply going to take her sandwich and tea back into the Med Bay, Sammi stood and said, "Dr Chakwas? Would you mind speaking with me for a few minutes?"

Karin was clearly surprised to see her. "It's late, Specialist… Why are you still awake?"

"As soon as I finished my reports, I started looking for clues regarding where Maya Brooks may have taken the VI program she stole from the Thessian temple. I finished inputting all the search parameters, so came down here while the computer completes the query." Traynor swallowed hard past the sudden lump in her throat. "Can you tell me how Riana is doing? I know she was injured... but there were no details in the mission reports I received."

Karin thought of how she needed to answer Traynor's inquiry as she took a sip of tea, then a bite from her sandwich; after taking her time to thoroughly chew before she swallowed, she looked closely at the young woman as she responded, "That information is something I cannot simply share with the crew, Specialist… The captain… and Dr T'Soni, yes, but there are privacy issues to be considered. Riana hasn't authorized any data release, so I…"

Tears came to Traynor's eyes and trickled down her cheeks as she covered her nose and mouth with one hand to stifle a sob and interrupted, "I understand you're protecting her privacy, Doctor, but _please_?… You see, I… _love_… Riana Iregos. We have been practicing… melds... during our off-duty hours and getting to know and trust one another. I mean... it's nothing sexual… not yet, anyway, and the melds…" Traynor met the doctor's silver eyes as she continued, "They are amazing, Dr Chakwas! _She_ is amazing. I can't stand the thought… the nightmares… that this bloody war, the Reapers… or Cerberus, could rip her away from me... before we've really gotten to explore who we can be to each other."

Karin tried to school her expression, but the surprise showed through in the arch of her brows and the astonishment in her eyes. "Sammi! I'm sorry, I had no idea! But you must realize that I can't take your word for it; to tell you _anything_, I must have _Riana's_ authorization."

Traynor was crushed; her hopes of relieving the torturous thoughts running rampant in her overactive imagination had been dashed in an instant. "Doctor Chakwas! I have never… I am not a liar! I. _Love_. Riana. I would do anything for her. And she loves me back."

Karin could clearly see she had cut Traynor with her statement. "I am sorry, Specialist, for my poor choice of words. Of course, I don't think you're a liar. It's just…" Karin paused to make sure she didn't compound the insult. "...before I tell you anything, I simply need to confirm your relationship with her when she wakes up. I'm sorry." Karin frowned, knowing the answer was not what Traynor had hoped for. "I need to follow standard protocol to ensure Riana's best interests are being considered."

Disheartened, Traynor tried a different approach. "When will she be awake, Doctor? When may I see her?"

Karin sighed; this woman was certainly persistent, which was good, in a way… it meant she was most likely truly in love with the Asari Commando. "She'll be out for another four hours or so, Specialist, plus another two to three for recovery, after which she may… _may_… be ready for a visitor or two. And Liara takes precedence over everyone else, even the commander."

Traynor _still_ had not heard what she needed to know. "Will she be okay, Doctor? She'll recover, won't she?"

Karin smiled as she finished her sandwich. "She'll be just fine, Specialist. She's a fighter… and has an attitude similar to that of the commander; I'll most likely have a difficult time keeping her in bed so she can recover."

Traynor's relief showed in her smile. "Thank you, Doctor." She rose from her seat, saying, "Guess I need to get back to work. I intend to find where that little bitch went with the program she stole. She needs to pay for causing so much suffering and death."

Karin rose as well and started to take her mug and plate to the dishwashing station. Traynor took them from her and said, "I'll take care of the dishes, Doctor. You go back to the Med Bay. The sooner you're done with Riana, the sooner I can remind her how much I love her."

After rinsing the dishes and placing them in the cleaning unit, Traynor realized there was nothing left to be done until either Riana woke up or the computer completed the data search, so she walked dejectedly toward the sleeping pods, convinced it was an exercise in futility. She felt as if her head had just touched the pillow in her sleep chamber when she woke to the sound of a quiet drumbeat of fingers on the outer surface. As she struggled to get her bearings, the cover panel unlatched and swung away to her right, letting in way too much light from the dimly lit passageway between the Mess Hall and the main battery. Before she could protest the intrusion, Karin Chakwas spoke to her in a soft but affectionate voice. "Specialist... Riana's waking up. She asked for Liara and you, in that order." Chakwas voice suddenly picked up a hint of irritation. "_Liara_ is apparently ashore, so…"

Traynor wiped the sleep from her eyes as she attempted to get all her muscles to respond to commands to get out of the sleeper pod. "Gotta pee… wash my face. Be right there."

She followed Karin back towards the Mess Hall, continuing on to the women's head on the mid deck. After relieving her bladder, she brushed her teeth, washed up, blotted her face dry, then left for the Med Bay. She stood outside the closed door for several heartbeats before working up the courage to touch the haptic lock. Karin met her at the door as it retracted, placing an arm around her shoulders as she started walking for the bed furthest from the entrance. "Riana suffered a traumatic injury to her right hip and thigh, Specialist. She also has a slight concussion from hitting her head when she went down and her left shoulder is heavily bruised as well."

"How bad is her leg, Doctor?" Traynor frowned. "What do you mean by '_traumatic_'?"

"She lost a lot of blood and she'll be grounded for a _minimum_ of ten days, probably more, and she'll need physical therapy to help rebuild the strength in her leg. She's still a bit groggy from the anesthesia and I have her on medication to manage her pain, but she should be able to tell you what happened." Karin dropped her arm and faced Traynor. "It'll give you something to talk about. I'll give you ten minutes alone with her, okay?"

Traynor's smile was radiant. "Thanks, Doc." She slowly moved past Karin and approached the med-bed. Riana was lying flat on her back in the bed, with a special body-forming cushion beneath her, and her head was tipped toward Traynor with her eyes closed. Sammi stopped at the edge of the bed, unsure of what to say or do. After a minute of just observing the peaceful rise and fall of her chest under the blankets, she raised a hand and tentatively ran her fingers along the Asari's right cheek and jawbone as she whispered, "Riana?"

She was rewarded with a hint of a smile as Riana opened her eyes slightly, squinting up at her. "Sammi…" she whispered back, lips barely moving. "_Breá ber'ah_… I'm so sorry."

Traynor couldn't stop the tears that overflowed and trickled down her cheeks as she bent down and gently kissed those soft lips. "You have nothing to feel sorry about, Ri. You're _alive_!… You came back to me! Dr Chakwas put you back together and has given us ten minutes to talk."

A blue hand slowly appeared from under the blankets beside Riana's neck; Sammi grasped it with both of her own as she cried, "I thought I'd _lost_ you, Ri… I was so scared."

"Mistress Liara? Spectre Shepard?" Riana's whisper was urgent. "Are they okay?"

"Both are at the apartment, Ri. According to Commander Williams, Dr T'Soni has a concussion and an injury to her arm, but she seemed to be doing okay when she left. Shepard _did_ carry her to the loft, but they both left once we docked here."

Riana blinked her eyes and Traynor felt the hand she was holding exert some pressure. "My fault… tried to protect… wasn't fast enough…" Riana's eyes were moist with unshed tears.

Traynor couldn't help herself; she kissed Riana again, savoring the feel of her lips. "You _saved_ Dr T'Soni, Ri. The bullets that hit you? Armor piercing. She would have been killed if you hadn't have been there, Ri. Instead, she's _alive_... and in _much_ better shape than you are." Traynor placed another kiss on Riana's lips, eliciting a smile and a soft purr of contentment.

"Thank you, _Breá ber'ah_. Not knowing her fate was killing me inside." Riana fell silent, content to be holding Sammi's hand, happy in the knowledge that her effort to save her mistress hadn't failed.

Karin softly cleared her throat behind Traynor and said, "It's time, Specialist; she needs her rest. She'll still be here tomorrow."

Traynor placed one more kiss on Riana's mouth and breathed softly, "I have to go, my love. You need to sleep so your body can heal. I'll come back to visit tomorrow." She kissed the hand she had been holding and said, "I love you, Riana."

Riana's eyes opened and quickly focused on Sammi's face; her voice was a bit stronger and she grinned as she replied, "I love _you_, Samantha Traynor, and look forward to seeing you tomorrow." She released Traynor's hands as she continued to look at her, still amazed by the strong connection she had with the bashful human.

Traynor reluctantly turned towards Karin, who placed an arm around her shoulders and started walking towards the door. "I'm sorry I had to deny you the information earlier, Specialist. It would seem the Asari on this ship are quite adept at finding love among the crew." Chuckling, she added, "Go back to bed and don't visit too early in the morning... At least let us try to get through breakfast first."

Traynor smiled, relaxed for the first time since that awful mission had concluded. "I'll give it my best shot, Doc." Sammi turned and left, heading for her station in the CIC.


	53. A Forced Respite

Notes:

_A Grá_ \- My Love (Irish/Gaelic)

_Ai'a me_ \- a trusted friend and unquestioned ally

_Breá Ber'ah_ \- Combined form meaning beautiful and strange lover; _Breá_ being a close lover, somewhere between _Amantia _and_ Siame_ (Thessian)

_C__odladh gan aislingdona_\- sleep without nightmares(Irish/Gaelic)

_Gráim thú_ \- I love you (Irish/Gaelic)

_I__onúin álainn_ \- beautiful beloved (Irish/Gaelic)

_Kaffe_ \- equatorial Thessian vine, the seeds of which are used to produce a non-alcoholic beverage of the same name, the taste described as a mix of coffee and chocolate; blends originating in Dassus are considered among the best

_Nara_ \- literally "bearer"; one who shoulders another's burden, aids others (Thessian)

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

* * *

**A Forced Respite**

**SSV Normandy, Alliance Docks, Citadel**

Liara's sense of security from the night before withered quickly under Dr Chakwas' unsettling glare. The morning had been as good as it possibly could be under the circumstances, waking up nestled comfortably in Shepard's arms. It had been only slightly disconcerting to open her eyes and realize the world was still rather blurry... at least her headache had toned down significantly and Shepard had been the perfect doting mate. She had helped Liara through her morning routine and laughingly gave her a piggyback ride down the stairs to breakfast, ensuring the blurred vision posed no problem negotiating the steps.

The mood took an immediate turn when the Med Bay door opened to reveal a scowling Karin Chakwas. "Where have you two _been_? You were supposed to have been in here _hours_ ago for your medical follow up!" Karin pointed abruptly at a treatment table. "Both of you... sit. Now."

Shepard's eyes widened slightly at the tone as Liara hurried to comply, dragging Sam with her to the table. "What are you talking about, Karin? Ashley and I both agreed on 24-hrs down time."

"Which was supposed to follow a _few_ hours of rest and a check-in with me, once I finished with Riana! And don't try to deny it. I spoke to Ashley, after which Edi very willingly played the entire conversation back to me."

Shepard looked at Liara, who was hanging her head in embarrassment like a chastised child. "Damn. She _did_ say that, didn't she?" As Liara's head bobbed reluctantly in agreement, Shepard looked back at Chakwas. "I'm sorry, Aunt Karin. With everything going on, I honestly forgot... I _had_ to go see Tevos, and I didn't want to leave Liara behind, so I took her to the apartment. We actually didn't _do_ anything but get a great night's sleep. But, since you mentioned Riana..."

"Riana came through her surgery splendidly and will be fine in a couple of weeks, but she's sleeping right now and you can't disturb her." Karin's demeanor softened with understanding and she brought up her omnitool. "We'll just hope Liara has suffered no additional harm by delaying her treatment." She put a gentle hand under Liara's chin and raised the Asari's head. "Now... Let me see what's going on with your eyes, my dear."

After a thorough examination, Karin directed Liara to lay on one of the treatment tables. She prepared a hypospray for the Asari and explained, "You're going to take a little nap while I put some ointment in your eyes. On top of your rather _severe_ concussion, you are also suffering from a few corneal abrasions. You have a bit of brain swelling that is impinging on the optic nerve; that should disappear in another eighteen to twenty-four hours with a series of soft-tissue treatments and rest, but the clarity of your vision is _also_ being affected by the minor scratches on both eyes. I assume you got hit by a lot of dust and debris during the explosion... _and_ that you rubbed your eyes in an attempt to clear them. You did yourself no favors, Liara." She held the hypo to the Asari's neck. "You'll feel much better and your vision should be significantly improved by the time you wake up... and, by then, you _should_ be able to speak with Riana. Ready?"

Looking for comfort and reassurance, Liara's blurry gaze shifted to the commander, who was standing at her side and holding her hand. Shepard gave it a light squeeze as she spoke quietly, "I'll see you soon, _A Grá_. _C__odladh gan aislingdona_."

Liara smiled and whispered, "I love you, Sam." With an answering smile from the commander, Liara nodded at the doctor. "Ready as I'll ever be, Karin."

Shepard watched silently as Karin administered the sleep inducing agent and carefully applied the salve to Liara's eyes. Liara was asleep before Karin finished the treatment and Chakwas finally turned to the commander. "You're next."

"What about her soft-tissue treatment?" Shepard's anxiety was evident in her tone and was compounded by the fact her eyes never left the sleeping Asari as she asked her question.

"I'll take care of that after the salve _works_ for a couple of hours." Karin canted her head as she studied the heightened disquiet that was obvious in Shepard's posture and the expression on her face. "Right now, my immediate concern is _you_."

"I've got nothing for you, Karin. Ash took care of the bigger stuff and my nanites took care of what was left, overnight."

"Physical injuries are _not_ what I'm talking about, Sam." Shepard's head finally turned to the woman who, in her opinion, was _much_ too perceptive. Karin directed her to a chair over by her desk and, after a last glance and a gently placed kiss on the cheek of her Promised, Shepard moved to the chair and sat down.

"I'm fine, Aunt Karin." Shepard looked at the concerned expression on the gray-haired woman's face and smiled.

"Don't give me that rubbish; you are more _stressed_ than I've _ever_ seen you... and that's saying something." Karin reached over and placed her hand atop Samantha's own. "I realize our situation is just about as far from optimal as it can get, Sam, but that doesn't change the fact that you _need_ to take a breather. You can't hide from me that you are near a _breaking_ point; I know you too well... and if her brain wasn't so addled by that _miserable_ concussion that she can't complete the link, _Liara_ would say the same... _Especially_ if she could actually focus on the _expressions_ that have been crossing your face; either one of those would give you away in a heartbeat."

Shepard groaned and dropped her head in defeat, running her left hand back through her hair and stopping to grip the back of her neck. "What do you _expect_, Karin? I just fucking _lost_ the last piece of data we needed to complete the Crucible and win this damned _war_!" Shepard took a deep breath and sighed, apologizing, "Sorry, Aunt Karin. You don't deserve my attitude."

Shepard dropped the hand from her neck and stood from the chair, starting to pace. "The Broker teams are scouring everything they can find for a lead... and all _I_ can do is sit and wait, hoping they turn one up in time to make a _difference_."

Karin's brow creased in concern and she stood, taking a couple of steps to intercept the commander on her path. Grabbing both shoulders as Shepard went to walk _around_ her, Karin brought her up short. "Sam, stop; don't do this to yourself. They'll find what we need and you'll go kick the Illusive Man's ass up between his shoulder blades, just as you have every _other_ time that jackass of a man has crossed you. You'll get the data on the Catalyst and we'll _end_ this damned cycle... just like you ended Saren and then the Collectors. Keep the faith, Sam."

Shepard's head came up with a snort and Karin watched as a smirk climbed onto the commander's lips. "I said that very same thing... well, not _exactly_, but pretty damned close... to Liara last night, Aunt Karin. I guess I should listen to my own advice, heh?"

Karin smile and pulled Shepard in for a hug. "_Absolutely_, my girl."

Samantha returned the embrace before pushing back. "So, how long will Liara be down?"

"Long enough." Karin glanced at the unnaturally still form lying on the treatment table.

"Long enough for what?" Shepard's gaze followed Chakwas' lead and she found her eyes resting on Liara's slumbering body. Her heart ached for her loved one and her mind missed the link.

"Long enough for you to go visit Admiral Hackett." Shepard's attention snapped back to the doctor standing beside her. "I spoke with him earlier while you were _AWOL_ and he wants to see you." She held up a hand to stop Samantha's protest. "I have no say in the matter and he's already sent a transport to collect you. It should be here in about thirty minutes."

She gripped Samantha's bicep when the commander's eyes narrowed and returned to Liara. "She'll be fine, Sam, and I plan on keeping her sedated for roughly eighteen hours. I'll complete a series of three soft tissue treatments, and possibly one additional salve treatment on her eyes." Karin released her hold. "Go get ready. You should _easily_ be back before she awakens."

* * *

**SSV Orizaba, Aralakh, Krogan DMZ**

Somehow, until they emerged from the relay into somewhat familiar space, Shepard had managed to forget that Hackett was on the Orizaba, which was both the flagship of the Alliance Fifth Fleet _and_ under the command of the Admiral in charge of Crucible Fleet Support, Rear Admiral Hannah Shepard. She stared in awe out the viewport of the transport; it was one thing to see the progress display hovering above the central table in the War Room of the Normandy, but it was another thing _entirely_ to see the Crucible in person, hanging in space beside a massive fuel depot with the Aralakh sun serving as an impressive backdrop.

Her view was cut off by their final approach to the Orizaba's docking bay, the small transport slipping easily inside. As the massive doors closed behind them, the pilot expertly settled the transport into a cradle and rose to speak with Shepard. "Commander. Admiral Hackett is expecting you, so if you'll follow me please?"

Shepard followed the Lieutenant through a maze of passageways that eventually led to Hackett's ready room. As the door closed behind her, Shepard snapped to attention. "Sir! Commander Shepard reporting as ordered."

Hackett chuckled. "As you were, Commander, and knock that shit off. You're a damn Spectre... I think in _that_ capacity, as a representative of the Council and given all that you're responsible for, you might actually outrank _me_." Hackett's smile faded quickly as he continued, "But sit yourself down and tell me what the Hell happened on Thessia."

It was over an hour and a half later when Hackett finally leaned back in his chair, shaking his head in disgust. "Well... Damn it, Shepard! It's really a cryin' shame the Illusive Man can't seem to get past his 'humans first at any cost' mindset… it may be the death of us all. Good to know the injured are all going to recover... and I assume that _also_ includes Dr T'Soni?"

"Yes, Sir. She's tougher than a lot of people give her credit for." Shepard's face took on a reflective smile as she thought of Liara. "Karin made no promises but, once she put aside her initial anger at our delayed arrival, she was pretty relaxed about the whole thing. That tells me Liara will be fine; if Karin isn't worried, then neither am I."

"Good." Hackett stood and Shepard popped out of her chair in response. "Let me know when you find what you need." His gaze traveled out the window to the amazing feat of engineering that loomed seemingly just outside, even though it was at least a kilometer away. Looking back, he offered his hand as he finished, "We're all counting on you, Shepard. Godspeed."

Shepard stepped out the door to find a new Lieutenant waiting for her. "I've been directed to bring you to the comm room, Ma'am. Admiral Anderson is on the horn."

The QEC wasn't far from Hackett's office so, faster than she thought possible, a projected image of David Anderson was standing before her. "Shepard. I heard about Thessia."

"We were so _close_, Anderson." Shepard leaned on the console and dropped her head. "So damned close to _ending_ this war."

Anderson did his best to cheer her up, a note of incredulity in his voice. "You didn't think it'd be _that_ easy, did you?"

Shepard failed to see the humor and growled, "Hell no... But I didn't expect our own _people_ to fuck us over, either." She turned away in disgust, unable to face him. "Watching Thessia fall... and knowing there was nothing I could do to stop it... Liara coming away not only injured but almost broken in spirit..."

Anderson, who wasn't about to let her slip into the downward spiral of self pity, barked out, "Shepard! You know how many times I got my ass handed to me over the years? Surviving the First Contact War was a Goddamned miracle! _They_ said I was a hero... _I_ just felt lucky to get out alive; much like you on Elysium. So maybe this Maya Brooks _did_ beat you. What of it?"

Shepard spun back in anger, "It could cost us the war!"

"Bullshit. These guys in the resistance _know_ it's a losing proposition... that the odds of seeing tomorrow are slim to _none_, but we all signed up anyway... and knowing the Normandy is still out there fighting gives us hope. You've got a great team pulling for you and they'll find what you need; and when they _do_, I say point us at the Reapers and we'll take our chances!"

Shepard snorted and shook her head in disbelief. "Gods! And Mom wonders where I learned to be so _bull-headed_? We'll make it Anderson... and when it's all over, you and Kaylee can give Liara and me the grand tour of London."

Anderson laughed in relief, thinking that, perhaps, Shepard's attitude had turned the corner. "It might need a new coat of paint first."

Shepard's brief smile turned to a straight line of grim determination. "We'll be back to Earth _soon_, one way or another. We've built the Crucible and the Illusive Man has the Catalyst; we _have_ to come together or we're _all_ doomed."

Anderson nodded. "There's the Shepard I remember. Shake this off and keep moving forward, Commander."

"I will, Anderson... and... _thanks_. Be careful out there."

"You too, Shepard. Anderson out."

Shepard said nothing more, but waved as the image faded. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment to keep the urge to cry at bay, feeling the full weight of the galaxy's survival resting on her shoulders and knowing she didn't have time for self pity. She sucked in a deep breath and blew it out slowly, composing herself before finally turning and heading out the door. The Lieutenant was waiting and smiled when she came out. "One last stop, Commander."

A crooked grin slid onto Shepard's face. "_That_ must be my mother." All she got in response was laughter as the Lieutenant turned and started walking down the passageway, expecting Shepard to follow.

* * *

The door slid open and the aide gestured for her to proceed. "Enjoy your visit, Commander. Your return transport leaves after dinner, 1900 hours sharp. Dinner will be in the Admiral's private Mess at 1730."

Shepard thanked him and quickly entered the compartment only to stop short and snap a salute; her mother's office was well appointed and the woman had stood from behind her desk at the sound of the door sliding open. Returning the salute, Hannah's eyes travelled over her daughter from head to foot and a frown settled on her lips as her brow creased with concern. The joviality was missing from her normal banter as she said, "You look like death warmed over, Commander."

Shepard faltered for a moment; her mother's unusually subdued reaction made finding the normally light-hearted repartee difficult and she had to search for words before replying, "You've gotten lazy, Admiral."

Hannah's brow arched. "And you've become disrespectful."

Shepard had held herself together pretty well, but something about being with her mother broke down the last of her defenses. Her lip suddenly quivered and she swallowed, unable to continue speaking as her eyes glazed with unshed tears. Hannah was caught by surprise at the unexpected development and she rushed forward to wrap Samantha in a tight hug. "By the Gods, Sam! What's wrong?"

When she got no response, she pushed back and gripped her daughter by the shoulders; narrowing her eyes in concentration, she studied the stressed face before her. "You're scaring me, Samantha. _Please_ tell me nothing's happened to _Liara_."

Still trying to find her voice, Sam shook her head and drew in a deep halting breath. She finally managed to squeeze out, "No, Mom. Liara's fine... She _will_ be at least." From there, Shepard was able to tell her mother the entire story of Thessia, including the concerns about Liara's family outside of Armali and the loss of the Catalyst to the Illusive Man.

"That son-of-a-bitch." Hannah glowered, staring at the Crucible through her office view port. "You _find_ that man, Samantha. You take back the VI and you _bury_ him!" Her voice seethed with anger. "I want nothing left of him that's any bigger than his little _pinky_ finger!"

"We have everyone available looking for leads, Mom. We'll find the bastard eventually... I..." Samantha paused and took a deep breath. "I simply have to hope the Gods grant us a boon and we find it soon enough to make use of it."

Hannah actually smiled. "Well... They _have_ to, don't they? If not, we'll all be dead and there won't be anyone to worship them. Keep the faith, Sam; they may not make it _easy_, but they'll make it happen."

* * *

**Citadel, Widow System, Serpent Nebula**

With Shepard gone, the Normandy wasn't going _anywhere_ and Garrus found himself in the refugee area of the Citadel docks, checking on the war-displaced Turians. Victus was making amazing gains and had somehow managed to convince the Council to accept their wounded. Garrus had done all he could to help the logistics of the process and was preparing to return to the Normandy when he heard a familiar voice behind him. "What the Hell _you_ lookin' at?"

"Nothin'! Nothin'!" Garrus chuckled as a Batarian backed away quickly, nearly bumping into him in his haste to get away from the dangerously ill-tempered human.

Zaeed's head turned at the familiar laugh. No other Turian he had ever met had such a distinctive sound to his sub-harmonics. "I was _wondering_ if the Normandy was going to hit port any time soon. Thought maybe Shepard's been too busy recruiting Goddamned _armies_ for this war of hers."

"Charming as always, Massani. Good to see some Blue Suns merc hasn't managed to slit your throat since the last time we worked together."

"Yeah... and it's nice to see you haven't had to take any more Goddamned rockets to the face!" Zaeed chuckled at the thought as he continued, "Don't think the women in this galaxy would survive if they had to choose between _these_ two handsome mugs!"

Garrus sighed. "You do realize that most of the women that'd be attracted to me are Krogan, don't you? As for you, I'd say the males on Heshtok might have some real competition."

Zaeed laughed out loud at that. "Goddammit, Vakarian, that is _really_ cold. Probably some truth there, but cold, just the same!"

Garrus looked at the old merc and huffed as he changed the subject. "You helped us with the Collectors, Zaeed... and you helped _me_ with Sidonis. We could _really_ use some more of that now."

"_Help_, ya mean?" Zaeed scoffed. "From what I hear, Shepard's got more help than she knows what to do with on that boat. What the fuck could _I_ possibly add to the mix?"

"You're a good gun..." Garrus' voice flanged in approval as he continued, "and you've always been really good at cheating death… I mean, look at you! Gunshot to the head at close range? You seem to be a really tough bastard to kill. That's certainly something we can never have too much of."

Zaeed laughed again. "Yeah. I suppose so." His laughter died as he continued, "I've seen footage of what happened on Palaven, Vakarian. That's rough. Earth's in the same fix." His voice turned gravelly and he growled out, "No way I'm chasing around the galaxy on another Goddamned suicide mission, but tell you what... I'll see if some old contacts o' mine are still around. Can't promise you anything, but if enough of 'em are still _breathing_, we can lend a hand when it comes down to it. I think us old bastards pro'bly got one good fight left in us."

"I'll be sure to tell Shepard I ran into you... _and_ about your offer." Garrus chuckled again as he thought back to the Collector mission, stuck his hand out and after only a brief hesitation, Zaeed took it. Garrus nodded. "Thanks, Zaeed. Damned good to see you again. If you need anything, let us know. We'll make sure you can get it. You know... war rationing and all."

"I'll keep that in mind." Zaeed dropped his hand. "Shepard'll know if I found my friends when she gets the bill."

* * *

**SSV Normandy, Alliance Docks, Citadel**

Shortly after Commander Shepard had left for her meeting with Admiral Hackett, Traynor entered the Med Bay to make her promised morning visit to Riana... but stopped short as she noticed a very still Dr T'Soni on the bed nearest to the doctor's desk. Dr Chakwas was doing something to the Asari's eyes, but Samantha couldn't see from her vantage point.

"Specialist!" Karin had glanced quickly around at the sound of the door hissing open and closed. "Do come in… I was beginning to wonder where you were."

Sam gingerly walked up to stand beside the doctor and queried, "Is Dr T'Soni alright?"

"Yes, my dear." Karin smiled gently. "She has some minor corneal abrasions from the dust and debris caused by the explosion. I'm simply putting some salve in her eyes to sooth the irritation while she recovers from her concussion. The proverbial two birds with one stone, if you will." Karin stopped momentarily and glanced at the specialist. "Go on... You're here a bit later than I expected, but go visit. I'm sure Riana will be happy to see you."

"You said not too early… that you wanted time for breakfast. Simply knowing Riana is going to be okay… that meant the world to me, Ma'am. I can't thank you enough."

"No thanks necessary, Specialist. I don't know what I'd do without all of you to take care of. Caring for soldiers has always been something I've loved. I'm happy to help."

Traynor nodded and moved past Liara's Med Bed. Walking up to stand beside Riana, she quietly cleared her throat and said her name. "Ri? You awake?"

"I am now." Riana squinted up at Traynor, silhouetted against the ceiling lights. Looking back and up, Traynor quickly moved so her shadow fell solidly across Riana's face. "Better?"

"Much better. I'm glad to see you, _Breá ber'ah_." Reaching out a hand, she hummed in pleasure when Sam took it in both of hers. "This bed is not nearly as comfortable as my own, and I missed my evening mug of _Kaffe_. And Goddess, my hip and leg are really aching! What did that bastard do to me?"

"You don't know? Dr Chakwas didn't tell you?"

At the mention of her name, Karin looked up. "Specialist, there's a chart at the end of her bed. If she's feeling up to it, she's welcome to read it."

Traynor found the medical data pad sitting in the rack at the foot of the bed and handed it to her _Breá_. Riana quietly studied the report for a number of minutes before setting it aside with a murmured "_Goddess_."

"Ri, what was it? Does it say how bad you were injured?"

Riana managed to say, "Lucky to still be alive, I guess. I took a bullet in my leg that fractured my hip and ricocheted into my thigh. It cut one of my veins and I damn near bled out. I need to thank Sarah for taking such good care of me down there."

Traynor freed one of her hands to stroke Riana's crest, being careful to avoid the recently repaired gash on the side of her head. "Can you tell me what happened? What do you remember?

Riana closed her eyes, thinking back to the Reapers… burning Thessia… her homeworld. "We deployed from the shuttle… and almost immediately started taking enemy fire from every sort of monstrosity imaginable. _Nightmare_ stuff, Sammi. The Reapers seem to be very good at creating nightmares... in vast numbers. We were joined by the remains of a Commando unit… five members were all that was left, and we then picked up an additional commando that was supposed to assist the scientists assigned to show the temple to the commander. They all helped us fight our way to the temple entrance."

"We made it inside. Everything was quiet… _too_ quiet. I could hear sounds of fighting outside, but distant… not immediately threatening. We all looked around, attempting to find the trigger for the… the program, or the… I don't know, Sammi! It's like a bad dream." Riana squeezed her eyes shut, as if doing so would force her mind to clarity. "Spectre Shepard discovered the _statue_ was the source of the power, said it was a Prothean beacon… but she needed to tap into data streams to activate the thing." Riana reopened her eyes and focused on Sammi's face.

"Shepard managed to activate the beacon, Sammi… It was fully active, something the scientists had _never_ been able to accomplish. A Prothean VI. It seemed our efforts were going to be successful, and then Cerberus showed up!" Riana shook her head slightly, as if attempting to clear her still foggy memory, or to deny that the Illusive Man was so intent on stopping them from succeeding.

"There were five Centurions… only five! Against fifteen! We _should_ have been able to handle them easily… and _would_ have, except for that frelling gunship! Cerberus had it painted in Asari colors, Sammi. Its guns ripped into our rear guard, instantly killed three commandos and severely wounding Nilya Vura." Riana looked over at the bed where Vura was sleeping and sighed.

Traynor gave her a bit of water, and then retook her hand. "Sounds terrible, Ri. I cannot _imagine_ how you were able to stay so focused."

A grim smile was Riana's only response before continuing in a soft voice. "I was having difficulty seeing the enemy soldiers because of the smoke… We all got separated at the front of the temple. I kept trying to get to Mistress Liara, Sammi… I needed to protect her!" Eyes closed, she ground out, "A Centurion, damned big bastard, grabbed her by her chestplate and flung her through the air as if she weighed nothing! She crashed into somebody… Garrus, I think. She was on her back, dazed, partially on top of the Turian. The Cerberus bastard pulled his pistol, aimed it at her head!" Riana started sobbing. "I _failed_ her, Sammi!" Voice hitching in anguish, she sobbed, "I wasn't there when she really _needed_ me. How am I to _live_ with that?"

A bit confused, Traynor looked at Liara's form, lying still as death under a blanket on the first table and suddenly understood Riana's anguish with a clarity that surprised her. "Riana Iregos! Listen to me!" Sam placed both hands together to cup the face of her Breá and spoke sharply. "Dr T'Soni is in here for _treatment_. She's alive! You _saved_ her, Ri! Your shoulder? The AP round in your hip and thigh? You stopped that augmented thug from _killing_ her, Riana! You saved her _life_, do you hear me? You. Saved. Dr T'Soni. She'll be _fine_, love." Traynor continued to hold Riana's head, thumbs gently stoking her cheekbones.

The dullness in Riana's eyes changed as she started to hope. "You wouldn't lie to me Sammi, would you? You're telling me the truth? Mistress Liara… Thank the Goddess! But... _how_?"

"I told you last night when you first woke up. Guess you forgot. Doc's treating her eyes with some salve... that damned explosion coughed up too much crap and it scratched her corneas... _and_ she's making Liara rest to speed her recovery." Traynor smiled at her beloved Asari. "Guess that Cerberus thug gave her a concussion when he threw her across the aisle... but that's all. She's going to recover, Ri. Faster than _you_ will!"

Riana couldn't stop smiling. "Really? Oh, Goddess be praised! Thank you, Sammi… for listening to me and for… being here for me. It means… more to me than I can possibly say."

Sam leaned over and pressed her cheek against Riana's; she couldn't hug her like she wanted, having to avoid her injured thigh and hip, along with her horribly bruised shoulder. "All of you are back safe on the Normandy, darling, and _you're_ safe with _me_. You're going to be okay. Doc says you'll need some physical therapy once you get out of this bed, but I'll be here to help you... every step of the way." Traynor kissed her, savoring the warmth of the Asari's lips against hers; finally relaxing with the knowledge that Riana truly was going to get better. "Now, I'm going to leave for a few minutes. I'm going to make you a good strong cup of _Kaffe_, and sit here with you while you drink it down. You need a taste of home... something to look forward to once this is all over. Okay? Stay put – I'll be right back."

Riana grinned at this. "Don't think I'm capable of going anywhere at the moment, _Breá ber'ah_," came the smirking reply.

Traynor walked slowly towards the exit, stopping just long enough to talk to Karin for a moment. "Dr Chakwas? I wonder if you would be willing to tell Riana of Dr T'Soni's injuries?" Before Karin could answer that she already had, Traynor quickly added, "It would mean a lot to her… She woke up thinking Liara was, I don't know… badly injured? Maybe even dead. Riana felt she had failed in her duty. She got wounded covering for her mistress, but I don't think she remembers it very clearly... if at all. Hearing it from _you_ would do her a world of good, Doctor. Riana is a hero." Traynor paused for only a moment before continuing with a smile. "I'm going to make her… us… each a mug of _Kaffe_. Would you care for a cup of tea while I'm out there?"

"A cup of tea sounds wonderful, my dear," Karin replied with a smile. "Don't forget the lemon," she added in a smirking tone. She stood and began walking toward Riana's bed to repeat her explanation of Liara's relatively minor injuries, realizing Riana must have still been under the affects of the anesthetic and couldn't recall their previous conversation.

Samantha grinned. "Of course." Exaggerating her British accent, she added, "Wouldn't be a proper cup of tea without lemon, now would it?"

As Traynor left the Med Bay, she caught a brief glimpse of a crew member leaving the ship's Mess, past the elevator supports. On a hunch, she followed around to the mid-deck passageway in time to see the segmented hatch to the environmental compartment sliding closed.

Touching the haptic lock to reopen the door, Traynor suddenly remembered the casket bearing the body of Bethany Westmoreland had been placed inside. Engineer Adams had rigged a pair of spotlights overhead to shine across the flag-draped casket from either end; part of Bethany's rest on the Normandy should have included an honor guard – a Marine (or other crew member) standing at parade rest behind and to the left, or head-end of her casket, but the Normandy was still understaffed. The demands of the war – the very thing that had resulted in the young Marine's death – meant an Honor Guard was only occasionally present. Traynor knew that James Vega and a few other crew members, including the person she needed to see right now, had taken personal downtime to stand watch on several occasions. It was much less than Bethany deserved, but it was the best they could do. Somehow, Samantha knew that Bethany was grateful for their efforts.

Sarah Campbell was standing just outside the illuminated circle around the casket, hands apparently at her face. Traynor could hear soft, muffled sobs, and realized she had intruded on a very private moment for the Corporal. Feeling saddened by her grief, she almost turned to leave, but something about Sarah's demeanor made Samantha decide that approaching her to offer sympathy for the loss of a friend… a comrade in arms, would be the proper thing to do. _No one should have to grieve alone_, she thought.

Sarah started slightly at Sam's gentle touch, the hands on her shoulders unexpected, but not unwelcome. "I'm so sorry, Sarah," Traynor said. "Beth was an important part of this crew, and her absence is felt every day. I can't even begin to imagine how hard this must be for you."

Sarah nodded through her tears. "I can't believe she's gone, Specialist. It just seems like a bad dream… a bad dream from which I cannot wake up." Voice hitching, she managed to grind out, "I miss her so much!" before suddenly turning towards Traynor and throwing her arms around her, grief overwhelming her efforts to keep her emotions in check. Traynor held the young Marine tightly, gently rubbing her back while Sarah cried on her shoulder, until she had nothing left to give.

Pulling away slightly, Traynor said, "Come on… let's go out, sit at one of the tables. I'll fix you some tea. We can talk, if you like, or just sit."

Sarah wiped her eyes. "I'm a mess, Specialist. Let me go to the head… clean up a bit. I'll join you in a few minutes."

Traynor kept a friendly arm around Sarah's shoulders as they left the Environmental Compartment; Campbell went down the passage to the women's bathroom while Traynor went to the kitchen area to prepare some tea. Suddenly remembering what she had been doing before getting distracted, she thought, _Damn! I'm supposed to be making Kaffe for Riana._ She readied the cups for Sarah and Dr Chakwas as the water heated; while she waited, she queried Edi about entry into the Broker's office.

"Why do you need to enter the Broker's office, Specialist Traynor? Neither Dr T'Soni nor Riana Iregos are present within."

Traynor replied, "I need access to the press and the seeds in order to make a couple mugs of _Kaffe_ for Riana and myself."

After a short pause, Edi replied, "I will remotely unlock the hatch when you are ready, Specialist. I trust you will not disturb anything in the compartment."

"Thanks, Edi." Traynor waited patiently for Campbell to arrive and looked at her apologetically as the corporal sat down. "Sarah… I'm sorry... I was supposed to make some tea for Dr Chakwas and _Kaffe_ for Riana. Won't be but a few minutes... and I promise I'll return quickly."

Traynor hurried to the Broker's office and proceeded directly to Riana's personal living space, found her stash of fresh seeds and quickly pressed enough for two mugs of _Kaffe_. She prepared the press and carefully brewed the beverage, exactly as Riana had coached her... all the while hoping she got it right. Leaving the Broker's office with two steaming mugs of the beverage, she returned to the tables and set the mugs down before entering the kitchen to pour two cups of tea.

After adding lemon for the doctor, she picked up both cups and walked back to Campbell. "Here's _your_ tea, Sarah." Setting the cup on the table in front of her, she added, "I'll just take this to Dr Chakwas and be right back."

The look of gratitude from Sarah nearly broke Traynor's heart. _Didn't anyone talk to her after Bethany's death? What the Hell? I know Shepard wanted her to go on a mission right after. Seems this war leaves no one any time for their grief._

Traynor entered the Med Bay to find Dr Chakwas sitting at her desk, entering information into a terminal. Riana appeared to be sleeping, as did Dr T'Soni. Setting the cup of hot tea on Karin's desk, Samantha said quietly, "I followed Sarah Campbell into our temporary mausoleum, Doctor. She's feeling really down about Bethany's death. Would it be possible for her to visit Riana… with me? She actually _needs_ to see what a difference she made for her… for _us_. Riana may have saved Dr T'Soni's life on Thessia, but Sarah Campbell absolutely saved _Riana's_ life down there! She needs to know how grateful I am for that. I know Dr T'Soni will want to express her gratitude as well."

"You were only going out to bring us some beverages, my dear." Karin took a sip of her tea while she thought about the request and sighed in resignation. "Yes, go get her and bring her in. But keep it short, please. Riana's injuries are quite serious, and I want her to sleep as much as possible."

Traynor grinned. "She'll sleep a lot better with a cup of warm _Kaffe_ in her stomach. Thanks!"

Traynor went back out into the Mess and sat in front of the Corporal. "Sarah, I realize you were only doing your job on Thessia, but I want you to know how grateful I am for you keeping Riana from… bleeding to… death… down there. She means more to me than I can say, and…" Sammi reached over and laid her hand on top of one of Sarah's. "… I would really like for Riana to be able to thank you as well. Would you come into the Med Bay with me… talk to her? I think it would cheer you up some, knowing your actions made a difference to us."

Campbell looked at Traynor, tears welling up in her eyes. "Does she really want to see me, Specialist?"

"She's already mentioned wanting to thank you, so I can't imagine she wouldn't wish to see you." Traynor gripped the hand she was holding a bit tighter. "Come on. I'm taking her a cup of _Kaffe_. Going to drink mine with her. Bring your tea. It'll be nice to just sit… and _visit_."

Sarah's mouth actually turned up slightly at the corners as she rose from her seat. "Okay, Specialist. Lead the way."


	54. Changing Direction

Notes:

_Ai'a me_ \- a trusted friend and unquestioned ally

_Gráim thú_ \- I love you (Irish/Gaelic)

_Inanna: _pinnacle of Asari blending, perfect unity of two spirits into one (from real world Sumerian Goddess of Love, Fertility, and War)

_I__onúin álainn_ \- beautiful beloved (Irish/Gaelic)

_Nara_ \- literally "bearer"; one who shoulders another's burden, aids others (Thessian)

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

* * *

**Changing Direction**

**_Eva's Vortex_****, At Large**

As she was drifting off to sleep, an image from the temple persisted in her mind – that of the dead Asari commando she had stumbled over as she ran for the gunship, eyes wide open and fixed, staring up at her with dilated pupils. The memory of those eyes, set in a face that appeared quite Human, was a bit haunting. Maya had a strong stomach, but seeing the face of someone so recently alive – looking into her eyes, if only for a moment – would not be something she could easily forget. It was if they were accusing her, reminding her of all the people whose deaths she had caused, some casually, some maliciously, all deliberately.

She had never given much thought to her victims, whether killed by her personally or by others at her behest. _This_ Asari had most likely been a victim of the heavy, large caliber bullets sprayed randomly about by the gunship now docked in the hangar below. _I didn't personally put a bullet in that squid… that… Asari. I was doing my job, damn it. She can't hold me responsible, can she? It was business… just business. I was certainly not going to be the one bleeding out on that planet. I did my job... working for a man who is possibly a fucking Reaper agent... damn it all._ She gradually fell into a troubled sleep, her dreams troubled by the accusatory eyes that continued to stare at her, as if asking the question… 'Why?'.

* * *

**Cronos Station, Anadius, Horse Head Nebula**

The corvette docked with the station in less than six hours from the time it had left the Athena Nebula; even so, the trip was a bit longer than she had anticipated for a two-relay jump. Maya had not slept well, her thoughts as she dozed off dwelling on the staring, accusatory eyes of the dead Asari she had stumbled over during her escape run to the gunship. Her first thoughts on waking were of Miranda Lawson, another person that had had enough of Harper's machinations. Miranda had seemingly done the impossible; she had absolutely disappeared from sight after being seen leaving the Normandy when it docked at Omega, six and a half months before the Reapers entered Kite's Nest and virtually obliterated the Batarian home systems.

_If she's out there, I'm sure she'll intercept my carefully crafted data packet concerning Oriana – perhaps she has intercepted it already and is even now working her way towards Sanctuary – da-da-da-dah! – big sister to the rescue! With any luck, I will be there waiting for her. Hopefully she'll be willing to put our past disagreements behind her. I really need to get out of this organization before it kills me!_

All of this ran through her mind as she walked purposefully to the Illusive Man's inner sanctum; she wanted nothing more than to deliver the damned VI program so she could get the Hell off this station. Realizing that the majority of the people under his command were outfitted with Reaper embellishments, or completely indoctrinated, caused a shiver to run down her spine. _Shit! He's probably indoctrinated himself – probably has been since the First Contact War._

Maya came to a halt at her usual spot, to the left of and slightly behind Jack's 'throne'. He never moved… didn't acknowledge that he was even aware of her presence until he spoke.

"Rasa. _Excellent_ job on Thessia. I read your preliminary report. It would appear the ancient Asari had a lot of outside assistance, if what you overheard in that shrine can be believed. The Protheans were meddling in everyone else's evolution, particularly that of the Asari." Pausing to contemplate the implications, he added, "…_and_ the evolution of humankind. The Prothean site on Mars proves they were watching us, giving us little nudges along the path… until the Reapers' arrival put a halt to their interference."

Pulling a cigarette from his pocket, he lit it, took a drag and blew out a cloud of fragrant smoke. "Why do you suppose the Reapers didn't bother with us or the Asari… the Turians, or the Krogan, Rasa?"

Surprised, and not sure if he was really looking for an answer, Brooks thought for several moments before answering, "Well, they seem to only target species that have achieved space flight, Sir. None of today's civilizations _had_ that capability fifty thousand years ago."

"Exactly! And I believe the relays, and the Citadel, are all tied to the Reapers' current attempts to destroy _our_ civilizations; that they started with Earth is key to their motivations. Commander Shepard got their attention by destroying Sovereign at the Citadel four years ago. She led the team that destroyed the Collectors. The Reapers _fear_ humanity… that is why they targeted Earth before going after _any_ of the other races. It's their weakness, Rasa… one I intend to exploit!"

He took another drag from his cigarette, speaking as he allowed the smoke to lazily waft from his nose and mouth. "I had my doubts about your dedication before, Rasa, but maybe... just maybe... it's time for us to discover your _true_ potential. I've been looking to replace Kai Leng, and with Reaper augmentations even _better_ than his, you'll _truly_ be a weapon to be reckoned with." He smiled as he looked up at her with his artificial eyes. "Go get cleaned up, Rasa. Have some food, get some rest. I'm already planning your next assignment, but I need to look at the gift you brought me from Thessia, learn how to utilize it to our full advantage."

Maya's heart leapt into her throat at the thought of having a bunch of alien… tech... grafted into her body. _Goddammit! He wouldn't! No! I won't let it… let him!… shit! Who do I think I'm kidding!? He'll do whatever he goddamned pleases, grab me when I'm sleeping, take me to a lab on the station. I have got to get out of here, soon!_

Sensing his dismissal, she turned on her heel and hurried away from this madman as fast as she could walk. She had never considered that the Illusive Man might decide to implant her with Reaper tech. Why now? To control her? To ensure that what she was planning to do would be the last thing she could possibly _think_ of doing? Harper had erred when the Lazarus Cell rebuilt Shepard… Maya knew Lawson had wanted to implant a control chip in Shepard to ensure _she_ wouldn't go off the rails and he had refused to allow it... and look at how much trouble _that_ decision had caused Cerberus. _So now, he's looking to avoid the same mistake with me! I've got to get the hell away from here!_

* * *

**SSV Normandy, Alliance Docks, Citadel**

Shepard's first stop upon her return to the Normandy was, of course, the Med Bay; as she stepped in and the door slid closed behind her, Karin greeted her with a broad smile. The doctor stood from her seat at the medical station and walked over, her eyes full of loving concern. "Sam. Your mother just called; she's worried and wanted to make sure I was aware of what you were putting yourself through. I told her _yes_... I hope I didn't lie?"

"No, Ma'am; you didn't." Shepard's lips tipped up a fraction at the edges. "After I talked to Admiral Hackett, I was caught a bit off-guard by a QEC call from Anderson and, of course, he immediately brought up Thessia. It made me compare it to Earth... and of him being down there in that mess. I..." Samantha paused and gave her head a couple of shakes before she continued, "So many were dying on Thessia, Aunt Karin. I can't _imagine_ what conditions are like on Earth by now and I can't help but worry about him." Her eyes locked on Karin's like lasers and her voice rose in volume as she continued, "As soon as we figure out where the Illusive Man is hiding, I am going to _kill_ him and take _back_ that damned VI program. Then, we're going to fire the Crucible and _end_ this damned war... once and for all."

Karin's eyes flashed with understanding. "_That_ sounds like an excellent plan, Commander. Just be sure to keep _yourself_ in one piece while you do it."

A soft voice from the side garnered their undivided attention. "I would _concur_, Dr Chakwas."

Shepard's face lit with joy and she turned quickly, taking two long strides to the side of Liara's bed. "Hey you," she whispered softly. "I'm sorry if I woke you. I'm a bit... _adamant_... concerning my feelings toward Cerberus and the time they've cost us, fighting this damned war." Her hand brushed lovingly across the cheek of her Promised and she leaned over to place her lips delicately against the field of pebbled blue skin of Liara's forehead as she spoke quietly. "Welcome back. _Gráim thú_."

Liara smiled as Shepard's lips tickled her skin, speaking in a hushed voice. "Have you been here this whole time, Samantha?"

Shepard stood back upright and dropped her hand from Liara's cheek down to her shoulder, caressing it tenderly. "No, Blue. I actually just got back from a day trip to Aralakh." Her face suddenly split with a beaming smile. "You should _see_ it, Li! The Crucible, I mean. It's _magnificent_!" Her eyes twinkled with pride as she finished, "You did _good_, Dr T'Soni!"

Liara's smile turned to a frown as she whispered, "Only if we manage to retrieve the Catalyst, Shepard." She closed her eyes and took a deep calming breath before she continued, "Otherwise, we'll go the way of all those cycles before us; having the plans and not being able to complete the weapon in time... because of an _indoctrinated_ subgroup within."

Karin stepped over to them and spoke sternly, "That's enough of that! No more business talk." Her attention focused on Liara as she ran a scan and continued more gently, "You are not even supposed to be awake yet... but the sedative is most definitely gone from your system. You've recovered more quickly than I expected, Dr T'Soni. Fourteen hours instead of eighteen." Karin smiled at her patient. "You are welcome to return to the loft... _but..._ you are still restricted from duty for the night."

She gestured and then assisted the Asari to sit upright. "How do your eyes _feel_? Scratchy or itchy at all?"

Liara blinked a couple of times and smiled in relief. "No, Ma'am." She felt her earlier anxiety melt away as she realized not only did her eyes _feel_ better, but she could also focus _easily_ on the faces before her.

Karin activated her omnitool and leaned in one more time. "Look straight ahead, please." After a brief inspection, she smiled and straightened. "Directly to the loft, Dr T'Soni; another solid night's sleep and the last of your concussion symptoms should be completely gone. No stopping at the office; no checking your data feeds. Is that _perfectly_ clear?" She looked at Shepard. "Commander, I'm holding you _personally_ responsible if I find out she's done _anything_ else."

Shepard jokingly snapped to attention. "Yes, Ma'am!"

Liara, however, had other ideas. "Karin? I'd really like to take a moment to check on Riana, Tali and Vura. May I? Please?"

Karin glanced at her chrono before answering. "It's late, Liara, and Riana is most likely sleeping, but she has been _very_ concerned about you. I imagine she'll be fine with you waking her... and will probably sleep _better_ as a result. She initially thought she had failed you, that you had been either seriously injured... or possibly even _killed_. I believe actually _seeing_ you on your feet will do her a world of good."

Karin smiled as she continued, "And Tali is _excellent_... and showing _no_ signs of infection whatsoever, but is still in isolation through tonight. Tomorrow will be soon enough for you to chat with her, once everyone wakes and is up and about. As for _Vura_, she is _already_ up and about... _and_ with the other commandos at the apartment. She's doing well, but her arm is still in a sling. I'll ask her to drop by and see you tomorrow, after she comes in for treatment." Karin's focus shifted to Shepard. "I imagine _she'll_ be out of action for a few more days as we continue her therapy, but you'll definitely have her available for the ground team after that time, should you need her, Commander. I'll let you know when she's cleared."

"Thanks, Karin." Shepard leaned over and gave her a quick hug. "Don't know what we'd do without you."

Karin chuckled, "I believe I shocked you with my answer the _last_ time you said something like that, Sam."

Shepard smirked, "Yes, you did. It was how I would have bled to death many times over... or something to that effect." Shepard shook her head and took Liara's hand. "Come on, Blue. We have a First to soothe."

* * *

Riana's eyes fluttered open and focused sharply on the faces above her. Without saying a word, her face lit with a mixture of joy and relief as tears appeared at the corners of her eyes and ran down the side of her face to soak into the pillow beneath her head. Liara's forehead creased with sorrow and her hand gently brushed some of the droplets away. "_Thank_ you, Riana. I know those are tears of relief, and I wish circumstances were... _different..._ so such tears had no reason to be. I am certain that had you not been _there_, I would not be _here_, now."

Riana gathered herself and answered softly, "You have no _idea_ how happy it makes me to see you standing before me, alive and well, Mistress. I..." Her forehead creased with remembered fear and pain. "Even though Specialist Traynor told me you were simply having your eyes treated, I honestly thought I had failed you… that you were severely injured, or…" she stifled a sob as she remembered thinking Liara had been killed by that Cerberus thug.

Liara smiled down at her First and deadpanned, "Not a chance. If you want to leave my service to stay with Samantha Traynor, you'll have to try harder than _that_."

Riana's expression abruptly changed to one of surprised shock, and her mouth opened and closed a couple of times in aborted attempts at speech. She finally narrowed her eyes and focused on Shepard, whose face was terribly red with the effort of suppressing her laughter. "You know perfectly well I have no intention of doing so... and you are well enough to _joke_ about this! And here I thought you _dead_; you are far from it!" Riana let out a disgusted huff. "You have spent too much time with this Spectre aboard the Normandy, Mistress, and it worries me to think you have been exposed to such harsh realities that you would become comfortable with a soldier's morbid sense of humor." Riana's scowl turned slowly to a grin as she spoke. "I am not so sure that is a good thing; Shepard has completely and utterly corrupted you!"

Shepard could stand it no longer and her laughter erupted loudly, ringing through the med bay. Karin was immediately at the bedside, a surprised look on her face as she surveyed the threesome, all struggling to contain what they were sure was inappropriate mirth. She struggled to keep her lips from turning up into a smile as she attempted to chastise them. "What in the galaxy is going on over here?"

Shepard, still laughing, swept the surprised doctor into her arms and hugged her. "We're _alive_, Aunt Karin! We live to fight another day... and today, that _alone_ is a victory worth celebrating."

* * *

Tendrils of ash swirled around Shepard in ever-thickening smoke as the ghosts of yesterday crowded around her, to the point where she felt she couldn't breathe. She flailed her arms uselessly against the blowing cinders in an impossible effort to move them away as they threatened to engulf her. She was pulling on her biotics in an attempt to create a Nova shock wave, hoping it would give her at least a short respite from the choking ash when a voice called urgently through the haze in her mind. _{Samantha! Don't! Wake up, Love!}_

Shepard snapped awake at the pleading call to find herself wrapped in a light stasis field and staring through the dim light into the concerned eyes of Liara. Sam's breathing was rapid and she felt her heart pounding in her chest as she gulped in a couple of deep breaths and slowly released the biotic energy she had summoned. As the energy drained away and she relaxed into Liara's sure grip, the Asari released the stasis and sat cautiously on the edge of the bed, placing a hand softly on Shepard's chest as if to calm her lover's racing heart. "Goddess, Sam. I was gone only long enough to get some water and that damned _dream _ripped through your mind like a tidal wave; it's almost as if it sits at the edge of your subconscious, lying in wait for you to be alone."

Shepard groaned and sat up, leaning into Liara's side and resting her cheek against a cool blue shoulder. "Please, Liara. Don't give it any more life than it already seems to have. It's bad enough as a dream; I don't care to think of it as a malevolent entity living inside my head." She let out a long shuddering sigh, filled with the sense of exhaustion that always followed the nightmare.

Liara frowned and shifted, wrapped her arms around her Human and pulled Shepard's head to her chest before lying back down, their normal positions reversed. "Sleep, _Siame_. I won't leave you again while you rest. I swear it."

A light shudder ran through Shepard's body at the thought of falling back to sleep so soon, but Liara was insistent, keeping her in place and gently rubbing her back as she pushed tender loving thoughts through the link. Despite the residual anxiety from the nightmare, Shepard found her eyes slipping closed under the soothing and comforting rhythm of Liara's hand. Her mind was on the brink of grasping that Liara was using biotics to massage her, when sleep claimed her and she fell peacefully into a restful slumber.

Liara's hand slowed and eventually stopped to rest upon Shepard's hip. She closed her own eyes as she planted a long, affectionate kiss on her lover's forehead. "Sleep well, Samantha. I hope you never realize how much we are all truly _depending_ on you, because I fear our expectations would _crush_ you." A second kiss was followed by a quiet whisper, "But I swear to you, I _will_ continue to do all I can to help you carry the burden."

* * *

Shepard woke and was surprised to find Liara was already awake and sitting beside her on the bed; naked but for her promise bracelet and omnitool – which she was using to access some of her messages – the Asari was leaning against the headboard and glanced over when she felt the bed shift. Liara shut down her messaging program and reached to her far side, her hand coming back into view with Samantha's journal as she spoke, her voice filled with resignation. "Put them in, Shepard. Add them to the list."

"I thought you hated it when I did that?" Shepard sat up in surprise, her brow wrinkled in confusion.

Liara placed the journal and a pen into Sam's hands as she very calmly stated, "I have come to realize I would rather you write them in your journal than leave them on your mind to torment your soul." A soft, understanding smile crossed the Asari's lips. "I know you need them to be remembered, Sam, so do whatever you feel the need to do. I've never doubted your instincts; I'm not going to start now. As much as I _hate_ that list, a constant reminder of what only _you_ see as failures, you need to put the names down on the page and get them out of your head."

Shepard frowned as she took the items from Liara. "They _are_ failures. Failures in _leadership_."

Liara sighed and closed her eyes, willing herself to have patience. She reopened them to meet Shepard's gaze, the conflicting mutual pain evident to both of them. "Truth is in the eyes of the beholder, Shepard. _That_ is a commander's truth and, try as I might, I cannot change it, but I _can_ help my _siame_ deal with it, however she best sees fit. None of them are failures of the heart, Samantha; they are failures attributable to combat. Of circumstance." A tear slid down Liara's cheek as she concluded, "So, no matter _how_ you decide to deal with what I truly believe is misplaced guilt, I _love_ you and will support you however you need me to do so."

Shepard swallowed and nodded, unable to find her voice as her throat closed with emotion. She picked up the pen and flipped the journal open to the back, staring briefly at the last name she had entered. Lance Corporal Bethany Westmoreland. After hearing Liara's words, Shepard simply wanted to get it over with, in order to minimize the Asari's distress, and quickly added the names of the commandos lost on Thessia... their lives shattered by a Cerberus gunship mere _seconds_ into their final battle. Cylia Gani, Elria Bani, and Alana Ranni. Sam slammed the journal closed and rolled out of bed, proceeded directly to the desk, and stuffed the small book back into the desk drawer. She glared at the offending item for only a fraction of an instant, before shutting the drawer and closing it off from her sight; she didn't realize it then, but they would be the last names she would ever add to the list.

Liara had followed and slipped her arms comfortingly around her waist, kissing her provocatively on the back of her neck. Shepard felt a shiver run down her spine as goosebumps popped up all over her body and she turned, slowly, in Liara's arms until she could rest her forehead against that of the devoted Asari before her. Before she could say or do anything, Liara brought gentle fingers up to press against her chin, raising her head in order to capture her lips and seek entrance with her tongue. _{Let me show you, Siame. Let me show you just how __**much **__I love you.}_

Before Shepard could protest about the urgency of their situation and how much they needed to get done, Liara pressed forward. The arm still around Samantha's waist pulled the commander tight and the free hand slid down from Sam's chin, between her breasts and splayed across her abs, fingers pointing downward and moving decisively toward their goal.

Shepard knew there was no stopping the coming storm and surrendered herself willingly to its mistress. She felt her insides flutter and loving blue fingers were met with a surge of wetness easing their passage. Her head fell back and she gasped for breath as Liara trailed the broken kiss down her neck and across her breasts, finally wrapping a warm mouth around the one on the left, a greedy tongue lashing it to a hard, almost painful, peak. Her legs started to shake, so she leaned back against the edge of the desk to keep from falling, mewling in pleasure at the summation of sensations running through her body, all thoughts of the journal successfully banished from her mind.

Liara replaced her fingers with a hard thrust of a muscular thigh and returned insatiable lips to Samantha's mouth as she once more pulled the commander close, running her hands urgently up the Human's sides and around her back, nails digging in for traction to crush their two bodies into one space. Shepard _physically_ felt Liara's arousal as she straddled one of the commander's legs, seeking satisfaction for her own throbbing clit and Sam yelped in surprise when Liara's teeth found purchase on her lower lip as her attention wandered below and she ceased actively kissing the Asari. Liara's rare aggressiveness was reminiscent of their desperate union on Illium, but the comparison was quickly forgotten as Liara's eyes snapped open to show glistening obsidian; the emotional dam burst as a meld, swelled with passion, flooded through her.

Shepard found herself swimming in a sea of teal, Liara's presence drowning the commander's concerns and washing away all else but ecstasy. She barely felt herself lifted from the desk and dropped onto the bed, her legs bent at the knee and her feet hanging over the edge. She clung to Liara's mind like a life preserver, riding the waves of passion that repeatedly swept over her, stealing her breath until she cried out in surrender. Her body went rigid, refusing to obey her at last, and joyfully succumbed to the whims and persuasions of her _I__onúin álainn__._ Panting hard, she managed to growl out, "Oh... Gods! Li! I... I'm gonna..." Even her halting voice, after only those few words, ceased to function as her body exploded with mind-numbing pleasure.

Her legs refused to hold her and Liara slid quickly to her knees at the side of the bed, sharing in the overwhelming bliss that swept back through the meld. She dove in, taking everything Samantha offered as her _siame's_ hips pumped with desire, driving continual waves of sweet release with a whipping tongue until her lover had nothing left to give.

The commander's iron will finally overrode her temporary paralysis as her orgasm came to its end and she drew a deep, satisfying breath as she surged up from her semi-prone position to grasp a surprised Liara under the arms and pull her easily up onto the bed alongside her. Shepard quickly flipped Liara to her back and planted a thigh in her crotch while pinning the Asari to the bed with a ravenous kiss before releasing her, only to relocate and use her teeth to grip the folds on her lover's neck, running a tongue quickly through the valleys.

Liara gasped as her stomach flipped and her hands grabbed for purchase on the blankets beneath her. She groaned in pleasure as she thrust her hips upward, grinding herself against Shepard's hard thigh. When her hips came off the bed, Sam took advantage and quickly slipped a hand underneath the Asari's body, locating and sinking her fingers into the hollow of her lover's lower back with practiced ease. Liara cried out in frustration, her body suddenly trying to move in two opposing directions at once; her hips rocked upward and her lower back arched downward, both parts seeking to maintain contact with that which was granting each of them pleasure.

Shepard solved her dilemma for her; she maintained her grip on Liara's neck folds with her teeth, but arched her own neck in the process, using the top of her head as a leverage point to lift herself off Liara just enough to gain access with her yet free hand. While the one remained ensconced in the Asari's lower back erogenous zone, the second slipped into the gap between their two bodies and plunged deep into Liara's building heat.

Liara's cry of surprise at the abrupt, but fulfilling, deep penetration converted quickly to moans of pleasure as Shepard set a rapid pace, augmenting her touch with a trace of biotics. "Oh... Goddess... _Yes_!" Soon it was Liara who was incapable of speech; her soul soared free, sharing her bliss with her _siame_, as her body trembled and finally seized in rapture. Shepard cried out in triumphant jubilation as she and Liara tumbled together as one into paradise, within the mental zone of _Inanna_.

As their bodies lie on the bed recovering from their physical endeavors, their minds met in a familiar black void, seemingly with nothing but the pinpoint light of distant stars surrounding them. Time and distance meant nothing here; Shepard and Liara simply... _existed_. They were together, foreheads touching and arms wrapped tenderly around one another, a bright teal aura filled with eddies and sparks kept the surrounding darkness at bay.

Liara pulled back and looked at Sam, her devotion to the Normandy's commander clearly showing on her face. Shepard smiled and used the back of her fingers to stroke Liara's face lovingly. Her emerald eyes swam with affection and her voice was soft. "Nothing in the _galaxy_ will keep me from defeating the Reapers, Dr T'Soni, if it means I get to spend my future with _you_. My bastion; my harbor from every storm. _You_ provide me the strength to persevere."

Liara simply smiled in return and leaned into the fingers caressing her cheek for only a brief moment before pulling her arms up to her chest and nestling into Shepard's shoulder, reveling in the security of the strong arms that wrapped so naturally around her. She murmuring softly against Samantha's neck. "I am _very_ glad to hear that, Love... for I cannot envision a future without you. You are _my_ heart and soul."

They fell silent, basking in the warmth of one another's embrace, as Liara retreated from the meld. The link provided a nice buffer, preventing the old feeling of... _abandonment_... that had come before they had discovered their deeper connection and Shepard sighed in contentment, relaxing on the bed with Liara in her arms.

They stayed that way until Shepard's omnitool began to chirp incessantly on the nightstand. She tried to ignore it, knowing the _only_ thing important that they needed would come through the Broker network to _Liara's_ omnitool, not hers. When it refused to stop, she finally leaned over with a groan and activated it, audio only. "Shepard here."

"Yo, Commander! You and Blue meeting us at Armax, or what? Thought we were running drills today, to sort out the new teams?" James' robust voice echoed through the room and caused Liara to have to stifle her laughter as Shepard rolled her eyes at his gregariousness.

Shepard made a face at the Asari as she answered the lieutenant, "Yeah. Sorry. We slept in... Didn't even bother setting an alarm. Go ahead and run a round, James. You practiced with me enough back in London to know what you're doing. We'll be there in thirty."

"Uh huh. Slept in. _Yeah_." Shepard could hear the sarcasm in James' voice as he responded. "I got it, Commander. See ya when we see ya! Vega out."

As soon as active link light went out, Liara let her laughter out to play and grinned at Shepard. "What is that Human saying? 'We are _so_ busted'?"

"Yup. That's the one." Shepard's laugh was laced with a bit of embarrassment. "Garrus _told_ me about scheduling Armax... and I honestly _did_ forget." She leaned over and gave Liara a quick peck on the tip of her nose. "Come on. Li. Time to see if you're back up to combat readiness." Her expression turned serious. "If someone finds us a lead, I prefer to have you at my side, fighting; not sitting back on the Normandy feeding me information."

"Me, too." Liara's answer was somber, but her voice quickly gained back a trace of humor as she continued, "Though, based on the lack of ill effects during our... _exercise_... this morning, I am fairly confident that I will receive a clean bill of health from Dr Chakwas."

Shepard's eyes flew open in surprise, the Asari's comment completely unexpected; all she could muster in response was, "Liara!"

* * *

The drills and mock combat at the Armax Arsenal Arena went like clockwork, and the members of the Normandy team were swarmed when they emerged from the locker rooms after their final match of the day had finished. For their last session, Shepard had gathered her elite team... those who had worked together since the beginning... and huddled them up. "Alright, guys. Let's show these people how a true _team_ fights together."

Garrus looked at her and quipped, "Too bad we can't have Legion here... bet that would raise some eyebrows!"

Tali nodded, "It sure would. Don't they realize yet that the Geth are our allies now?"

Ashley snorted, "Trust me, I know what I'm talking about here..." Remembering how much _she_ distrusted the non-Humans on the Normandy SR-1, she gave Liara a knowing glance as she continued, "Doesn't matter if they're allies or not, it takes time to build enough trust to let 'em cover your six, without worrying if they're gonna shoot you in the back or not. The Geth are too new on the scene to have that trust yet."

"And we'll definitely miss Wrex!" Liara's smile was sad. "Too..."

"_Who's_ gonna miss me?" Wrex's voice boomed from behind them. After the surprise reunion, he explained, "Had some political shit to straighten out with the Council and saw the matches being aired on Citadel OmniVision. Figured you'd never survive without me, so came over as soon as the Council session ended!"

Shepard had been ecstatic; she took one final glance around her squad. Tali'Zorah vas Normandy, Garrus Vakarian, Ashley Williams, Liara T'Soni and Urdnot Wrex; if ever there was an ultimate 6-man squad, that was it. They had positively _rocked_ the Arena, scoring higher than any other team in the history of Armax and maxing out the scoreboard at 9,999 points... it didn't _have_ a fifth digit. The Arena staff tried to review recordings in an attempt to accurately calculate their final score, but had given up. The end of the final round had been so hectic, they simply determined it was 'somewhere in the 12-13,000 range' and left it at that. They awarded the Normandy team a ridiculously high credit prize and some of the Arena's reserved merchandise, as well as trying to 'give' them life-time passes to the Arena.

Liara interrupted at that point, asking exactly how much the patronage of the Normandy team members was _worth_ to the Armax Arsenal. Tali immediately realized where Liara was headed and jumped in, helping to negotiate a rather nice fixed sum for each of them, in addition to a return on the profits for any night they hosted a pre-planned event. Shepard grinned at the Asari and, when questioned about it, responded rather smugly. "Don't ever give me a hard time about endorsements on the Citadel again, T'Soni. You just worked a better deal than I ever could have."

"Shepard!" Liara looked scandalized. "You cannot _possibly_ be comparing an exclusive marketing contract with Armax Arsenal Arena to your 'favorite store on the Citadel' campaign! You did that in every store on the strip!"

Everyone's laughter was cut short when Liara's omnitool chirped with an incoming message. It started as a casual glance at the device on her wrist, but Liara stopped in her tracks and stared intently at the screen. Her head came up and there was fire in her eyes. "We need to get back to the Normandy immediately. They've found something."

* * *

**Cronos Station, Anadius, Horse Head Nebula**

For the second time in as many days, Maya came to a halt slightly behind Jack's 'throne' while silently hoping it was the very last time she would ever do so. He swiveled his chair toward her with an unusual energy. "Rasa! The Prothean VI is _exactly_ what I need to move forward with our plan to come out of this Reaper War with the _Human_ race in control of the galaxy, which is exactly as it _should_ be." He took a drag from his ever-present cigarette, exhaling the smoke in a leisurely fashion. "Unfortunately, we'll need to place your augmentation procedure on hold… I have a new assignment for you. I need you to put aside your personal grudge and go back to Horizon, specifically, Sanctuary. You're to _meet_ with Henry Lawson and retrieve his research data." Taking a sip of bourbon, he added, "It's more than likely that Commander Shepard and her team will arrive there shortly after you do, so you'll need to move fast once you're planet-side. Your own ship has already been made ready for the trip and is sitting in the departure bay; you need to leave immediately."

Taking one last drag on his cigarette, he stubbed it out in the ashtray as he exhaled the fragrant smoke. "One more thing you need to be aware of… Commander Shepard's usefulness to me… to Cerberus… has come to an end; the next time you encounter her, you _will_ dispose of her however you see fit." He fixed her with an unnerving glare from his implanted eyes. "Do not fail me in this, Rasa. You are well aware of how I deal with those who do."

Maya's voice died in her throat; her face set in grim determination, she nodded her understanding of his instructions and turned, walking quickly back to the exit hatch. She came to the sudden realization that she could never return to Cronos Station; if she did, it would be the end of _her_ humanity.

She actually relished the assignment to chase down Henry Lawson's research. _It'll get me the Hell away from TIM __**and **__his fuckin' headquarters full of indoctrinated troopers. Perhaps... just maybe... I might be able to loiter, and hope beyond hope that Miranda has discovered the thread I put out on the wires and will show up there to rescue Oriana. My miserable luck had better finally change... or I'll be on the run from Cerberus exactly like Lawson, with nowhere near the resources she obviously amassed during her tenure with Cerberus. She probably took a __**huge **__final payday as she ran out the door._

Feeling better for the first time since her return to Cronos, Maya went to her quarters, where she donned her customized Nemesis armor, quickly packed _all_ her personal gear, including her rifle and sidearms, then trotted to the main departure bay. As she walked towards her ship, the chief Bosun's Mate stopped her at the airlock, saying, "Fueling and pre-flight checks are complete, Ms Brooks. Engines are hot… just get in and go."

Maya thanked the man as she climbed aboard; she hurriedly tossed her gear toward the rear, then took her place in the pilot's seat, where she rapidly buckled her safety harness with an ease borne of much practice. _There'll be time to stow everything once I'm off this damned station and en route to Sanctuary._ After requesting and receiving her departure clearance, she flew out of the hangar bay at the maximum velocity safety protocols allowed and headed for the relay on the way to her destiny.


	55. False Sanctuary

Notes:

AI - Artificial Intelligence

_Ai'a me_ \- a trusted friend and unquestioned ally

_Breá_ \- close lover somewhere between _Amantia _and_Siame_ (Thessian)

CIC - Combat Information Center

ETA - Estimated time of arrival

_Nara_ \- literally "bearer"; one who shoulders another's burden, aids others (Thessian)

VI - Virtual Intelligence

* * *

**False Sanctuary**

**_Aletheia_****SB-1, At Large**

Miranda Lawson was sitting in front of the Broker terminal, grinding her way through every last bit of miserable data picked up over the last day's automated searches; the normal search parameters had expanded to include Maya Brooks and all her known aliases, as well as other key words like Prothean, VI and Catalyst to name a few. The overwhelming volume was impossible to search manually, so they were almost completely at the mercy of the onboard processor... and Miranda was thankful that Liara T'Soni was never one to skimp when it came to purchasing top of the line equipment.

Judea walked up behind Miranda, placed her hands on Miri's shoulders close to her neck and gave a little squeeze. "No luck yet, I see. Give your eyes a rest, Miri. Let the computer look for a while."

Miranda dropped her head towards her chest, hoping Judea would take the hint and apply her very talented fingers and hands in a bit of a massage. Judea obliged and Miranda felt a bit of the mornings frustration slide away as striking violet hands moved towards each other until the tips of their thumbs touched at Miri's backbone. As Judea applied the strength in her forearms and started to grip harder with her fingers and thumbs, Miranda exhaled with a groan, mixed with both pain and pleasure, and her shoulders released their tension to the magic of Judea's touch.

The Asari's hands lit with a pale blue glow of biotics and she began massaging Miranda's shoulders and neck, being especially diligent about digging her thumbs into the soft tissue on either side of the Human's spine. "Looks like your muscles are all knotted up from tension. I'd say you're working too hard, _Breá_."

Miranda groaned again and Judea felt the small bit of the tension she had managed to pull from her lover's shoulders return with a vengeance as Miranda growled, "We don't really have much of a choice, Jude. We have to find _something_, or the war is lost... and that is _not_ a result I care to contemplate."

With a despondent sigh, Judea relaxed her hands but left them in place on top of Miranda's shoulders; she leaned over as she pulled Miri back a bit in her chair. "I'm sorry, Miri. I was trying to relax you, not cause you greater anguish. That was a thoughtless thing to say."

Miranda tipped her head back to gaze upside down into the golden eyes of her lover. "It's not your fault, Love. I'm just... _frustrated..._ by the complete and utter _absence_ of information."

Wishing to dispel Miranda's disappointment, Judea planted a little kiss on Miri's forehead, then another on her left cheek, then one on her right before finally planting her lips firmly on the mouth of her lover and confidant. Miranda never tired of Judea's loving attention and settled back into the chair, her stress finally melting away and disappearing through some doorway only Judea was capable of opening. As she returned the kiss enthusiastically, Miranda wondered how in the galaxy she had been lucky enough to have met Shepard; the woman had truly opened her eyes to the _real_ galaxy... not the twisted version her father and Jack Harper had _wanted_ her to see, and had made all this possible. Breaking the kiss, she softly whispered, "Did I ever tell you how sorry I am for being so rude to you when Oriana disappeared, Jude?"

The Asari smiled down at her before returning to an upright position and scooting quickly around Miranda's chair to sit carefully on her lap. Wrapping her arms around Miranda's shoulders and back, she endeared herself even more to the Human by giving her yet another kiss before answering, "Yes, I believe you _did_ apologize to me for attempting to use me as a punching bag."

Miranda dropped her eyes as a faint blush tinted her cheeks, the flutter in her heart an unexpected yet very welcome sensation. She looked sweetly back up at the Asari in her lap and gently kissed her again before whispering, "How did I ever live without you?"

"You didn't." Judea smiled coquettishly and replied quietly, "You merely existed... in an extremely cold galaxy, never knowing how much you truly had to give in this life. I consider myself _very_ fortunate to have met _you_, Miranda Lawson."

The system ping sounded like a gun shot in the quiet moment and the two lovers snapped their attention to the display before Miranda sighed, her shoulders slumping in disappointment. It was data they had asked for, but a long while back; personal queries on the crew that listed events surrounding their significant others who were potentially in harm's way. Miranda's fingertips rubbed at her temples as she read through the list, her head developing an exhausting ache. Whenever they received a response to _that_ particular query, the news was never good... and this time was no exception. Jeff Moreau's home world of Tiptree had been invaded by the Reapers and it appeared both his father and sister had fallen victim to the assault. A small number of refugees had escaped, but his family members were _not_ listed among them.

It was a story that had repeated itself many times over during the course of this war and Miranda could not think of anyone, neither on the Normandy nor any of the Broker ships, who had _not_ been affected. _Especially since Thessia_. She couldn't keep her gaze from travelling toward Judea, thinking of her lover's mother living near the shipyards of Dassus; it was well known that the Reaper's focused first on urban and industrial areas, frequently razing entire city blocks to the ground as they moved across a planet's surface.

"Damn it all." Miranda shook her head sadly as she continued, "Poor Tali. What we have found, she has lost." Judea looked at her questioningly as Miri pulled up a particular item on the list and continued, "This Alliance News article here... Kal'Reegar is Tali's significant other. He was recently killed-in-action on Palaven, repairing and then defending a critical com relay."

As Miranda glanced quickly through the full story, Judea suddenly pointed at the screen, her hand belying her exterior calm with a slight tremor. "Goddess! Miri! Open this one... _Now_!"

Responding to the sudden urgency in her lover's voice, Miranda selected the item that had caught the Asari's attention and drew in a rapid surprised breath. "Oh, my _God_. It's Oriana!"

It was a monthly Brokerage report from some inept agent running a normally insignificant station in the galaxy... Iera in Shadow Sea. After scanning quickly through the message, Miranda frantically typed in a new query on Iera and Sanctuary, set the precedence to immediate and the priority to one... and limited the search to only the last two weeks. They were both surprised by the amount of information that was returned almost immediately, but particularly by a rather important detail included within the data; an adjacent research facility was being run by none other than Henry Lawson. A normally composed and reserved Miranda practically shouted, "What the _Hell_? Why hasn't this data come to light before _now_?"

Judea realized it was a completely rhetorical question, so said nothing as they read on. The large influx of refugees was _much_ more than the station should have been able to provide for, yet there were no complaints of overcrowding, no requests to redirect the refugees to another facility... _nor_ were there any requests for increased supplies. As a matter of fact, there were no messages at _all_; the station had gone mysteriously silent exactly three days ago and Miranda feared that its alignment with Cerberus gaining the Catalyst VI was _anything_ but coincidence.

"We've got to get this data to Liara and Shepard! Who _knows_ what that bastard is researching for the Illusive Man... _or_ what he's doing to Ori!"

* * *

**SSV Normandy, Alliance Docks, Citadel**

The combination of Liara's posture and the look on her face told Ashley that whatever had popped up on the Asari's omnitool was significant. Shepard glanced at her and nodded, anticipating her question, and Ashley immediately issued an all-hands recall. By the time the ground team had made their escape from the appreciative crowd at the arena and managed to return to the Normandy, the other personnel were also flocking back to the ship. Joker had initiated engine start procedures and was already running through the preflight checklist with Edi as Shepard walked onto the bridge. She didn't have time to ask the question before Joker provided the answer she was seeking. "Twenty-three minutes to departure, Commander. Where we headed?"

"Roger that, Jeff... and I don't know yet. Liara and I need to talk to Miranda first." She turned and started walking away, continuing in a loud voice as she left, "You'll know as soon as I do."

If Joker was surprised at the lack of known destination he didn't show it, remaining professional and responding smoothly, "Aye aye, Ma'am. We'll be ready and waiting for coordinates."

* * *

Shepard arrived at the Broker office and walked into a conversation already underway. Liara, as efficient as usual, had already established the links between all the ships for the conference call and the group was awaiting the commander's arrival before beginning the discussion. Seeing Shepard pop into view, Miranda quickly relayed the newfound information on Henry Lawson, the fact that he was doing research for the Illusive Man, and that it was all being accomplished at the Sanctuary facility on Iera.

The frown on Miranda's face and the snarl in her voice conveyed more emotion than the words themselves ever could. "It's _revolting_, Shepard! Desperate people seeking refuge are flooding into that place every _day_, providing an unending supply of test subjects... for whatever _perverted_ experiments my father may be doing for the Illusive Man." Miranda looked down in an attempt to disguise the expression of loathing that swept impulsively across her face. "I also need to tell you there is a _very_ high probability that Oriana is there. If that bastard has done _anything_..."

"Don't say it, Miranda." Shepard cut her off. "You've told me before... the most important thing to Henry Lawson is his _legacy_. He's not going to do anything that would put Oriana at risk."

Miranda desperately wanted to believe the commander's statement and an expression of pessimistic hope flashed across her face, only to be swallowed by the grim reality she feared. "Thank you, Shepard. It's certainly nice to hear, but... my father is an ambitious man. What he has created twice before can be created again if necessary... I'm afraid he'll do whatever the Illusive Man asks of him to ensure his place in the new galactic order."

"Hold the chatter; I'm opening an unsecure line." Everyone fell silent as Shepard keyed her comm unit. "Joker, set course to Sanctuary, Iera Relay. Best possible speed." Under the circumstances, Shepard glanced at Miranda over the Broker net and tried to smile reassuringly as she continued, "We needed to be there yesterday."

"You got it, Commander." Joker paused momentarily as he input the data and calculated their transit time. "ETA, approximately three hours."

"Thanks, Joker. Shepard out." The commander cut her comm and looked back at the screen. The deckplates shuddered briefly beneath her feet as Joker spooled the engines up and rapidly backed the Normandy out of its berth; the inertial dampeners came online and were climbing quickly to full capacity before the ship's rearward trajectory was arrested by a combination of maneuvering thrusters and main engine ignition. The dampeners prevented anyone from feeling the ship's acceleration out of the Alliance's secure docking facility, but Shepard knew Joker already had the ship underway for the Widow relay. "Ok, Miri. What other information have you managed to dig up for us?"

Sadly, Miranda's shoulders sunk even more as she relayed the discovery of the messages regarding Kal Reegar and Jeff Moreau's family situation. "I'm sorry, Shepard. I know the timing is positively _horrible_, given what our immediate futures hold."

"There's never _good_ timing for news like that, Miri, no matter how you look at it." Shepard's brow pinched with regret as she continued, "But there's no way I'll keep that to myself. I'll have to tell them both what we know. Can you forward those messages to us, please?"

Miranda's face clouded and her eyes flipped down for a brief moment before coming back up and meeting those of the commander. "Yes, Ma'am. They'll be in your box before we end the conference call."

"Alright." Shepard nodded and looked to Liara. "Unless you have something else in mind, Liara, I think just the _Aletheia_ and the Normandy need respond to this. We should have more than enough ground crew to handle it, and the _Rakhana_ and _Chiroquol_ can continue to distribute the engineering teams and their equipment for post-war recovery."

"Agreed." Liara looked at the screen. "I know you all want to help more directly, but your missions are _essential_ to the galaxy rapidly recovering from all the destruction the Reapers have caused. Most important will be getting galaxy-wide communications restored as quickly as possible so people won't lose hope or feel isolated. As much as _we_ need to win the war, _they_ need to know help is coming... so the galaxy doesn't dissolve into anarchy and finish what the Reapers started before we can get organized again. For that to happen, you must have _all_ your assigned engineering teams _safely_ in place... and I feel as though we may be running out of time."

"Understood,_Ai'a me._" Aboard the _Chiroquol_, Arlyna's eyes closed as she dipped her chin and canted her head in respect to Liara's position. She brought her head back up and made eye contact with Liara and then Shepard. "It will be as you direct. I..." Her gaze flashed to Niria before returning to the screen. "I am almost ashamed to say that we have seen enough of fighting to not be disturbed by such an order. We are happy to work toward the post-war recovery efforts. May the Goddess see that your upcoming battle be swift and victorious."

Livos, on the other hand, was not so content with the order. Her body was rigid and her face held a scowl, making her displeasure obvious. "Mistress. I will do as you command, but you know I would rather be fighting at your side. My heart still pumps the blood of a commando team lead. All this jumping through space makes my feet itch to feel solid ground beneath them." Her eyes focused on Shepard. " It would be my honor, _Nara_, to fight at your side once more."

Shepard smiled briefly in thanks, but her mood immediately turned somber as she replied, "I'd like that Liv, but we can't. We _need_ those engineering teams in place and it has to be done by the Broker ships... in secret. We can't risk Cerberus or the Reapers discovering our plan. I'm sorry."

As Liara terminated the calls, Shepard opened the message terminal and reviewed the two information packets Miranda had forwarded to them as promised. "Shit."

* * *

On the opposite side of the Normandy, Riana fidgeted while stretched out on a medical bed, helpless and fuming; she had heard the recall announcement, yet could do absolutely nothing. Thanks to multiple soft-tissue treatments, her badly bruised left shoulder had stopped hurting in a surprisingly short amount of time, but Riana remained in the Med Bay, still healing from the repairs to her fractured right hip and the vascular surgery to repair the severed saphenous vein in her right thigh, along with rebuilding and attaching the muscles and connective tissue that had been shredded by the armor piercing round.

Dr Chakwas had refused to release her from bedrest, preferring to allow the Asari's muscles and related tissues a chance to firmly establish their connections to the underlying bones before Riana saw action again, and no amount of badgering directed at the doctor could sway Karin's decision. Karin had actually laughed and smiled softly. "I'm sorry, Dear, but years of dealing with our lovely Commander Shepard have made me quite _immune_ to such tactics."

Riana groaned as she repositioned her aching leg, searching in vain for some position in the already uncomfortable bed that would lessen the throbbing pain; earlier that morning, Sammi had squeezed her hand in support when the doctor explained that she'd still be prohibited from deploying on any ground teams with the rest of the crew for at _least_ an additional week. The sorrowful look she received from her lover was enough to keep Riana from attempting to argue the point; Sammi knew Riana's inability to accompany her Mistress on ground missions was not an easy thing for her to accept, even knowing Liara would be under the protection of their very capable commander. _Shepard was along on the __**last **__mission as well, but there is only so much one person can do!_

Karin had explained how being out of bed would first entail hours of monitored physical therapy, even though Riana planned to return to combat as rapidly as possible. Sammi's job, assigned by Dr Chakwas and confirmed by both Commander Shepard and Dr T'Soni, would be to serve as Riana's coach and monitor during her exercises; they all hoped Sammi's love for Riana would prevent the Vanguard from over-extending herself and doing too much too soon. Even though she disliked having Sammi used against her in such a way, Riana had to grudgingly admire their underhanded tactics... even _she_ knew she would do whatever Sammi asked of her. _Crude, but effective... Damn them_. She huffed and closed her eyes, attempting to will herself to sleep as a way to pass the time and keep from going stir-crazy from the boredom. _Goddess, how I am ready to be out of this bed!_

In preparation for that time, Traynor had been working at her personal terminal during every free moment she had been able to find in the days following the Thessian mission... and her diligence had paid off; Sammi finally had Riana's present – a 'get-well' present – ready for use. Ever since they had become friends, some of Sammi's slang words and phrases, along with those spoken by the majority of the human crew, but particularly the Commander and Dr T'Soni, had always confused the universal translator and confounded Riana. She simply didn't understand why anyone would substitute or invent a word to take the place of the correct term.

Now that it was relatively complete, Traynor activated the custom translator program on her terminal and transferred it to her own omnitool. She smirked to herself at the thought that the Asari maiden would soon have a customized human slang translator program that would clear at least ninety percent of the confusing, double-meaning words anyone used in her presence. The Specialist simply needed to wait for an appropriate moment to give it to her.

* * *

With the Normandy enroute to Charon, Shepard walked reluctantly to the Bridge and asked Edi to seal the cockpit for privacy. "Does my mobile frame need to either shut down or depart the Bridge, Shepard?"

"No, Edi." Shepard glanced her way and then looked at Jeff, whose eyes were narrowed in suspicion. "Matter of fact, I think it will be better if you're here for this." She felt unusually exposed standing front and center in the main aisle, so Shepard walked to Jeff's left side and quietly relayed what she had learned about the Reaper attack on the colony of Tiptree.

With her chin practically resting on her chest in regret at the news she had been forced to deliver, Shepard squeezed her eyes shut and pinched the bridge of her nose as Joker stared at her in dumbfounded silence. Even though she was no longer looking at him, she could feel his resentment building as his eyes continued to bore into her. When he overcame the shock of the announcement, his face clouded in anger and he finally growled out, "_Now_? You choose _now_ to tell me that my family is _dead_? What the _Hell_, Shepard?"

Edi rose quickly from the copilot's chair and moved silently across the aisle, placing a hand gently on Joker's right shoulder; her voice quiet as she said, "Jeff." It was only one word, but it conveyed so many things; concern, comfort... and, most importantly, that Jeff Moreau was not alone in the world... that even though the crew of the Normandy wasn't his _blood_, he still had family that cared for him. It gave him a sense of _belonging_ that no one else in the galaxy was capable of providing.

Taking a deep breath, Shepard leaned against the power controller to the port side of Joker's station for support, a slight movement that did not escape the pilot's keen eyes. He clenched his teeth for an instant before blowing out a hard breath. He then pulled his hat off and scratched the top of his head before forcefully yanking the cap back on. His voice was rough with grief as he continued, "_Damn_ it. Sorry, Shepard. I know you wouldn't keep something like that a secret. You must have _just_ received that info from Miranda." Jeff pulled up their Bridge nav screen and flipped through a number of star systems until he located and zoomed in on Tiptree, the small Human farming community where his family lived. **_Had _**_lived_. He sniffed, and his voice was quiet as he pointed out a close-up image of the tiny village. "This was Tiptree; an agricultural colony at the ass-end of _nowhere_. I thought the Reapers were leaving the smaller worlds _alone_... Why would they hit _there_?"

"Because of _us_, Jeff." Shepard stared at the deck at the base of Joker's chair, unable to meet his eyes with the guilt his accusatory tone had laid upon her shoulders; even though he had immediately apologized, the words had already bit into her soul. Her hand waved through the air to indicate the ship... and everything and everyone she contained. "Because the _Normandy_ is apparently a threat and that makes everyone on my ship a _target_. _No_ one on this ship has been untouched, Joker. It's almost like they're purposely targeting our _families_ in an effort to distract us from the mission. I'm sorry."

"Fuck that, Shepard. Don't be apologizing for being good at what you do. It's the only reason we've gotten _this_ far." Joker dismissed the screen image of Tiptree with an angry wave. "You just keep 'em on their heels and chase them back to the Hell they came from." Joker shook off Edi's hand and spun his chair around to face the commander straight on, catching her eyes as she looked up in surprise at the sudden movement. He glared at her as he changed his mind and issued a new request. "_No_. Forget _that_ bullshit. Don't chase 'em off... Fucking kill them _dead_ so we _never_ have to worry about 'em again, Commander. And I'll bet _TIM_ is the asshole that gave 'em the crew roster in the first place, just to make our lives more difficult. _Bastard_!"

"I wouldn't put it past him, Jeff... and right now, I imagine he's pretty pleased with himself, since _he_ has the Catalyst... He probably thinks he has all he needs to complete his dream of _controlling_ the damned Reapers." Her voice picked up an edge and she abruptly pushed herself up off the console, causing Joker to jerk back in his seat. His involuntary reaction made her smirk as she promised, "Don't you worry about getting _revenge_, Jeff. We'll find him eventually... and when we _do_, we're going to wipe Cerberus and their indoctrinated piece of shit _leader_ out of existence."

"We damn well _better_, Shepard... or there won't be a galaxy for TIM to control." Joker glanced over his shoulder to make sure he wouldn't hit Edi before spinning his chair back to the console in order to punch in a quick query. "One hour, fifty-two minutes to arrival, Commander."

Finding her resolve in Joker's pronouncement, Shepard squared her shoulders. "Roger that, Flight Lieutenant. Issue an all-hands bulletin and follow up with a thirty-minute-out call. Everyone mission-ready is going on this one." Her gaze rested on the AI and she gave a nod. "That goes for you too, Edi. If Henry Lawson is conducting Reaper experiments or indoctrination at Sanctuary, we'll need you to monitor us to make sure we stay free of whatever control methods they have established."

"Understood, Shepard." Edi squeezed Jeff's shoulder one last time before returning to the copilot's chair. "I will be ready."

* * *

Liara was waiting outside the door and quietly slipped her hand into that of the commander as Samantha exited the Bridge. "I heard yelling. Is everything alright, Sam?" Liara cringed and shook her head in mortification at her own words. "Goddess. That sounded ludicrous. You just told the man his family is dead; of course it's not alright."

"He took it better than I anticipated." Shepard offered her lover a sad smile and let out a heavy sigh as they walked toward the elevator. "This war is slowly stealing away any sense of civility and fairness, Liara. I fear who we will be by the time this is all over. Will there be any decent people left, or just savages fighting over the basics necessary for survival?"

Giving no consideration to their location at the forward entrance of the CIC, Liara stopped abruptly and used the grip on Shepard's hand to spin her lover toward her. She wrapped her arms around the woman and, without hesitation, pulled Sam close; Liara's eyes were wells of sadness as she closed them from Shepard's scrutiny and gently pressed their foreheads together. Shepard felt the Asari's brow furrow with disquiet before Liara whispered to her harshly, "I _love_ you, Samantha Shepard, but if I _ever_ hear you say something so devoid of hope like that again, I will _personally_ warp you into next week."

Shepard couldn't help but smile at the image that provoked in her mind as Liara continued, "I know that _together_, we will keep the worst at bay. Have faith in yourself... and keep faith in _us_, Sam." Liara tipped her head back and Shepard's new expression significantly lightened her mood, prompting a modest peck on the tip of Sam's nose. Liara's face suddenly flushed when she remembered where they were, glancing over the commander's shoulder into the whole of the CIC, with many of the crew watching them... including a smirking Samantha Traynor. "Oh, _Goddess_. I suppose we should return to my office now, before I die of embarrassment at my unintended, yet very _public_, display."

Shepard chuckled lightly but a slight blush could also be seen on her neck at the edge of her uniform's collar as well. "I suppose we can execute a tactical retreat, but I recommend the loft... so we can prep our gear for Sanctuary." Shepard's smile faded quickly. "Besides, I need some quiet time to think. I have absolutely _no_ ideas on how I can possibly break the news to Tali."

* * *

**Iera, Shadow Sea**

Maya's small ship appeared beside the relay, wreathed in shifting blue waves of discharged energy as its velocity dropped below FTL; she already had the course laid in for Horizon, which she activated as soon as she was clear of the relay. The planet was on the far side of the sun from the relay; her trajectory would actually take her 'below' Iera, allowing her to avoid conflicts with Watchman and Prospect, the fourth and second planets from the star. She programmed the navigational computer for maximum velocity/maximum deceleration; with the hope that Miranda Lawson was most likely on her way to rescue Oriana from her father and the near certainty that the Normandy would shortly be dropping Commander Shepard and company hot on her ass, Maya needed to get to Sanctuary with all possible speed in order to have as much time as possible to meet with Henry Lawson, get his notes for the Illusive Man, maybe talk to Oriana and get to a relative place of safety.

What she _wasn't_ planning to do was take Henry Lawson's research files to the Illusive Man; she had no intention of going back to Cronos Station or anywhere else that seemed a likely destination for that madman. As soon as the autopilot took over flying her ship, she unbuckled her harnesses, stood, stretched and turned, all in one graceful movement. She walked back to the lavatory to relieve herself before retrieving her gear bags for unpacking and storage. _May as well get things secured and relatively neat while I have the opportunity – hour and-a-half to Horizon – no telling __**when **__there'll be time to do this after I leave Horizon for places unknown._

* * *

Maya had set her ship down well away from the main spaceport that served Discovery, Horizon's capitol city. She flew an aircar – rented for the day, as she fully expected to be leaving the system in less than half that – directly to Sanctuary. What she saw upon arrival was absolutely appalling… There were scores of shuttles and small transports, all vying for an extremely limited number of parking slots at the main entry, with a steady stream of people jostling each other, jockeying for space as they all surged forward like a relentless tide.

Fortunately for Maya, she knew where the staff entrance was located; she flew to the lower level hangar bay and parked next to the reserved elevator to Lawson's labs and offices. She secured her aircar against any outside intrusion before approaching the secured elevator doors, at which point she activated her omnitool, entered her special passcode and waited for the car to descend from the upper levels. She stood to the side as the doors split and retracted into their slots.

After boarding the empty car, Maya touched the haptic activator for the only stop available, prompting the doors to close and the car to begin its ascent. During the brief ride, she quickly hacked the controls to prevent the car from returning to the lower level until she released her electronic lock. When the doors parted on the upper level, Henry Lawson was waiting for her in the lobby, his manner and appearance that of a man confident he had everything in his life well-ordered and in control.

"Ms Brooks… so nice to see you again," he lied smoothly as Maya slowly exited the elevator. "I wasn't quite sure I should believe the Illusive Man when he said he was sending you back to see me… Well, not after the unfortunate business that occurred when last you were here."

Maya swallowed her pride, schooled her expression and replied, "Yeah, well… we _all_ have jobs we have to do; yours apparently involves some form of Reaper tech… mine involves picking up your research files for delivery _back_ to the Illusive Man." Maya didn't let the fact she'd caught sight of Ori, watching from a window on an upper floor, change her expression or demeanor… without missing a beat, she asked, "Do you have everything ready for me? I'm on a rather tight schedule."

Henry Lawson smiled without humor. "A tight leash, more likely. I know what kind of man your employer… well, _our_ employer, happens to be. Very results driven, is he not?"

Maya maintained her neutral expression without rising to the bait… she'd be damned if she would give this smug son of a bitch the satisfaction of knowing how much he got under her skin. "Results are what we need right now if we expect to survive our little soirée with the Reapers, Mr Lawson." Maya made a point of looking at the chrono on her wrist.

If Henry expected a more caustic reply, he did not indicate any disappointment in not receiving one. "Right, then. Let's go to my office… I almost have everything ready to drop onto two or three OSDs. It'll only take a few minutes to complete. Shall we?…" He held out an arm, indicating the way back from where he had come to greet her.

Maya walked ahead of the man until reaching the entrance to his offices, where he entered a command on his omnitool and waited for the door to unlatch and open. She glanced around as she followed Henry to his office. This place was a lot bigger on the inside than it had appeared as Maya had approached in her skycar… it appeared there were several levels of labs and offices on two levels, all with clear walls of what appeared to be 5-10 centimeters-thick acrylic glass. Henry led her down a long hallway and up a circular staircase; once they reached the top, she followed him into what she assumed to be his personal research lab. "All the data has been compiled… it'll just be a few more minutes."

Like most people impressed by their own sense of superiority, Henry Lawson was prone to being boastful. "The Illusive Man wasn't really sure I could do it, you know. All of this…" he raised his hands to indicate all the spaces around him, "… is dedicated to just one goal – _controlling_ the Reapers. The military minds of every major species in this galaxy..." Lawson's voice seethed with disgust as he continued, "... including the shortsighted Human Defense Committee, are doing everything in their power to _destroy_ them. When Cerberus gains control of these machines, learns their secrets, takes their technology for our own, humankind will ascend to the very pinnacle of evolution... with _Cerberus_ at the top!"

Maya was stunned! _It's just as the VI and Shepard discussed on Thessia, and __**this **__man is as far around the bend as Harper! Neither of them can see their puny efforts to control those fucking nightmares are doomed to utter failure. Fuck! How the Hell am I going to get out of this mess with my ass intact?_ Maya didn't vocalize her thoughts, only nodded and smiled grimly as the madman continued nattering on about experiments to create and control husks. _Holy Yahg Shit! All those people coming in! They're his __**test **__subjects! The son of a bitch is converting refugees into mindless soldiers and using the rest to create husks! This place!… This 'Sanctuary'!… It's nothing but a goddamned bottomless pit in the bowels of Hell!_

Henry had stopped talking as he ejected two golden disks from the terminal in front of him. Placing them in protective cases, he handed them to Maya and said, "Here you are, my dear. I'm sure the Illusive Man will be able to use the knowledge on these OSDs to the great advantage of humanity."

"So, you're taking my father's twisted research back to your boss?" The icy accusation came from the hallway outside. Maya managed to control her surprise and slowly turned her head around at the familiar voice… it was Oriana, and she appeared to be just as unhappy with Maya as she was when they'd spoken the last time.

Maya walked to the doorway and said, "Ori, I'm sorry. I don't really have a choice in this matter, just as I didn't have a choice before. You have to believe me, Ori. It wasn't personal!"

Ori responded in the same manner as before – the slap stung, but not nearly as much as the first time, as Maya almost _expected_ it this time around. Ori muttered angrily, "There's always a choice, Maya! You're just afraid to take it!"

As she rubbed the side of her face, she took a deep breath before calmly stating, "Still an unforgiving bitch, same as your sister." She turned back towards Henry Lawson, who was watching her from the compartment that looked out over a vast array of power generators seemingly six stories below. "Good bye, Henry. Can't say it's been a pleasure to see you or the little princess again, but we all do what's necessary to survive, don't we." The tone of her voice indicated, without a doubt, that her words were a statement of parting and not a question... and she neither expected nor desired an answer. Henry Lawson positively exuded arrogance and Maya smugly turned away from the man and walked resolutely to the circular staircase, keen to be away before the Normandy descended on the unsuspecting pompous ass... and reveling at the future encounter which she was _convinced_ would lead to Henry Lawson's demise. Now that her business was concluded, she wasted no time descending to the lower floor and walked quickly to the waiting elevator.

Maya faced outwards as she leaned against the back of the compartment and watched the segmented doors glide into place. Rubbing the side of her face, she kicked the heel of her boot back against the wall in frustration. _Damn it. That's __**twice **__I've been clocked by that miserable woman. What the 'ell's the matter with me? I never __**used **__to let that kind of shit go unchallenged… must be going soft._

She stared at the OSDs in her hand as her mind spun out of control. _Giving this shit to the Illusive Man will seal the fate of every damned person in the galaxy… Hell! Every space-faring __**race **__in the galaxy! He cannot __**possibly **__believe the Reapers will allow him to control them. But there's not a damned thing I can do to stop him… he's too powerful… too smart. Only way to stop 'im would be to kill him! _She suddenly pushed away from the back wall as the thought brought clarity to her mind. _Only way to stop him… __**is**__… __to kill him. But how?…_


	56. A Sense of Urgency

Notes:

_A Grá_ \- My Love (Irish/Gaelic)

Bosh'tet - curse/insult, likely being relative to "son-of-a-bitch" or "bastard" (Quarian)

Det kazuat - Living sack of excrement, considered especially crude curse. (Quarian)

_I__onúin álainn_ \- beautiful beloved (Irish/Gaelic)

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

* * *

**A Sense of Urgency**

**SSV Normandy, At Large**

When Shepard entered engineering, Tali was nowhere to be seen, but Gabby was busy sweeping up shards of what appeared to be broken glass and shattered thermoplastic. Shepard raised her brow and gave Ken a questioning look. "You have anything to do with that, Mr Donnelly?

"Absolutely _not_, Commander." Ken shook his head vehemently. "Not really sure what happened, exactly. Tali was working away when she suddenly got all quiet like; it's not normal for her fingers to not be busy entering code or for her to not be talkin' to herself trying to figure out some problem." He glanced at Gabby and shrugged. "Next thing _we_ know, she screamed, 'You stupid Bosh'tet!' and threw the datapad she was holding... Threw it so hard, it shattered all over the floor, but she didn't give it even a second look before stormin' out the door."

Shepard immediately realized diverting to the loft with Liara had been a mistake; no matter how quickly she and Liara had gathered their gear, it had still taken too long and Tali had somehow heard about Kal's demise through her own sources. "Damn it." Her quiet whisper was followed by her eyes traveling toward the ceiling as she spoke in a much louder voice, "Edi. Where's Tali?"

"She is in the portside Crew Lounge, Shepard... She is obviously distressed at the news."

The commander made a beeline to the lounge and was met by Liara, whom Shepard had contacted through the link; they could hear Tali ranting as the door slid open. "You said you were going to help _our_ people! How in the name of the ancestors does that equate to dying somewhere on _Palaven_ with the Turians!" Apparently oblivious to their presence, she slammed a cup onto the counter as the couple approached from the rear. "If you were willing to do _that_, why weren't you helping _everyone_ by fighting from the Normandy, you stupid _Bosh'tet_! You threw away these last few months of time _we_ should have spent _together_!"

"Tali?" Liara's voice cut through the Quarian's angry soliloquy.

Tali spun the stool in surprise, her cup tipping over and rolling across the counter as she dropped it in her haste to look at those behind her. Shepard quickly stepped up and set it back upright, the lid and straw keeping most of the contents inside and minimizing the spill. She quickly wrapped an arm around her Quarian sister's shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Tali... We just heard."

Remaining stiff in the commander's embrace, Tali growled out, "Why didn't we convince him to come _with_ us, Shepard? Why did we leave him on _Rannoch_? I should have _known_ he wouldn't stay put! He always has... _had_... to be in the middle of the battle!"

Liara approached from the other side and placed a hand on Tali's opposite shoulder. A worried glance at Shepard conveyed the Asari's own personal fears and her voice had a telling tremor as she spoke, "It is because we both love _soldiers_, Tali... and they wouldn't be who they are if we kept them from doing what they do best; especially during times of our greatest need."

The blood drained from Liara's face, her hand dropped and she felt sick as she sank onto the closest stool at Tali's next words. "Yes, but there's no oneavailable to bring _Quarians_ back from the _dead_. Kal is lost to me _forever_!" Instantly realizing she had blurted aloud what she had meant to keep in her own head, Tali shook off Shepard's arm and stood quickly, lunging toward the stunned Asari and wrapping her in a tight hug as she cried, "Keelah! I'm so sorry! I don't know what I'm saying, Liara!"

Shepard stepped back in wounded silence as unwanted, agonizing memories flooded through her mind. An unexpected pain in her chest caused tears to suddenly blur her vision and a stifled sob to close her throat, making it hard to breathe, so she slammed her mental barriers in place and turned to flee the room before either Tali or Liara could stop her. She moved quickly to the closest area she felt had at least a _remote_ possibility of being empty, the Life Support compartment, while fervently hoping her guess was correct. As soon as she glanced around and confirmed her small wish had been granted, she harshly ordered with a voice rough with stifled pain, "Edi! Privacy mode and lock the damn door."

The haptic interface turned red but Edi ignored the commander's first request. "Shepard, I do not believe you should be alone right now; your vital signs are indicative of extreme stress. Would you like me to contact Dr Chakwas... or simply talk with you about what just transpired?"

"No, Edi, I most definitely do _not _want you to do either of those things." Sinking slowly to her knees next to Bethany's casket, Shepard let out a shuddering breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, closed her eyes and tipped her head back in silent supplication to the Gods, an involuntary shiver coursing through her entire body as tears ran down her neck and inside her uniform collar. _How much longer will you test me? How many more friends must we lose before you help us?_

* * *

Shepard's abrupt departure from her mind left Liara reeling and she was unable to stand from her stool because of Tali's death-grip as the tipsy Quarian apologized for her rash words. Edi's next words finally interrupted Tali's expressions of regret and came via a ship-wide broadcast. "Thirty minutes to arrival at Iera. All assigned ground crew report to the shuttle bay."

Tali stopped speaking to listen and Liara was finally able to break the distracted Quarian's surprisingly strong grip. "I need to go, Tali. I must find Sam and speak to her privately before we depart on the mission."

Jerking upright, Tali let out a distraught gasp as she looked around in surprise. "Tali'Zorah vas Normandy, you are such a stupid _det kazuat_,!" Her head spun quickly back to Liara. "I am such an _idiot_! I didn't even realize she had left! When you find her..." Her words tapered to silence and she shook her head vehemently as she continued, "Never mind. I know she's on her way to the shuttle bay... I will apologize to her myself!"

Tali watched as Liara's eyes closed slowly and the Asari took a deep breath to calm herself before she started to speak, finding Shepard's continued absence from the link unsettling. "Tali... You should wait until after the mission. She is not exactly in a... _receptive_... mood at the moment."

Tali merely huffed in drunken impatience. "I wouldn't be either if one of my friends just said something so horrible. All the more reason for me to apologize as soon as possible!"

Liara shook her head and her whole body tensed at Tali's intransigence. "No. You won't, Tali'Zorah vas Normandy. You've done _enough_."

The tone of Liara's voice stopped Tali in her tracks and she wobbled a bit as she turned to face the Asari. "What do you mean by _that_, Liara?"

"What I _mean_ is that I understand Kal's loss is extremely painful to you... and rightfully so... but you are not yourself. The words you spoke cut Shepard deeply... immediately before we are to go on a potentially very _dangerous_ ground mission." Liara focused ice blue eyes on her little Quarian friend. "I will _not_ have you distracting her any more than your current circumstances already have, nor will I have your obvious inebriation endangering the ground team. I'll inform Shepard you aren't coming." Liara backed out the door and spoke immediately, before Tali could follow. "Edi. Secure the Crew Lounge and inform Dr Chakwas of the situation. Tali'Zorah is _not_ fit for duty, but neither should she be left _alone_ at the bar."

"Understood, Dr T'Soni." Edi hesitated for only a moment before continuing, "Liara... Shepard only made it as far as Life Support."

* * *

Upon hearing Edi's thirty-minute warning, Shepard climbed back to her feet and glared at the coffin before her. "No more, Beth. I'm tired of the Cerberus and Reaper _bullshit..._ and losing my friends and comrades-in-arms to _anyone_ who wants to see us fail. Enough's enough." She turned on her heel and walked back to the door; as she reached out, the haptic interface turned green and the door opened without her touching it or saying a word. She paused to glance at it in surprise and quickly surmised that Edi must have triggered it for her; as she went to step into the passageway, she screeched to a halt but could not avoid Liara's fast-moving form turning the corner, obviously heading into the life support room to check on her.

Shepard's eyes narrowed as she took in the expression on the Asari's face but had no time to speak; out of instinct and her love for the being barreling toward her, she simply opened her arms and wrapped them around her lover's waist as their two bodies collided. Liara grunted out an exhale of surprise as she was jarred from her troubled musings. "Goddess! Shepard! I'm so sorry... I did not expect you to be exiting as I entered."

"Are you alright, Blue?" Shepard's voice was riddled with concern, but her anxiety eased as Liara relaxed completely into her embrace.

"_Me_?" The Asari's forehead remained wrinkled with disquiet as she continued, "The only thing disturbing _me_ is your silence, _Siame_. Can you _please_ drop your block?"

"Sorry." With a sad sigh, Shepard pulled Liara into an honest embrace, beyond their collision induced togetherness. "I... Tali's comment threw me to a time and place I didn't care to be in and most certainly do not want to torture _you_ with, _I__onúin álainn__._"

Breathing out an accompanying groan of dismay, Liara dared put a name to what Shepard would not. "I know..._ Alchera,_" Liara whispered the location as her arms wrapped around her lover tightly, finding the security that only _physical _proof of Shepard's existence could offer. "My mind went to the exact same time and place, so you may as well let it go, Sam. I firmly believe we can deal with it better _together_, rather than alone in our own heads, letting our imaginations run wild."

Shepard pulled back just enough to place a finger under Liara's chin and lift it until their eyes met. Liara raised her head willingly and her blue orbs were swimming with fearful devotion as she met Shepard's greens; the Asari's breath caught at the pain she saw there.

"I don't _need_ imagination, _A Grá_." Shepard's grip around Liara's tightened involuntarily as she also sought reassurance. "_Dying_..." Liara felt Shepard's whole body shudder as she said the word. "...was worse than _anything_ my mind could have _ever_ created to torment me... and I certainly didn't care to be reminded so... _callously_. But I realize that was _not_ Tali speaking... It was a combination of pain and alcohol... but knowing that does _nothing_ to lessen the hurt."

"She wanted to find you and apologize..." Liara squirmed nervously and glanced away for an instant before meeting Sam's eyes once more as she continued. "I locked her in the lounge and had Edi inform Karin. Tali... uhm... She won't be joining us on the ground team."

Once the confession was complete, Liara settled back into Sam's embrace and felt some of the tension ooze out of the commander's body, relieved that she wouldn't have to face the Quarian again so soon. Shepard's left eyebrow cocked up at an angle and she calmed enough to allow a smirk to creep onto her lips. "Why, Dr T'Soni. I didn't realize you had been assigned as a ground team controller. Congratulations on the promotion?" Shepard's voice had a sarcastic questioning lilt to it as she finished.

Liara's face lit with a gentle smile in response to the reopening of the link and the resultant flood of loving warmth as Shepard's presence returned to her mind. "I do _vaguely_ remember you assigning me the job of helping you set up the crew, Commander."

"Hmmm." Shepard's smirk evolved into a hushed laugh. "Now that you mention it, I believe you are correct. But _that_ only means you have been extremely derelict in your duties for quite some time, T'Soni." She leaned forward and gently bumped foreheads. "So let's get our teams together and get ourselves to Sanctuary to save Oriana, Blue."

Shepard pushed away and squared her shoulders, a glint in her eye as she reached out and offered Liara her hand. "And then, let's take back that damned Catalyst."

Liara took the extended hand and queried, "And what if _Lawson_ doesn't have it?"

Shepard's voice was cold and presented hope of neither leniency nor forgiveness. "Then he damn well better know who does and be able to tell us how to find them."

* * *

**Sanctuary, Iera, Shadow Sea**

The elevator easing to a stop interrupted her thoughts. As the doors opened, Maya pocketed the OSDs, locked the car out and the doors open (more to annoy Henry than for any nefarious purpose), and started walking to her own aircar – the sooner she could board her ship and return to space, the sooner she could get her ass away from this system.

She was just releasing the anti-tamper locks on the car when she heard a voice behind her. "Stop what you're doing and turn around... _very_ slowly." It sounded almost like Ori's voice, but the diction was too precise, with an accent from an entirely different region of Earth, almost as if…

"Hello, Miri," Maya responded as she turned to face the source of the voice. "Been wondering if you would respond to the info I released." Maya spread her arms wide to show her empty hands as she greeted Miranda Lawson; her former comrade was walking slowly towards her, holding a heavy pistol aimed squarely at Maya's chest; worse, an Asari, slight in stature by Asari standards and clothed in what appeared to be commando leathers was just behind and to her left. _Different color and texture than anything I ever saw on Thessia or the Citadel._

"Rasa… or is it 'Hope Lilium'?… Perhaps even 'Captain Channing'?" The tall brunette in the skin-tight black armor sauntered slowly towards her, wispy tendrils of blue drifting lazily from the fingers of her free hand. Stopping about ten meters away, Miranda waited as the Asari behind her continued to sweep the area with her eyes, alert for any movement or hint of a backup. "I should have realized you'd be in the middle of this somehow... Since Shepard used _Kai Leng_ to paint the top of a C-Sec car blood red."

"Maya Brooks, at your service, Ms Lawson," came the cheeky reply. "I was beginning to wonder if you were even still alive… no one's seen or heard from you since you left the Normandy at Omega station a year ago. I'd love to hear how you managed to pull _that_ off."

"Long story... and one I am _certainly_ not inclined to share with _you_. I'm _much_ more interested in what has brought you _here_." Miranda's focused scowl told Maya she had very little leeway.

"Unlike _you_, I've not managed to escape the Illusive Man," came the ready answer. "He sent me here to get your father's…"

"… that bastard is _not_ my father!" Miranda interrupted heatedly. "He was just a bloody DNA donor… for me!… for Ori… _nothing_ more!"

Maya had started dropping her arms, but raised them immediately at Miranda's angry outburst as she continued, "… to get Henry _Lawson's_ research on the Reapers. I _have_ to return to him, Miri… you know that, don't you?" Maya was thinking furiously, attempting to come up with the best solution to keep herself from being killed by this pair. "I have some information that would be _very_ valuable to you. You pretend you didn't see me and let me go on my way... I'll _share_ it."

Miranda's expression softened ever so slightly, even as she kept her pistol trained on the Cerberus assassin. "Why should I believe _you_, Rasa? You've been a damned liar for as long as I've known you. Give me one good reason why I should start believing _anything_ you have to say now."

"I can see how our past would get in the way of any... _trust_... you might still have for me."

"You tried to assassinate Commander Shepard on the Citadel! You very _nearly_ killed the Normandy's doctor in the process! Why in the Hell _should_ I trust you?"

Maya was beginning to feel the pinch of time slipping away from her. "Miranda… _Miri_. _Please_, just let me explain. All I ask is that you hear me out!"

Miranda motioned for Judea to move to her left so they weren't both in the same target zone, just in case Maya had some trick up her sleeve, then nodded. "Okay... _Maya_, you have two minutes to convince me that I should let you live and let you leave this place under your own power."

Maya slowly dropped her arms to her sides as she glanced quickly at the Asari before starting to speak. She kicked herself for not noticing earlier, but there were actually _three_ Asari accompanying Miranda; the other two had stayed farther back as a rear guard, preventing anyone from surprising Miranda and her friend from behind. "I want _out_, Miranda… I want to be done with Cerberus and the Illusive Man. _You_ found a way… and I want to follow you. No... I _need_ to follow you! The bastard is _indoctrinated_, Miri, as is every damned soldier and scientist on the whole fucking station." Maya paused as she eased her right forearm up across her waist. "He's on Cronos Station, Anadius, Horsehead Nebula; I know you've been there, but I'll give you the coordinates anyway, just in case." She carefully activated her omnitool and waited. "He's not the same man you knew back then."

Miranda looked at Judea questioningly; receiving a slight nod in response, she looked back at Maya and replied softly, "If this is a trick, I _promise_ you'll be dead before you hit the ground."

"No tricks, Miranda. I see your additional friends in the background... liar I may be at times, but I'm not stupid and I'm being straight with you," Maya replied. "I'm tired of all his twisted plots, the senseless murders to remove even _minor_ inconveniences." She entered a code and pressed send, causing Miranda's omnitool to light up in response. "Those are the orbital coordinates for Cronos, Miri. That's where I'm going next, to give him Henry's research." She dropped her arm as her omnitool deactivated and pointed at the elevator she had so recently vacated. "It's still up there, Miri… with _him_. I only have copies. Henry still has all the data on his personal research terminal, in his private laboratory." Maya had saved the best for last. "And... _Oriana's_ up there with him."

"What?" Miranda's eyes went wide. "You saw Ori? She's okay?"

"Who do you think _freed_ her from Blue Suns captivity after the bastards took her from Demeter? I took a bullet in the arm for her… and she's just fine, by the way. Packs a hell of a _punch_, too; she's more like you than you realize."

Miranda looked longingly at the elevator as Maya concluded, "I have to leave, Miri… I'm overdue to report back. The Illusive Man has probably already learned from Henry that I have the data." Maya looked at Miranda imploringly. "Miri, _please_. Let me go. I want to live to see the bastard _dead_. If you see Shepard, you can tell her I have no intention of carrying out his last orders to me before I came here."

Miri wasn't quite ready to turn her back on the assassin. "_What_ orders?"

"Now that the Illusive Man has what _he_ needs, Shepard has outlived her usefulness to him… The _first_ time I took a shot at the commander was just a distraction so I could get to that traitorous idiot Udina. This time, he actually told me to _end_ her, by whatever means possible. Personally, I don't believe I need to follow _any_ termination orders issued by someone that's insane… or indoctrinated by the Reapers. I'd much rather find a way to end the _Illusive Man's_ life instead, Miri, and if I do, I'll do it in a way that will convince Shepard… and _you_, hopefully, that I'm no longer a Cerberus lackey."

Miranda turned and looked questioningly at Jude, who had been silently observing the exchange between her lover and this human assassin. Receiving a small nod of assent, Miranda turned back towards Maya, only to nearly fall as the floor shook, the result of a huge explosion outside the underground structure. This was followed by the unmistakable sound of energy weapons, along with faintly heard cries of pain and shouts of fear accompanied by small arms fire. It sounded as if the Reapers had not only arrived at Sanctuary – they were landing Reaper spawn, probably in the form of Husks, Cannibals and Ravagers.

The explosion had loosed an enormous amount of gritty dust, giving Maya the distraction she needed. Energizing her cloaking shield, she silently ran between Miri and Judea, moving away from her aircar, the elevator and the two commandos on overwatch. Miranda swore as Maya got away. "Damn! She always was fast… and completely unpredictable!" Miranda shook her head at her unbelievable laxness. "I hope she's being honest with us this time... else I'll regret not killing her the instant I saw her," she said ruefully. "And we're out of time! If the Reapers are _attacking_, Henry must have angered them somehow… Perhaps he's close to solving the Reaper control issue the Illusive Man is so set on attaining; we have to find Ori before _they_ do, Jude!"

"Agreed... And you are _not_ a murderer, Miranda. I also think that woman… Rasa… is no longer capable of being such either. Something has changed her… some recent experience is haunting her. I could see it in her eyes, her whole demeanor, and I believe what she told you about wanting to get out of Cerberus. There would be no other reason for her to want to meet with you… to attempt to explain." The Asari's face lit with a radiant smile. "Come on, _Breá_ . Let us go and extract Oriana from her captivity... preferably _before_ the Reapers get there!"

* * *

Maya waited until Miranda and her Asari companions boarded the elevator and started it traveling upward before decloaking and running back to her aircar. Talking to Miranda had cost her valuable time… her only consolation was that _maybe_ she'd be able to survive any future encounters with anyone associated with the Normandy, past or present.

Even though she was pleased Miranda was still alive after all this time, _and_ that she'd had a chance to talk to her… the arrival of the Reapers had completely upset her _own_ plans. It would make getting clear of Horizon and the Iera system a lot more hazardous. She thought about what _hadn't_ been said as she sped back to the landing area near the Discovery spaceport. _Miri didn't say, but I'll just bet she's back working with Shepard and T'Soni! I'd still like to know how she managed to so completely drop out of sight on Omega. _ She continued to think about her seemingly random encounter until the spaceport came in view. Several Reapers were on the ground, within the spaceport and in the city beyond, destroying everything in their path… buildings, ships, fueling stations, terminals, even the ground vehicles such as the one she was piloting.

Changing her course, she flew straight to her own ship, which she had parked in an out-of-the-way area well outside the spaceport perimeter. _How lucky for me is that?_ she thought as she boarded her ship and began an emergency pre-flight checklist. Her thoughts were still on Miranda and Henry Lawson as she initiated an engine start and sealed the hatch. _I'd like to see how Henry's going to attempt to stop her from taking Oriana along with her… Not likely he'll escape the encounter with his life. Kidnapping Ori from her peaceful life has pushed Miranda __**completely**__ over the edge regarding the elder Lawson._

As soon as her pre-flight checklist was complete, Maya launched and headed for the sky, giving any Reaper she detected a very wide berth; in short order, the blue sky near the surface gave way to the inky blackness of space, where she set her course for the Mass Relay. In addition to sending her ship's mass figures to the Relay's receiver, she sent a request for an alignment with the Hydra relay in the Argos Rho cluster. While she waited for confirmation – the process usually took only a matter of minutes – she contacted Cronos Station and asked to speak with the Illusive Man.

She reported, "I'm ten minutes out from the relay, Sir, and I have the data from Henry Lawson... but I'm also dodging Reapers that just appeared in the system… They're attacking Horizon, _Sanctuary_ in particular." Maya was certainly not expecting his reply.

"Excellent, Rasa. We'll be leaving Cronos, so I need you to rendezvous with _Eva's Vortex_." There was the inevitable pause as he either took a sip of whisky, a drag from a cigarette, or both. "We'll meet you at the Pax relay when you arrive there. Plan on docking your ship in the hangar bay as soon as you're in-system. We're traveling to the Citadel."

"Why?" _Shit, Rasa! Don't question a madman!_ "I mean, what the Hell's at the Citadel, Sir?"

"The Reapers will be relocating it to high-Earth orbit, Ms Brooks. That's where we need to be with Henry's research."

_Why the hell would they move the Citadel to Sol?_ Curiosity nearly overwhelmed her, but she dared not ask too many questions. "Plotting the course change now," Maya responded. _I feel like I'm watching a damned version of chess to which I don't understand the rules or how the pieces move!_

"Good. Send a signal when you're through the relay, Rasa. The time of humanity's ascendancy is upon us. Are you ready to meet our glory?"

"Relay transit about to commence, Sir." _Fuck! I just lied to Miranda Lawson! The Illusive Man won't be there when they arrive! I hope they find something worthwhile there and can track us down! What the hell have I gotten myself into __**this**__ time?_

* * *

**SSV Normandy****, Iera, Shadow Sea**

As they emerged from the relay, they were met by a panicked call from the _Aletheia_, which Joker immediately shunted to Shepard's private comm. "Normandy! This is Falere!"

Liara felt Shepard tense as the commander's hand rose to activate her comm. "Falere? What's going on? Where's Miranda?"

"They've already gone down to the planet! Only Aresia and I remained aboard!" Falere's voice was squeaky, reflecting how distraught she was, and it was the only thing that kept Shepard focused as the Asari continued, "Goddess! The Reapers arrived only a few moments ago!"

"Thank you, Falere." Shepard's face turned red and she clenched her jaw, blowing out a quick breath before continuing in an amazingly calm and soothing voice given her inner turmoil. "I need you to move the _Aletheia_ slowly to the back side of the Relay... I want the relay _between_ you and Horizon, so if Reapers come and go, they shouldn't bother you as long as you sit quietly and don't shoot at them. I don't want you anywhere _close_ to their potential travel vectors. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Commander. I... I will do so immediately. Please bring them back!"

"We'll do the best we can, Falere. Now, do as I ask and try to stay _safe_." Shepard cut the communication and any pretense of not being angry instantly vanished as she growled out, "Everyone in, _now_!" As they all hustled onto the shuttle to comply, Shepard looked at Garrus and Lt Kurin. "Fucking _Miranda_ couldn't wait and jumped the gun. She's already _down_ there... with the Reapers!"

She didn't need to say anything to Steve Cortez, who overheard her rather vehement statement and understood the urgency of the situation. He had the hangar bay doors already opening and the Kodiak released from the cradle before they were all aboard; he launched toward Sanctuary as soon as the shuttle's hatch seal indicator went green.

As the team stood ready at the door, Cortez shouted back, "Seeing some damage, Commander, but no activity at the moment!"

"On your toes, people!" Shepard activated the shuttle door and shouted above the wind, "Stay sharp and cover our flanks. No surprises and _everyone_ comes home!"

"Pretty big mess, Shepard." Garrus' voice rang through the comms as his team deployed and moved to the left flank, working their way around a number of crashed shuttles and dead bodies; Cerberus and Reaper creatures were scattered about as evidence of a large firefight, along with a number of innocent civilians who had unfortunately been caught in the crossfire. "These people _thought_ they were coming to a place of safety."

The comm suddenly squealed in Shepard's ear. "Son-of-a-bitch!" Shepard shouted, "Everyone hear that or did the comms in my helmet just go bad?"

"Yes, radios are offline." Liara was moving immediately to Shepard's right and answered promptly, "Something's jamming our signals."

"Guess that means we stay together." Shepard looked at Garrus and Kurin, who both nodded in understanding.

"Yes. If we need to leave quickly, we can't risk leaving anyone behind." Kurin shrugged as if to reposition suddenly uncomfortable leathers. "I do not like this, Shepard."

"I'm pretty sure that's the point." The commander flashed her a grin. "I don't think we're _supposed_ to like it."

They heard a loud 'pop' and a Cerberus transport careened in and crashed onto an upper deck above the main entrance. As a Harvester winged by over their heads, the doors of the crashed shuttle popped open and two phantoms emerged and immediately cloaked, vanishing from sight. Shepard moved to intercept, but before she got two steps, a red laser indicator floated over her chest, causing her to dive into cover, Liara following close behind, cussing. "Damn it! They've got cover from a Nemesis!"

"Liara!" Shepard chuckled, "They've never stopped us before. Slap her with a stasis, just like you always do, and Garrus will remove the problem."

"_There's_ the Shepard I know..." Liara grinned ferociously as she launched the stasis, capturing the Nemesis as predicted. "I am happy to see the return of my eternal optimist!"

They advanced quickly to the front door, the three unfortunate Cerberus _individuals_ not standing a chance against three Normandy _squads_. As they approached the door, Garrus chirped, "Looks like they're attempting to evacuate."

Before Shepard could respond, Liara finished for him, "And... it looks like the _Reapers_ are pursuing them. So much for cooperative effort; I assume they've finally figured out the Illusive Man is on no one's side but his _own_."

"About time they started killing each other," Shepard grumbled in response as she keyed the haptic interface and opened the door to Sanctuary. They stepped into what was obviously a once beautiful foyer, now dotted with rubble from shattered windows and piles of debris from firefights, including the use of powerful explosives. Shepard tapped her comm unit, "Miranda. Can you read me?"

Answered by nothing but static, Shepard signaled to Garrus and Kurin to spread out. "Shout out if you find anything." Garrus, along with Vega, Campbell and Vura moved quickly to the left flank while Kurin took Cayla, T'Levos and Legion to the right. The commander looked at Liara and Edi as she started to move forward. "Come on. We're going right up the center as the bait. If anything or anyone is here, they should try to take us down. Make sure your shields are on maximum."

She heard a quiet _{Goddess}_ through the link as Liara moved closer to her side while they walked. Liara pointed upward as she spoke aloud, "More Cerberus transports leaving from that tower!"

"Then that's where we're headed!" She turned to the side and shouted loudly, "We're looking for a lift! Cerberus is evacuating from the central tower!"

As they moved through the facility, Liara couldn't help her curious nature and she kept keying video logs as they passed them. One in particular caught her attention. "_Goddess_, Shepard! They were confiscating all communications devices once people entered the doors. No _wonder_ we received no warnings about what was happening here! By the time the refugees figured out it wasn't what they believed, they had no way to make contact with anyone!"

"Just another example of how _twisted_ Cerberus is, Liara." Shepard sneered, "But don't worry... When this is all over, Cerberus will _never_ be in a position to do something like this ever again. I promise you that."

As they moved through the facility, the team eventually crossed paths with Cerberus Assault Troopers, again proving no difficulty for the Normandy teams. Continuing onward, the three squads eventually located a secured passage, which Edi easily bypassed with the Cerberus ciphers they had picked up at Ontarom. As the two halves of the hatchway retracted into the walls on each side, the opening revealed multiple devices and cabling within the room ahead. Garrus whistled quietly before speaking, "This is going to get ugly, Shepard. I can't imagine anything good ever coming from Reaper tech."

"Agreed. Use a staggered approach. If something happens, I don't want all of us caught in the same trap."

Shepard stopped when she felt a hand pull gently on her arm, accompanied by a soft voice. "Do you suppose, perhaps, we could let someone else take a turn at being the bait, Shepard?"

Before anyone else could say anything, Kurin padded past them at a jog with Cayla and T'Levos at her side, followed by a quickly moving Geth Prime. The lieutenant flashed a smile as she passed. "About damn time _someone_ thought to let me do my job."

Liara gave another little tug as Shepard glared at the passing Asari squad, but Sam's discomfiture gave way to understanding when she turned and saw the concern in Liara's eyes. "Alright, Li. I did promise you, didn't I." She let out a single breath of soft laughter and shook her head in resignation. Looking forward, she resumed moving but stayed well back from the advance guard. "Alright, Kurin. Your squad has point."

They moved through the facility rapidly, growing more disgusted with every revelation. It quickly became apparent _exactly_ what Lawson was doing. Edi downloaded multiple instances of video evidence showing experimentation on multiple races... Experiments using Reaper tech to duplicate their capabilities. The team watched the videos in horror as various persons were changed into husks before their very eyes. "Goddess! Those are the _refugees_! They're converting those poor desperate souls into _Reaper_ creatures!" Angry tears welled from Liara's eyes and she fell silent.

"Dios mio, Commander!" The quiet was shattered by James Vega. "When we leave this place, we need to turn it into a smoking hole!"

Campbell looked like she was ready to be sick as she whispered, "But why? Why go through all this just to make _husks_?"

"It's not to make husks, Sarah." Liara looked at her sadly. "It's to make _test_ subjects so they can learn how to control them. The Illusive Man is creating a husk army."

"And we're going to _stop_ him." Shepard's steady voice cut through any trepidation that arose from their discovery as she urged them on. "But that won't happen with us standing here, gawking. Let's move."

As they passed into the next area of the facility, they were greeted by the screech of a Banshee. Liara's feet quit moving and Shepard felt a flash of fear through the link; she stopped and locked eyes with her lover as she spoke through the link. _{Hey. I'm right here. We got this, T'Soni.}_

Liara gave her head a quick shake and swallowed down her fear. "Thank you, Shepard. I'm with you. Let's do what needs to be done."

Shepard stepped through the door and threw out a warp, knocking a Marauder from an upper balcony as Garrus finished it off with his sniper, just before he traded out for his assault rifle. Edi began launching as many Overload tech-attacks as she could muster in order to take down the enemies' shields, greatly enhancing the effectiveness of the Asari squad's biotic attacks.

Shepard called out, "Ravager!" She hadn't needed to worry; as she engaged the balcony Marauders, Legion had pressed forward through another door and locked on with his pulse cannon, taking out the converted Rachni with a laser-guided explosive rocket. Before they had a chance to breathe, the Banshee was upon them. Shepard's and Garrus' squads combined to combat the thing and took it down relatively quickly, much to Liara's relief.

They pressed forward, eventually finding themselves in one of the multiple conversion labs. As Shepard stared at a captive Banshee, Liara paged quickly through the logs, stopping at one and crossing her arms in disgust. "Shepard. These records mention shipping indoctrinated refugees to the Illusive Man; we'll download them and take them back to the Normandy. If Edi or I can decrypt the shipping manifests, we can use that to find him."

"Great. Be quick; we need to keep moving toward that central tower." Shepard looked at her Turian friend as she continued. "We'll stay with Liara; you find Kurin and sweep the floor... Figure out where we're headed next."

Not two minutes after Garrus took his team to assist Kurin, the sound of gunfire exploded from the adjacent room. Shepard shouted at Liara and Edi, "Finish what you're doing!" before sprinting off to join the fray. The next room contained multiple barrier engines, supporting Marauders and Cannibals. Shepard ran full-speed into the room with her Graal at the ready, shifting into crash and blast mode and helping to quickly clear the room. When they finished, she heard a panicked shout from her lover and she ran quickly toward the source of the sound.

As Shepard came within sight of her Promised, Liara shouted again, her voice shaking with a combination of fear and rage. "By the Goddess, Shepard! They've actually _done_ it!"

"Done _what_, Liara?" Shepard slid to a stop in front of her and her concern for her beloved instantly overrode her desire for an answer. She laid a gloved hand tenderly against a blue cheek that was much too pale and asked a different question. "Li... Are you alright?"

Liara opted to ignore the query and, pulling Sam's hand away from her cheek, answered the commander's original question. "They found a way to _co-opt_ the Reaper control signal, Shepard! Right now it's distance limited, but what if they find a way to extend their reach? The implications are... horrifying!" Liara grabbed onto Shepard's armored biceps for support and her voice grew even more anxious. "Goddess. They'd make slaves of every species other than _Human_." Her voice suddenly picked up an icy chill as she continued to consider the possibilities. "With technology like that, Cerberus would be the next Prothean _Empire_, with Jack Harper as its first emperor."

"Not that this will make you feel any better, but I'm sure they'd use Humans as well... They wouldn't hesitate to convert or indoctrinate anyone who disagreed with their philosophy, Liara." Shepard shook her head. "But it won't happen, because we're going to stop them." She took Liara's hand and started walking back toward the others. "At least now we know why the Reapers attacked Sanctuary."

"They must have discovered what Cerberus was up to." Liara almost smiled as she continued, "Bad news for the Illusive Man."

"And good news for us, as long as we can stop TIM before he figures out how to control not only the Reaper _creations_, but also the Reapers themselves." Shepard picked up her pace. "I _think_ it's good news anyway, but somehow... even though we're _already_ facing the potential end of life as we know it... my sense of urgency just kicked _up_ a couple of notches."

Liara squeezed her hand in agreement as they stated to jog, "Mine too."

A shout from Kurin got their attention. "Hey! Found a ladder to climb up to the next level!"


	57. An Indecisive Victory

Notes:

_A Grá_ \- My Love (Irish/Gaelic)

_Nara_ \- literally "bearer"; one who shoulders another's burden, aids others (Thessian)

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

* * *

**An Indecisive Victory**

**Sanctuary, Iera, Shadow Sea**

Kurin peeked out of the ladder channel and looked around carefully, her body tense as she whispered back to those following behind. "Reapers for sure. Don't see any yet, but I can see a barrier engine so I know they're here somewhere."

Her team followed her up, the ladder groaning loudly under the weight of the Prime, and they immediately pressed forward, moving to what would eventually become the left flank once all three teams were engaged. As they crossed what served as the main passageway running the length of the room, her team first lit up a Marauder before destroying the front-most barrier engine Kurin had seen as she crested the top of the ladder.

Shepard, Liara and Edi came next and were prepared with overloads and glowing hands when Kurin warned them of a Ravager already about halfway along the passageway and moving toward them at a good pace. With a simple thought through the link, Shepard crossed the passage quickly, launching a biotic Lift at the Ravager as she moved. The lift itself did little good, but when Liara followed with a warp, the resultant explosion ripped down its armor... allowing a sniper rifle kill-shot from Garrus, who had climbed up immediately behind them.

The three teams ducked behind whatever cover they could find, consisting mostly of monitoring stations and bulkhead supports, as they methodically worked their way along the passage, having to terminate two more Ravagers and multiple Marauders and Cannibals before finally finding themselves in a large transshipment area. They had arrived at what seemed to be an impasse until Legion stepped forward. "Shepard Commander. We can use this cargo tram to continue our passage forward." Without waiting for a response, Legion climbed aboard the device and plugged into the console which, after only a few moments, lit up with power and turned green.

Shepard climbed up behind him and grinned, pounding a fist on the hip joint of Legion's mobile platform. "Awesome, big guy! I knew we brought you along for some reason!"

"I am pleased to be of assistance, Shepard Commander." Shepard turned and quickly waved everyone aboard; Legion activated the transporter as soon as the last person's feet hit the platform and it slid forward with an eerily quiet hum. When they reached the far end, they moved through the only door available to them, finding themselves in a vast research facility... and the first area they had traversed that appeared to have already seen significant fighting.

Shepard paused briefly to take in the scene; multiple scorch marks accompanied by telltale dings, dents and punctures on the walls and floors were the obvious results of weapons fire, but there were also a lot of overturned shelving units and upended research tables... indicative of biotics use. Shepard frowned, her earlier anger resurfacing as she contemplated the source. Liara laid a hand roughly on her armored shoulder to make sure Shepard felt her physical presence at her side, along with the calm the Asari tried to push through the link. The commander was having none of it as she growled out, "It appears that our Ms Lawson and her team have preceded us through this laboratory." She continued to move slowly forward, the remainder of the Normandy team following close on her heels.

The doors snapped shut behind them as soon as they were all in the room and they heard the grunt of a Brute, followed by Garrus calling out, "We've got company!" With a team of eleven, Shepard didn't hesitate to keep moving and they met their first Brute with weapons and biotics blazing. When it fell, Shepard glanced to her right and what she saw caused even Liara to feel the adrenaline spike through the link; a second Brute was already much too close and two more were yet approaching through the research stations.

Having also heard the telltale screech of a _Banshee_, Liara's attention was diverted and her eyes were riveted down the length of the facility. "They're at the far end, but headed this way!"

Liara's trepidation over the Banshees remained unabated and Shepard felt it radiate through the link, so she actually stopped and took a step back to purposely bump into Liara, who was following _extremely_ close behind. _{I'm here, A Grá. Not gonna let anything happen to you.}_

Any response Liara may have had fell away as Vega shouted out, "And they're accompanied by _another_ Brute! You ready for a bit of crash and blast, Commander?" James stepped up right beside her and chuckled. "Kinda reminds me of Palaven... only more metal. Less dirt."

"Please, _Siame_!" Liara's heart skipped a beat and she gasped, "Please do not. Not with _two_ of those... _things_ accompanying them... Do not charge directly into their midst; they are too many!"

When Sarah Campbell also stepped up and pulled the trigger of her Arc Projector, lighting up the closest Brute, Shepard glanced at Liara and laughed reassuringly as she answered James. "I don't think that'll be necessary, Vega! We've got enough firepower here to take down a whole Platoon of those things at range. We won't even need to break a sweat!"

As if to punctuate her point, an explosive rocket flew over their heads and careened down the passage, smashing into the Brute and sending it crashing backwards to the deck. Even though additional Brutes and Banshees were still moving toward them, they all burst out laughing when Legion stated matter-of-factly, "Geth do not sweat." He immediately followed his comment with the release of both a combat drone and a mobile turret, which quickly positioned themselves out of reach of the approaching enemies and began to harass them with shocks and weapons fire.

Biotic combos from Kurin's team quickly took down one Brute from the next pair as Shepard shouted direction. "Garrus! Take out that Brute... We'll focus on the Banshees!" She felt Liara tense as she continued, "Edi! Overload its barriers and Liara and I will warp the shit out of it!"

Garrus assisted by generating an overload attack on the closest Banshee before focusing fire on the Brute. Edi followed quickly with her attack, leaving the first Banshee vulnerable to the follow-on biotic volley. When the Brute fell, Kurin's team joined in on the biotic attacks; with the teams' full firepower directed at a single creature, the first Banshee was turned to dust in a matter of seconds, with the second succumbing only moments later. Garrus and team had successfully finished off the last of the Brutes as well and Shepard pressed them forward. At the opposite end of the facility was an elevator, which Edi hacked without difficulty. The doors opened smoothly as a VI generated voice welcomed them in. "Tower access granted."

* * *

_**Eva's Vortex**_**, At Large**

Not totally trusting the docking computer to the task, Maya eased her ship backwards into the hanger deck aboard _Eva's Vortex_, carefully avoiding the A-61 gunship and the UT-47 shuttlecraft already docked within. Maya wasn't concerned about the space available, which was adequate for all three craft; she _did_ want the space around her ship free of interference, _just_ in case she needed to make a hasty exit; she also didn't want to have to relocate her ship in order to allow either of the two other craft to depart.

Sighing, she remotely actuated the docking clamps while shutting down the power converters, eezo core and the H3 powered reactor. She could have the pile hot in less than ten minutes if she needed to leave on short notice, but she hoped it would not come to that. Leaving in a hurry from _anywhere_ almost always meant skipping certain safety protocols, sometimes with disastrous results, and with the way _her_ luck had been running, Maya didn't want to tempt fate.

Unbuckling her safety harness, she rose from her custom fitted pilot's chair and moved aft, first to relieve a bladder she felt near bursting, then to make a list of the provisions she needed to restock for her next trip. Once this was done, she sent the list to 'stores' – the crew had always been very good about giving her whatever she needed, generally going above and beyond in an effort to please her. Once she was done, she grabbed the OSDs she'd brought from Sanctuary, descended the short ladder below her port side airlock and walked across the hanger deck to the corvette's entry airlock.

Cycling through took only seconds, as there had been no need to evacuate the air from the hanger in order to dock her ship. Once past the inner hatch, she proceeded down the passageway to the one place on the entire ship she didn't wish to go – the Illusive Man's private quarters, consisting of an office suite with an adjacent lounge, dining and sleeping areas and bath facilities. Arriving outside the hatch, she passed her hand through the haptic lock to sound the entrance request chime; the hatch promptly split into five sections and retracted into pockets in the bulkhead.

Maya slowly stepped into the office, but only far enough for the panels to reclose behind her; Jack was just finishing giving instructions to the ship's captain to make the jump for the Widow System. Looking up at her with glittering eyes from behind his massive desk, he welcomed her with, "Rasa! I'm glad you're here." He waved her closer as he took a sip from his glass, the ice tinkling against the inside. "You have Henry Lawson's research? Excellent, Rasa. The data on these OSDs…" he took them from her and laid them on the desk in front of him, "… will allow us an unprecedented amount of control over the Reaper creatures created from all the races, including Humans. Well done." He appeared about to say more, but then changed his mind. "I take it from your silence you didn't happen to run across Commander Shepard while you were at Sanctuary."

"No Sir. There was no one in the employee area I used to access the labs. I _did_ see a massive amount of shuttle and aircar traffic, along with shoulder-to-shoulder crowds attempting to enter through the main gates… looked like utter chaos, Sir." _Damned if I'm going to tell 'im I ran into Miri as I was leaving,_ she thought.

Harper nodded, as if to himself, before asking, "How did Henry Lawson seem to you, Rasa?"

_Shit! What did __**that**__ bastard tell __**this**__ monster?_ "Pretty much as he was last I was there… arrogant… pompous. Convinced he has secured his legacy… his place in history, Sir. He did mention that _you_ weren't altogether sure he could pull it off."

Jack chuckled, the sinister sound of it surprising Maya, as he swirled the ice around in his drink. "That sounds like Henry to me." Another chuckle, then, "Reapers appearing as you were leaving proves beyond a doubt they're worried about what's on these disks. I don't expect Henry or Oriana to survive their arrival. It's a good thing you were already on your way out."

Lighting a cigarette, he blew the resulting cloud of smoke towards the overhead as he dismissed her. "Get some dinner, maybe get some sleep, Rasa. We'll be at the Citadel shortly."

Maya spun on her heel and left as quickly as she could; she wasn't sure if she dared sleep, worried about the possibility of being dragged out of her bed for a round of physical augmentation, Illusive Man style.

* * *

Maya had eaten a small meal – she didn't know whether it was lunch or dinner, and didn't really care – after indulging in a quick shower in the small female officers' facility on board. Being clean and wearing freshly laundered clothing improved her mood somewhat, but it deteriorated rapidly every time someone entered the consolidated lounge/mess area in which she was sitting.

Admittedly, very few crew members came in while she ate, but her obvious scrutiny of each and every one of them had the unfortunate effect of making the subject of her examination distinctly uncomfortable; as for Maya, her meticulous study of these people confirmed in her own mind an unmistakable truth: each of them was indoctrinated to some degree. Their _eyes_ were the dead give-away – unlike the obviously artificial eyes employed by Jack, the eyes of the crew were their own, and the varying degrees of blankness… of dull lifelessness, seemingly without the shine… the sparkle… of alertness, of self-awareness… made tagging them as 'different' an easy task for her.

Having finished eating and growing tired of the inane conversations taking place around her, she took her tray to the wash-station and left the lounge for the serenity of her own ship in the hanger bay. She tried greeting a few of the people she passed in the passageways – every one of them stared at her silently, as if _she_ was some kind of stranger, a foreigner – so she gave up saying anything, or even acknowledging them, as she strolled past on her way to the hanger.

When she arrived back at her ship, she noted with satisfaction the stores she'd requested upon arrival had been pulled and neatly stacked and placed beside the airlock; she busied herself with loading and storing everything inside. She wanted everything properly put away in the likely… _very_ likely... event she would be forced to make a hasty departure from the Illusive Man's corvette full of indoctrinated people. For her own peace of mind, she elected to link her comms into those of _Eva's Vortex_ before sealing the access hatches and going to sleep in her _own_ bunk, aboard her _own_ ship.

* * *

**SSV Normandy****, Iera, Shadow Sea**

The door segments parted and retracted as the elevator came to rest on the hanger deck to reveal Riana and Sammi leaning against the back wall as they stood shoulder to shoulder, hands intertwined. Riana moved first, saying, "Come, Breá Ber'ah. Let's take our walk on the shore, enjoy the salt air, watch the birds…"

Traynor had positioned herself on Riana's right side in order to offer additional support so Riana could avoid putting her full weight on her recovering hip and thigh muscles. As a practical matter, Riana could just as easily have walked with the assistance of a cane held in her right hand, something they both realized from the start. By placing her right arm around Sammi's shoulders and applying some of her weight there while Sammi placed her left arm around Riana's waist and held her at her left hip bone, Riana got the assistance a cane would have provided, along with the benefit that came from close physical contact with her friend, her _Breá Ber'ah_.

"On the shore? Riana, we're on the hanger deck. Meters of plain metal all around us, sterile, recycled air, and there are no birds anywhere around. I don't…" The look on Riana's face, the light dancing in her eyes as she looked at Sammi's questioning expression, spoke volumes to Traynor. With a new understanding of her friend's thinking, Sammi opined, "Oh, now that you mention it, the beach _does_ look quite smashing today. Do you think it will stay sunny, or is it going to rain later?"

"_Smashing_, Sammi?" Riana's look of puzzlement mirrored Traynor's expression of only a few moments prior.

"Sorry… means lovely… the beach looks quite lovely…" Traynor's voice trailed off as she stopped and turned to stand in front of the Asari Vanguard. "Riana, would you care to sit for a few minutes? There's a bench along the starboard side, just there." Traynor indicated the wide seat with a wave of her free hand as she led her friend along.

Riana's painfully slow progress was not helping her state of mind, and she said as much to Sammi. "What am I going to do, _Breá_?What if my leg does not get…"

Sammi's free hand came up; two fingers gently touched the lips she wanted to kiss again and again, stopping Riana from talking. "No negativity, Ri. Your pain? Your inability to walk normally? All of this will pass, Love! This is your _first_ day out of the Med Bay with _real_ physical activity instead of that electronic muscle stimulation rubbish! Give yourself time to heal, Darling. Dr Chakwas _warned_ that your new muscle tissue would be painfully stiff and that we'd have to stop often so you could stretch it." They continued their slow progress until reaching the bench. Traynor hugged Riana before helping to ease her down to a comfortable sitting position on the bench.

Rather than take a seat beside her, Traynor kneeled in front of Riana and took her hands. "Ri, I have something for you… a 'get well' present… something I know you need." Riana's expression of puzzlement from before returned, endearing her to Traynor that much more. _How is it I have been so blessed, have been so lucky, to have the… devotion of this beautiful person?_

"A get well present? I don't understand… and _Goddess_, that seems to be something I have to say a lot when I'm in your company!"

"Well, as soon as you're a bit stronger, you'll have to take the time to… meld with me again. The more you do _that_, the more you will learn about me, yes? I can assure you I am looking forward to learning everything there is to know about _you_!" Sammi didn't give voice to the _other_ thoughts running through her mind… thoughts that caused a spike of heat in her core.

Riana smiled at this. "I can hardly wait, Sammi. Thinking about you… about us together… was the _only_ thing that helped me pass the time in the Med Bay. It seems my thoughts these days are _always_ about you. Now, you said you had a present for me?"

By way of reply, Traynor activated her omnitool and copied her gift over to Riana's translator program on her own omnitool, which lit up as it received the upload. As the Asari looked at her omnitool, then back to Sammi, Traynor explained, "It's a special little add-on I wrote for your translation program. It should clear at least ninety percent of the slang terms you hear, whether said by me, Dr T'Soni, Commander Shepard…" Sammi trailed off at the look of absolute gratitude that appeared on Riana's face.

"Sammi… I don't know what to say!" She looked at the Human with an unabashed love plainly visible in her eyes. "This is the second gift… a very valuable gift… that you have given me in a very short period of time! I have given you nothing in return. It's not…"

A pair of fingers once again landed gently on her lips. "Ri, you have given me the most valuable gift anyone in this galaxy can give. It's everything I require… all I will ever need from you. You have given me your unconditional love, Riana Iregos… That is all you _ever_ need to give me, Darling. Do you not see? Just as you would do _anything_ to protect Dr T'Soni, or Commander Shepard from harm… I would do… will do… anything and everything in my power to demonstrate the depth of my love for you!"

Riana gazed deeply into Sammi's dark brown eyes and was struck by the truth of her statement. It was apparent this Human's devotion to her was now a part of who she was. Riana realized with a start that Sammi had kindled an ember in her _own_ core… the feeling of intense desire that she hadn't felt since Ryati had vanished from her life. It all seemed like so much longer than a mere four years. She couldn't act on her desire… yet. But soon… _very_ soon, she would have Sammi join her in her quarters for an evening. It was almost time for them to get to know each other _much_ better. It was a goal towards which she could direct her energy.

Traynor stood, grabbed her right hand and helped her to her feet. Truthfully, Riana could stand from a sitting position, but Sammi's help made it much easier. As she came to her full height in front of the specialist, Sammi reached around her left side and hugged her as she planted a light kiss on the Asari's lush lips. Retaking her position on Riana's right side, she once again held a blue hand as she said, "I thought I had lost you on Thessia, Riana. Sarah Campbell will always have my gratitude for keeping you from bleeding out in that temple." Traynor stopped talking in order to get her throat working again.

"She will always have mine as well, _Breá,_" Riana responded quietly.

They walked a few laps, mostly in companionable silence, stopping each time at the same bench to do the stretches assigned by Dr Chakwas. As they continued to slowly walk towards the bow, Riana finally broke the silence. "What do you see yourself doing once this war is over, Sammi? You _know_ I will follow Mistress Liara wherever she goes in the future." Riana looked at her partner to see the reaction on her face as she asked the next question. "Will you stay in the Alliance Navy afterwards?"

Sammi looked at her friend, worry evident in her eyes. "I… I hadn't thought that far ahead. I would like to stay, but…" Sammi gulped past the lump that had reappeared in her throat. "I'll have to see what develops when the time comes, I guess. Right now, this very minute? I cannot imagine living the rest of my life without you, Riana Iregos. If I need to choose between the Navy and remaining with you? There's no choice. I will stay with you to the end of my life, if you will have me."

Riana freed her hand and once again placed her right arm around Sammi's shoulders, leading Traynor to place her left arm around Riana's waist. "I think we should go back to the Med Bay, _Breá Ber'ah._ My leg is really starting to ache, and I don't want to set my recovery back by over-exerting myself." She looked sidelong at the specialist as she concluded, "We will have to do this again tomorrow... twice."

Traynor exerted a bit of pressure with her arm, hugging the Asari slightly to her. "It'll be my pleasure, Ri."

Happy in each other's company, the unlikely pair – the Asari commando and the Alliance operations and communications specialist – walked in comfortable silence back to the elevator. Had there been an observer in the hanger deck, they might have seen them turn towards each other and kiss just as the door segments met in the middle, hiding them from view.

* * *

**Sanctuary, Iera, Shadow Sea**

The elevator groaned in protest with the weight of the entire team, but made the climb without issue. The team heard gunfire and something that sounded suspiciously like a warp, so readied weapons as the lift ground to a halt and its doors retracted to clear the doorway. Immediately inside the doorway, Judea held a fist that glowed in angry, yet restrained blue. Iryna was a couple of meters off to the left with an Acolyte pistol pointed at something, or _someone_, yet to be revealed.

Shepard held up a hand to indicate that the other two teams not yet step from the elevator and reveal themselves. As she circled Judea and moved forward into the room she caught sight of Miranda sitting on the floor, a deep gash in her cheek and blood oozing from her side. The ex-Cerberus operative looked up pleadingly, her eyes asking for both assistance and forgiveness. "Shepard..."

As she moved forward, with Liara on her left and Edi on her right, Shepard finally discovered the target of Judea's fury; Henry Lawson was on the other side of the lab, his lower body obstructed by the banks of equipment and his upper body protected by a Human shield named Oriana Lawson. "Commander Shepard. Excellent timing. I was beginning to wonder how I was going to get out of this mess... and starting to think you managed to get yourself killed and weren't going to arrive at all." He tightened his hold around Oriana's neck and she cried out in fear. Behind him was a huge window overlooking the lower floors; Shepard immediately realized that if he had been looking out, he would have seen their every move until they had gotten into the tram and progressed to the sub-levels directly beneath the labs. For some reason, he had _waited_ for them to arrive.

Shepard's tone was derisive as she pointed her Arc pistol at the elder Lawson and sneered, "If you've been expecting me, then you've had time to figure out that you have no way out. Put the gun down."

Lawson adjusted his position and growled in response. "On the contrary, Commander. Your arrival means you've successfully cleared the Reapers from my path of retreat. Besides, Oriana tried to _shoot_ me. Miranda's poisonous influence, no doubt, so I'll just hang on to it for now. For self protection, of course."

"Yeah," Shepard raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "I'm sure it's _all_ Miranda's fault. It had absolutely _nothing_ to do with your egotistical and pretentious personality. Everyone _loves_ you for that, I'm sure."

While Edi remained a step behind, Liara moved up beside the commander and glared at the cause of their current predicament. "I'm sorry Ori _missed_."

Shepard couldn't help but smirk and she took Liara's focus as an opportunity to glance quickly around Lawson's lab. "You really here all by yourself? Sounds like typical Illusive Man modus operandi. Take your research and then leave you to _rot_ after the Reapers kill you. Assuming you're lucky enough to actually _die_ that is."

"I won't disagree with you, but that does not impact our current circumstances." Lawson shifted his pistol aim from the commander to Miranda. "You agree to let us go and we'll walk out... and your _friend_ lives to see another day."

Miranda shifted and whispered, "Shepard. Don't let him take Oriana!"

Shepard spared her a glance before refocusing on Henry and growling, "Let her go; you're not exactly in a good bargaining position."

Oriana's eyes were wide with fear, unsure of which to be more afraid of... that the commander didn't know _her_ well enough to chance the life of Miranda, or that the commander knew Miranda would readily sacrifice her own life to see her sister safe; neither was an acceptable outcome in Ori's eyes. Even _she_ was unsure exactly what she was asking for as she pleaded in a quiet whisper, "Shepard... _Please_."

The commander seemed unfazed by the entreaty, her focus on Henry never wavering as she spoke. "I have no problem with you. I only want Oriana and the research data." Shepard glared at the man through her pistol sights and passed a quick thought as Lawson considered his options. _{Liara. Get ready. As soon as you can, I want Oriana safe, however you can manage it.}_

Liara's shift to a one-handed grip on her pistol was enough to indicate the Asari was readying her biotics, but she answered back anyway. _{Gladly, Shepard. But think about your options. With all the work he has been doing with Reaper technology, he is most likely indoctrinated... exactly like the Illusive Man. I am not sure we dare let him go.}_

Lawson finally spoke. "You want a lot."

Shepard's lips turned up into a tense smile as she absorbed Liara's thoughts, but there was no softening of her face or in her tone as she tightened her grip on her pistol and answered, "Wouldn't want you to think I would undervalue your _life_, Lawson. How much is it worth to _you_?" As she finished asking her question, she started moving slowly to the side, increasing the distance between her, Liara and Miranda. It would be impossible for Lawson to take on all of them and survive the encounter.

Lawson's eyes shifted nervously; realizing swiftly what Shepard was doing, he agreed to her terms. "Alright. Take her... but I get out alive. Deal?" As he finished speaking, he placed a hand in Oriana's back and shoved her forward to the ground.

Liara reacted without hesitation, quickly pulling Oriana to safety with her biotics and throwing up a barrier to keep them both safe, but her actions proved unnecessary. Waiting for just such an opportunity, Judea had remained intensely focused. The very _instant_ Oriana was out of the line of fire, Judea let loose a tremendous warp that should have simply smashed into Lawson and crushed him against the window. Instead, at the same time, the team's infiltrator, Sellis Boni, appeared seemingly from nowhere and also launched a warp at the man; the additional force fractured the glass behind him and sent Henry Lawson out the window, screaming as he fell multiple stories to his death.

Liara dropped her barrier and Ori scrambled to her feet, only to run a few steps and fall back to the floor at her sister's side. "Miri! Are you alright? You're bleeding!"

Miranda's voice was soft as she answered, "I'll be fine, Ori. The important thing is that you're safe now." Judea had also moved to her side, undoing her armor and beginning to treat her wound. Miranda winced slightly before focusing her eyes on Shepard and Liara. "Thank you, both. As usual, Shepard, your _timing_ is impeccable."

Shepard growled, "I was mad as Hell at you for coming down here _alone_ and not waiting for us like we had _planned_..." Her focus shifted to Liara as she finished, "... but I understand the need to be there for someone you love."

Liara smiled in appreciation before sighing softly and leaning into Shepard's side. The true impact of what had just happened kept her from enjoying their small victory and she had to find the correct path forward in order to honestly relax. "Miranda. We need to discuss what comes next." Seeing the puzzled expression on the operative's face, she continued, "For Ori. You say she's safe now, but where is she going to go? There is no such thing as _safe_. Not really."

Miranda hissed as Judea finished cleaning her injured side and finally applied a healthy dose of medigel to close the wound. Shepard shook her head and delayed the discussion. "I think we get what we came for... We have Oriana, so all we need to dig up is Henry's data... and get our butts safely back on the Normandy. We can talk about it all there." Her eyes locked on Miranda's as she continued, "And I want you to take advantage of Dr Chakwas' services while you're there."

"Agreed." Miranda's eyes turned to blue ice. "But having seen what this place really is, we can't leave it standing, Commander."

After the fight had concluded, the rest of the team had joined them and Vega immediately chipped in, "Amen to _that_, Sister. This place needs to be a smoking hole!"

"Understood." Shepard sighed sadly as she continued, "But with Henry now _dead_, we need to comb through the databases before we destroy our last chance of finding where TIM took the Catalyst." Shepard looked to Liara. "Why don't you and Edi get busy? See what you can find, but don't take too long. I'm not sure how long it will be before the Reapers find us again."

"There is no need." Miranda's proclamation cut through the chatter like an explosion. "Maya Brooks gave me the coordinates to the Illusive Man's main facility. It's Cronos station in the Horse Head Nebula."

As Shepard stared at Miranda in shocked silence, Oriana stood up and faced Liara. "I can help capture the research data. I hacked most of my... of _Henry's_ passwords within a couple days of being here. You won't need to break any ciphers to get into the various systems."

A proud smile touched Miranda's lips before she pulled herself back to the primary task at hand. "Shepard. As they compile the data, I can explain about Brooks." Miranda slowly stood with the help of Judea and they walked over to the commander. "We ran into her almost as soon as we arrived here."

Shepard's eyes blazed with loathing, but she somehow refrained from comment, letting Miranda finish. "She sent the message that told me... us... about this place and the research being done here. She hates what Henry Lawson did for the Illusive Man and..." She glanced quickly at Judea before continuing, "... she said she wants out. That she'll find a way to prove she's no longer a threat to us; you in particular. She told me the Illusive Man now has you marked for death, but also guaranteed she wouldn't be the one to attempt it. She told me where to find the Illusive Man... and then told me where to find Ori."

"And you _believe_ her?" Shepard looked at her with incredulity before speaking to Judea. "You checked her for head wounds, right? Concussion? Delusional shock?"

Judea suppressed a smirk and nodded. "Yes, _Nara_, I did... and she truly is fine. But I _also_ listened to this Maya Brooks and studied her face as she told her story. I believe her. I believe she has seen through the Illusive Man's lies. Something has happened to make her doubt her convictions and she has changed her course; she is now headed down the correct path."

"Well... Fuck me." Shepard's eyes narrowed and she stared, unseeing, at the floor for a few moments as she ran scenarios through her head. Her head came back up as she resumed speaking. "I still don't trust her, but I trust your instincts. Tell me _exactly_ what happened here."

Miranda described the encounter and the 'back door' entry Maya had provided by leaving the elevator locked out at the ground level... and how it had dumped them directly into the lower research facility where they immediately encountered both Cerberus resistance _and_ Reapers. Shepard nodded in understanding and described the Normandy teams' route. "That's where we picked up your trail. We came in through the main entrance and fought our way through the facility, first encountering Cerberus and then reapers... but never the two together. Based on the level of destruction, you guys really kicked some ass down there."

A bit of Shepard's earlier anger returned. "Even so, I _still_ say heading in here alone, instead of waiting for us, was an impulsive thing to do, Miri." Shepard shook her head and raised a hand to silence the protest she saw forming on Miranda's lips. "No. Whether I understand your reasons or not, it still wasn't smart... and you _know_ that."

"You're right. I do." Miranda exhaled heavily and almost pouted at having to admit she was wrong. "But it worked out and I can't say I'd do things any differently in hindsight."

Surprisingly, Shepard let out a light laugh. "Miranda Lawson. Dealing with you makes me appreciate what I'm sure Liara has to deal with almost every _day_ with _me_. I don't know how she does it." The commander didn't realize Liara was standing directly behind her, data disks tucked safely away and ready for departure, and her lover's voice in her ear surprised her.

"Because I'm _Asari_, Shepard." Liara held a slight smirk on her face as she continued, "And we are well known for our long views and _incredible_ patience. But, that said, I am more than ready to be gone from _this_ place, Commander."

"You heard the lady, folks. Let's move out." As they worked their way to the elevator, Shepard focused on their Prime. "Can you get a Geth Dreadnaught to take care of this facility, Legion?"

The large Geth actually hesitated in his steps before continuing on as he responded, "That is a nebulous request, Shepard Commander. Please define 'take care of,' in more definitive terms."

"We need to _destroy_ it, Legion." Shepard stepped into the elevator and continued her explanation as the doors closed. "We need the remaining copies of the research, the dead bodies, the surviving Reaper creatures... everything here... to be wiped from existence. As James said earlier... this place needs to be turned into a smoking hole."

Legion fell silent as he communed with his brethren; there was no uncertainty in his statement when he responded, "The Consensus agrees with your assessment. It will be done as you request, Shepard Commander."


	58. Final Preparations

Notes:

FTL - Faster Than Light travel

_I__onúin álainn_ \- beautiful beloved (Irish/Gaelic)

_Nara_ \- literally "bearer"; one who shoulders another's burden, aids others (Thessian)

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

* * *

**Final Preparations**

**Citadel, Widow System, Serpent Nebula**

_Eva's Vortex_, like Maya's personal ship sitting within her hangar bay, was docked near the Presidium ring and _also_ pointed outward... in a position to make a hasty departure should one be required. As Maya accompanied him through the Citadel, the Illusive Man explained that the wards – the five arms of the station – would be closing for the jump through the Widow Relay to Charon, and then on to Earth, where the Reapers would 'park' it in a geosynchronous orbit over London to complete their harvest of Humanity. Brooks couldn't even _begin_ to fathom how the Illusive Man had obtained that knowledge, other than he was most _definitely_ a pawn of the Reapers; that assumption firmed her _own_ resolve to make sure the man did _not_ succeed.

He went on to tell her the weapon the Alliance had managed to build – the Crucible – needed to be docked with the Citadel in order to discharge its energy. Jack intended to take over the Crucible before it could be activated, explaining that once the massive weapon was docked, _he_ would be able to replace its preprogrammed destruction code with the control signal developed by Henry Lawson. He would then use it to transmit the override signal and take control of _all_ the Reapers... _wherever_ they were in the galaxy. He'd have absolute control over tens of thousands of the most devastating weapons ever known.

"It's time the Human race ascended to its true place of supremacy, Rasa. _Think of it!_ There'll be no need for us to cooperate with the Asari, the Turians, Salarians or any other alien race... _ever_!" Jack brought his arm up in front of him as they walked and shook his clenched fist in the air as he concluded, "_I_ will wield the ultimate power in the galaxy on behalf of Humankind! Any race that dares stand in my way… _dares_ to challenge my authority, will be destroyed… wiped from existence!"

Maya knew she was taking a chance as she replied with carefully chosen words, "You do realize, Sir, that not everyone… Humans, I mean… will be thrilled about having authoritarian leadership? There are Human colonies out on the fringe that exist simply because their inhabitants dislike _any_ form of centralized rule. Will you destroy them as well, Sir?"

The icy stare she received in response confirmed her worst suspicions more completely than anything Jack had ever said to her. "They will be made to… _understand_... that their independence from oversight, be it the Systems Alliance or the Citadel Council, has come to an end. I will _not_ have possible turncoats in our midst, Rasa. _Anyone_ that defies me… that challenges my right to rule this galaxy... will be dealt with forcefully. That _includes_ any survivors in the Alliance military… There will be _no_ fleets of dreadnaughts, no cruisers or other military ships allowed when I take my rightful place as supreme ruler. The _Reapers_ will be mine to command; _they_ will be my enforcement fleet."

"Understood, Sir." Maya said nothing more as she walked with him, but her mind was seemingly running at full throttle. _Shit! This man has finally done it… gone loopy! Totally 'round the bend! I should kill him right now! Just pull out my pistol and fill him with hot metal from top to bottom! But I can't… not in the middle of the damned Citadel! I need to be sure I can get away from here… __**and**__ get away from all his indoctrinated __**lackeys**__! My only way off this station is sitting inside Eva's Vortex. If I went back without him right now, they'd attempt to contact him and be suspicious when he didn't answer. They'd be sure to try and stop me. It's too soon... damn it! How in Hell am I going to do this?_

With no viable options coming readily to mind, Maya simply continued to walk as she was forced to listen to the ravings of a madman. _Patience, Rasa… patience. An opportunity __**will**__ present itself. I just have to be patient. I need to be sure I can get away. No good killing the likes of __**him**__ if I wind up dying in the process. I need to trust myself... that I'll know when the time is at hand._ _Like any assassination; simply take a deep breath and wait for that perfect shot._

Once Brooks had accepted the fact that she really _was_ going to kill the Illusive Man, her mind began working toward finding the solution most beneficial to her. As Harper sidestepped into a narrow alley and they slipped, unseen, into the Keeper tunnels, Maya began to smile.

* * *

**SSV Normandy, At Large**

The minute they stepped back on the Normandy, Shepard was on comms. "Joker. As soon as we receive the shuttle from the _Aletheia_, I want us at FTL to the relay. The _Aletheia_ will be shadowing us there and we'll jump together to Horse Head Nebula. They'll be docking with us on the dark side of Veles."

"Veles?" Joker's voice carried more than its share of skepticism. "What the Hell is on Veles?"

"Nothing, Joker. That's the point." Shepard really wanted to simply tell him to do it, but remembered he had a reason to be a bit snippy at the moment, as did most everyone aboard, so she let it slide. "We need a quiet place to figure out our next move."

"Roger that, Commander. Shuttle's docking now. We'll be underway in less than five."

"I see them, Jeff. Thanks." Since the _Aletheia_ crew was expected, Shepard had remained in the shuttle bay to await their arrival. Liara had settled against her side, somehow fitting perfectly even though they both still had their armor on; Shepard had removed her gauntlets and was absentmindedly stroking the armor plate on the Asari's forearm with her fingertips. Liara couldn't _physically_ feel it, but still smiled softly at the soothing sensations floating through the link from the calming, repetitive motion; she took delight from the rare, fleeting serenity within Samantha's soul.

The shuttlecraft settled onto the deck of the hangar as the massive ramp came up to seal the opening at the bow; Joker had the Normandy moving for the relay before the shuttle's hatch opened to reveal Miranda, Judea, Oriana, Falere _and_ Aresia. Miranda walked over quickly. "I hope you don't mind, Shepard. Both Iryna and Sellis are quite capable of piloting the Aletheia, and everyone else _really_ wanted to visit with Riana... However short the visit may be." She glanced back over her shoulder to make sure none were within hearing range as she whispered, "... and one never knows if they'll get another chance. Who am I to deny them the opportunity?"

"That's fine, Miri." Shepard stepped up and wrapped an arm around her waist as she called to the others, "Come on. Miranda was injured, so first stop is the Med Bay anyway. You all might as well come with."

Shepard smiled at Liara when she felt a little pang of jealousy slide through the link. _{You know better than __**that**__, I__onúin álainn__. There is only __**you**__ in that regard, but your... protectiveness... is flattering, nonetheless.} _Liara blushed in embarrassment at her mental slip, and eagerly took the hand Shepard held out to her as they made their way up to the Crew Deck.

Dr Chakwas was _not_ thrilled with the large entourage that descended upon her little corner of the Normandy, but quickly changed her tune when Shepard explained who everyone was and that most were there to visit, not for treatment. Karin's face lit with a welcoming smile. "Excellent! Though I must warn you, she returned from her first physical therapy session a bit worn out, so she's napping at present. Give me a moment to rouse her, and we'll see how she feels."

Knowing they were all in excellent hands, Shepard turned to Miranda. "We'll be in the War Room. Meet us there when Karin is done with you."

Judea canted her head in respect to the commander and asked politely, "_Nara_. If it is alright, I would like to say a quick hello to Riana before joining you?"

"Absolutely, Jude." Shepard nodded as she spoke. "I'd expect nothing less. I'll need a few minutes in the comm room to get Admiral Hackett up to speed before we get started anyway. If we're planning on going to Cerberus Headquarters, he needs to know." She paused for a moment before adding, "The Hell with that; he needs to _help_!"

* * *

Once Shepard had laid it all out for him, Admiral Hackett was positively livid. "The Cerberus lab you raided on Sanctum _hinted_ at something big, but we never expected _this_." He shook his head in disgust. "All those refugees, all that... _slaughter_. Just to study indoctrination."

"They did more than study it, Sir. They've succeeded in overriding the signal. The Illusive Man has plans to push Humanity to the top by actually _controlling_ the Reapers."

Hackett froze in place for a second before growling, "Then we've got to stop him. We built the Crucible for one purpose and one purpose only. To _destroy_ the Reapers. That's too much power for _any_ one man to hold, especially the likes of Jack Harper!"

"That's why I'm calling, Sir." Shepard thought it better not to mention Maya Brooks as she solicited the Fleet's assistance. "Before we left, we believe we found where he's been hiding his main base of operations. Cerberus _Headquarters_ is a space station called Cronos; it's located in the Anadius System of the Horse Head Nebula."

"Well I'll be damned. Practically right under our noses!" Hackett frowned. "I imagine he's got his whole damn fleet collected there by now. Just like us, rallying the troops for the final push."

Hackett's hand came up and grasped his chin, rubbing it so hard it looked like he was trying to scrub his beard off. Shepard could tell he was in deep thought, so waited silently. When he finally spoke, it was authoritative. "Him pulling his assets together like that would be a good thing; it gives _us_ a chance to finally take Cerberus out of this war completely. As capable as you are, Shepard, I don't expect you to handle _that_ monster on your own. I've got the 8th Fleet at Ontarom and the 6th and 7th in the Exodus Cluster. They're already at full alert, so you give me the rendezvous time and I'll make sure they meet you there."

"Thank you, Sir. We've got a few things to wrap up here... and the 8th will take the longest to get there; coming from the Kepler Verge, they've got an extra jump to make." It was Shepard's turn to think and she paused for a moment as she contemplated Hackett's proposal. "The 6th and 7th could jump to Pax and secure the relay until we all catch up there. Then, we can all jump FTL _together_ to Anadius. Cerberus won't know what hit 'em."

"I like it, Commander; I'll issue the orders, with Admiral Nolan Sheik of 6th Fleet in command of support. Obviously, _you'll_ take the ground team onto the station to recover the Prothean VI and find out about the Catalyst. Check in when you're ready to make that final FTL jump, Shepard. Hackett out."

Shepard promptly exited the communications bay to enter the war room and found Judea and Miranda already waiting, so quickly explained the battle plan to everyone. "So, we've got plenty of firepower, which means you all need to get out of here before the 6th and 7th Fleets arrive to blockade the relay. But first things first." She glanced between Miranda and Liara before she asked, "So, what are we doing with Oriana?"

Miranda smiled as Liara answered, "She'll stay with Miranda on the _Aletheia_." Liara noted Shepard's eyebrows rise in question, so continued quickly, "Oriana is extremely intelligent and expressed an interest in more direct involvement in the war effort. She asked Miranda, very _pointedly_, about what she was doing in support of the Normandy. So, Miranda is going to train her; then Ori will eventually move over to the _Rakhana_ to fill the empty Broker Agent position."

Shepard let out a low whistle and smirked at her Promised. "Wow. The augmented intelligence of _both_ the Lawson sisters at the Shadow Broker's disposal? That's got to be like a dream come true for you, Liara!"

"Yes, I suppose it is." Liara gave her a gentle shove on the shoulder and smiled in return as she continued, "I _might_ even be able to take some time off when this war is over to actually bond with you."

"Sold." The grin on Shepard's face made Liara's heart flutter in her chest, especially when it was accompanied with a warm and loving mental embrace through the link. Shepard's attention shifted to the operative. "You ready for this, Miranda?"

"Absolutely, Shepard. We're also taking any of the informational probes you have left, to finish out the distribution in the few remaining systems." Miranda frowned. "Though I'm not really keen on passing through Exodus, Arcturus and Sol to get to the Citadel and Tuchanka. I'm honestly hoping we survive the battle for Earth to do the notifications of the close-in systems _ourselves_ and not have to rely on _other_ survivors finding the data on their own."

"I'm with you on _that_ one, Miri." Shepard paused for only a moment before asking, "Do you want to be on Earth for the battle? Or on the _Aletheia_?"

"_Both_." Miranda explained promptly, "The Reapers attack and almost _instantaneously_ block communications via the standard buoy system. I plan on utilizing the _Aletheia_ as a mobile command post to ensure the Alliance does _not_ lose communications during the battle execution phase."

At Shepard's confused expression, Liara stepped in and expounded on some of the missing details. "We're going to use the Broker network as a _mobile_ relay bridge... to replace the _stationary_ communications buoys the Reapers destroy. We won't be able to reach outside the system, but everyone within Sol should still be able to talk to one another. It works, in theory, and will last as long as the Reapers don't figure it out and somehow jam the signal or seek out and destroy the _Aletheia_."

The commander's eyes opened wide at that statement, but Miranda eased her concerns. "Don't worry, Shepard. I have a number of friends flying fighters who will be acting as escorts and diversions. Just don't take forever to get that Crucible active and working and we'll be just fine."

* * *

There were tears in Riana's eyes as Sammi's arm wrapped around her waist for emotional support; the visit with Aresia and Falere had been _much_ too short, but she was thankful they had the chance at all. She made a mental note to express her gratitude to Miranda for the opportunity at her earliest convenience. As the boarding hatch closed and sealed, she looked to Liara and gave a gentle nod. "I am ready to return to the Med Bay, Mistress. Sammi... Specialist Traynor... needs to return to her post to complete her mission prep and Dr Chakwas still insists that I be accompanied. I hope to get that restriction _removed_ and to be declared mission-ready for the operation against Cerberus."

Thinking about having Riana back at her side, Liara visibly brightened and excitedly queried, "Do you honestly think that is a possibility?"

The commando nodded emphatically, "Absolutely! The new muscles are working perfectly, even though they _were_ extremely tight." Liara did not miss the emphasis on the word 'were' as Riana continued, "Karin is concerned I will tear them, but Sammi and I have been working on them constantly to stretch and relax them, through extension exercises and massage." Riana shrugged noncommittally. "_I_ think I am ready, but I am _not_ Karin Chakwas."

Liara simply chuckled and held her arm out. "Thank the Goddess for _that_! Karin is bad enough! I think Shepard and I would be grounded almost continuously if we had to deal with _your_ protective streak. You'd never let us do anything!"

* * *

Excited by the prospect of ending Cerberus and finally being able to focus solely on the true enemy, Shepard strode boldly into Engineering. Adams' head came up at the sound of the door and he smiled as he greeted her. "Commander! The Normandy's ready for anything you'll ask of her. The Engineering staff is good, but there's just something about having Tali'Zorah on board... She can make our baby sing!"

At the word 'Commander,' Tali had turned slowly to face the door, her head hanging low. Shepard smiled at her, though she doubted Tali saw it, with her faceplate pointed at the deck. "Might I steal our guest systems engineer from you for a bit, Greg?"

"Guest, my ass! Tali's _family_, Commander..." Adams smiled softly at the Quarian as he continued, "But yes, you can steal her for a bit. We've done all we can do until we actually start _fighting_, and I imagine _Tali_ will be needed more on the ground with _you_, not sitting in _this_ fine piece of machinery that can practically fly itself!"

"Thanks, Greg." Shepard had continued walking forward as they talked and was now standing directly in front of the nervously shifting Quarian Admiral; Shepard slowly held an arm out, elbow pointed at her target. "Come on, Tali. Let's find someplace quiet to talk."

Without a word, Tali placed a tentative hand on Shepard's arm and they retreated from main engineering and down the steps to the lower decks. Once the doors closed behind them and they were guaranteed some privacy, Shepard was the first to speak. "Tali. I don't want you feeling badly about what happened before the last mission. I'll admit you caught me off-guard, but I know how much Kal meant to you." Shepard stopped and turned to her, pulling her into a tight hug as she whispered softly against the side of Tali's hood. "I am so _sorry_ you found out about what happened via _message_ traffic; I should have come to see you as soon as I learned what had happened."

Tali's arms wrapped around Shepard's waist like she was a life preserver and held on tight. "_Keelah_, Shepard. I was _drunk_, but leave it to _you_ to find excuses for _my_ insensitivity! I _know_ better than to blame you for Kal's death, and I _certainly_ have no business begrudging Liara... or _any_ of us for that matter... for being lucky enough to get you back! It was a positively rude and stupid thing to say!" She barely managed to finish the sentence before sniffling and then breaking down into tears as she mumbled, "But I'm going to miss him, Shepard! He was one of my main reasons for being determined to see this war through!"

Shepard attempted unsuccessfully to swallow the lump in her throat as tears began to sneak slowly down her own face. She held on to the one she considered her little sister and hugged her tight. "I know, Tali, and I'm sorry I wasn't faster... I..."

Tali's hug turned into a sudden compression that pushed all the air out of Shepard's lungs in a very forceful exhale, making it impossible for her to finish the sentence. "Don't you _dare_, Shepard!" Tali leaned back slightly and, for the first time, her head tipped up and she looked Shepard directly in the face, her voice simmering with irritation. "Don't you _dare_ try to take the blame for every single galactic government not wanting to see the _truth_! For the Collectors _killing_ you and stealing two years of your _life_! Your Alliance _imprisonment_... The Quarian-Geth _war_..." Tali pushed away completely, her body shaking with anger. "They _all_ did everything they possibly _could_ to slow you down, yet here you stand, ready to take the blame... _again_... even when you are finally on the brink of _success_!"

Shepard stepped back, yielding before the vehemence of Tali's proclamation, but the Quarian was on a roll and followed, jabbing a gloved finger into Shepard's chest. "_None_ of this is _your_ fault! And, by Kal'Reegar's _ancestors_, I swear we will have our revenge for all the heartache the Reapers have caused!"

Shepard's back hit a stack of crates and she stopped short in surprise. "Tali? What are you saying?"

After snorting in disgust, Tali growled, "I'm saying I fully expect to go _with_ you to the Cerberus Headquarters and wipe that smug expression off the Illusive Man's face! I want to be part of taking back the Catalyst and I want to be with you on Earth when you kick the Reaper's asses!"

"Of course you will be!" Shepard was confused as to why Tali thought any differently, so had to ask, "Did you think, for some reason, that I _wasn't_ going to take you on the ground team?"

Uncertainty made Tali pause for a moment and she finally dropped the finger still pushed against Shepard's chest before answering. "Well... You made Sarah sit one out after Beth was killed... And _they_ were only best friends. I thought for sure you would make me stay behind."

"Sarah was emotionally _distraught_... and even though I _wanted_ to take her on the mission, _Karin_ thought it best to ground her until she calmed a bit and her head cleared." Shepard's face clouded and she frowned. "Very much like Liara grounding you while you were _drunk_... but we're past that... and you'll suit up when the time comes for this next mission."

Tali's breath hitched and a short sob escaped as Tali surged forward and wrapped Samantha in another hug. "_Thank_ you, Shepard! And I really am _sorry_ for what I said earlier. I know it hurt you... I was an idiot."

Shepard returned the embrace and let out a heavy sigh. "It didn't _hurt_, per se. It was just a shock and I was unprepared for the images it brought to mind. I expected you to be angry, but not in _that_ way... not at me for being _alive_ when Kal wasn't. I didn't..." Tali felt Shepard's body tense as the commander continued, "I feel _guilty_, Tali. Like everyone who has died in this war is on me because I wasn't fast enough or smart enough to persuade those I needed to convince."

Tali pushed back and poked her in the chest again, more gently than the first time. "That's just _stupid_, Shepard. The Reapers and galactic bureaucracy are to blame; you've done everything possible to push people to prepare for this war."

Shepard dropped her eyes and sighed softly as she stepped up and laid an arm around Tali's shoulders, turning them both towards the steps to return to the main engineering deck. "I'm glad you think so, Tali. I'd hate it if _you_ were disappointed in me."

Tali scoffed as they climbed the stairs. "Of _course_ I'm not disappointed, you silly _Bosh'tet_! I expect you to lead us to _victory_!" She hesitated before she finished quietly, "And Kal... He never had the chance to tell you... but Kal _approved_ of my decision to work with you, Shepard. He said I couldn't have selected a better captain, even with my choice of _any_ among the entire Quarian Flotilla."

* * *

**SSV Normandy, Pax Relay, Horse Head Nebula**

The Normandy had arrived at the Pax Relay and they were awaiting the arrival of the 8th Fleet from Ontarom; Shepard dragged Liara away from the brokerage terminals to return to the loft and _finally_ remove their armor. They slipped into the shower together and Liara moaned in pleasure; Shepard was gently scrubbing her back as she lit soft kisses across the Asari's crest. "Goddess. That feels _wonderful_, Sam."

"I figure we'd better take advantage of it while we can, Li. I have a sinking feeling it might be the last shower we have time for... until this is all over."

Liara leaned forward and placed her head against the cool wall of the shower, relaxing under the caring touch of her Promised. Sam dropped the sponge and she took advantage of the soap-slicked skin to knead the knotted muscles, tense from both the past battle and the future task looming before them. After a quiet period where Shepard did nothing but massage the Asari's aching muscles, she finally spoke. "Li." The single word sent shivers down Liara's spine; Shepard's tone was one of concern and the Asari feared she was about to talk about the potential for dying during the upcoming events.

She turned to face the commander and looped her arms over Shepard's shoulders, uttering, "Don't, Sam. Please," before leaning forward and catching red lips in a tentative kiss. "I don't want to talk about it."

"We have to, Liara." Shepard had pushed back, not to be dissuaded from her planned discussion. "There's a really good chance we'll run into them on Earth."

"Wait." Liara's expression wrinkled in confusion. "What? Run into what, Shepard?"

Shepard smiled as she responded, "You have no idea what I want to talk to you about, do you?" She tipped her head back and held her arms out, smirking as she continued, "Don't say anything for a minute, Li. I'm reveling in the fact that I actually managed to surprise the Shadow Broker!"

"Shepard!" Liara laughed and poked Sam in the stomach, causing the commander to snap her head back upright, clench all her torso muscles, and drop her hands to a defensive position.

"Hey! You interrupted my reveling!" Shepard rubbed her stomach where Liara had poked and released a soft playful laugh as Liara ran a somewhat apologetic hand down her arm.

"What are you _talking_ about, Shepard?" Liara gave her a mock impatient glare. "The Broker does not like to be _'out of the loop_,' as you say."

Shepard's smile faded and her voice dropped in volume to just above a whisper, as if she hated to even say the _word_ in Liara's presence. "Banshees."

Liara turned away and silently rinsed away the soap suds before turning the water off. She stepped out of the shower and handed Sam a towel before grabbing one for herself. Her voice was overflowing with venom as she spit out, "I _hate_ those things... and _everything_ they represent. I always will."

Sam followed quickly, closing on Liara's retreating back and wrapped her arms around a towel-covered blue waist, halting the Asari's forward motion. "Hey. So do I, but we have to be able to face them, Li, or they'll be our undoing."

Liara suddenly snapped around, revulsion flashing in fervent blue eyes. Her towel hit the floor as she broke away from Shepard's embrace and the trembling hands that had been holding it in place moved to grip desperately onto Shepard's well-developed upper arms instead. "No, they will _not_! Because _you_ are going to refrain from charging off into _packs_ of them and their Brute escorts! Because we are going to be _smart..._ and not take _unnecessary_ risks." Liara shook her head to dissuade Shepard from interrupting. "I realize everything we _do_ is perilous, but there are ways to _mitigate_ those dangers, Shepard, and I'll not _lose_ you to some... _ridiculous_... act of bravado when we are so close to winning this war and having our happy ever after!"

"Hey!" Shepard stared at Liara for a moment in bewilderment. "Liara. I'm a _Vanguard_! It's how I _fight_... but give me a _little_ bit of credit, at least! Just like on Sanctuary... I'm not going to go crashing into the middle of two Banshees and three Brutes!" She huffed and shook off Liara's death-grip on her arms. "I'm with _you_... We're too fucking close for me to go and get myself killed now. I _want_ those little blue children, damn it!" She lunged forward and renewed their contact, enveloping Liara into an all-consuming hug and whispering hoarsely into her ear, "I love you, Liara T'Soni, with all that I am... and I want that future as much as _you_ do, I _swear_ it!"

Liara pressed into the warmth of Shepard's body and buried her face into the crook of Sam's neck as waves of emotion flooded through the link, comforting and sustaining her hope that they would both somehow survive the battles to come. As she drew a shaky breath, she pushed back and looked into Sam's shining emerald green eyes, holding the power of the vast Thessian seas within their depths. "Goddess, _Siame_. I _do_ trust you. I am just so _frightened_ sometimes by what lies ahead of us. I don't know how you do it... You always amaze me with your _resilience_."

The back of a gentle hand feathered softly down her cheek as Sam responded, her voice a husky whisper, "I've told you before, Liara. It's all because of you. You are my will and my strength. The promise of a life with you makes it all worth doing."

Liara simply indulged herself and remained in Shepard's reassuring embrace, drawing on the love, passion and strength that her Promised was so willing to offer up through the link. The light that was Shepard's soul shined brightly and gave Liara a guiding beacon in what was an otherwise dark future. After a very long moment, Liara sighed softly, "I suppose I need to let you go so that we may get dressed again. I imagine 8th Fleet cannot be so far away any longer."

Shepard placed an affectionate kiss on the Asari's forehead before stepping back and looking solemnly into the blue face before her. "You okay?"

Liara released a quick, self-deprecating laugh before responding, "Yes, Love. Thank you. Apparently you have enough confidence for the both of us."

Shepard grinned and picked up the towel from the floor, handing it back to Liara. "Good. Because we've got some Cerberus ass to kick, and I want my biotic dynamo at my side."

Liara threw her head back in a full-throated laugh, her previous concerns vanishing before the self-assured Spectre who stood by her side. "Goddess! I had forgotten about that!" Her face positively _glowed_ with the memory of her first days on the Normandy, when Shepard had so easily believed that Liara would make a trustworthy and valuable addition to the Normandy's team. "I'm glad your faith in me did not prove unfounded, Samantha. So, let's get dressed... apparently we have an ass-kicking mission to prepare for."

* * *

Liara was correct in her assumption of 8th Fleet's imminent arrival; she and Samantha had barely sat down to eat in the Mess when the announcement of the fleet's appearance at the relay came in over the ship-wide comm system. She glanced at the commander and pointed at her seat as Shepard had started to rise. "Sit and eat first; then you can go call Hackett. For all we know, he'll order an immediate attack, and you can't do so on an empty stomach."

Shepard's hesitation was barely perceptible, only then because Liara was watching her so closely, and she sank back down into her chair and picked up her fork. "You're right. The admiral can wait another fifteen minutes."

"Try thirty, Commander." Liara grinned. "You'll choke to death trying to swallow the number of calories you need to consume in only fifteen minutes. The Reapers haven't managed to kill you yet... I'm certainly not going to allow a poorly chewed piece of roast to do you in."

Shepard simply smiled as she shoved a heaping forkful of mashed potatoes into her mouth.

Exactly thirty-four minutes later, Shepard stood before the QEC with Liara at her side and reported to Admiral Hackett that their strike force was ready and waiting.

Hackett nodded and stood at ease, his hands behind his back as he looked at the duo. "Liara, the intel you sent looks good. We can't thank you enough for all you've done." His gaze shifted slightly to the commander as he continued speaking, "The remaining fleets are also ready to go. Once we're committed against Cerberus, it won't be long before the Reapers take notice."

"And the Crucible?" Shepard had faith in the fleets, but wasn't so sure the science teams had received everything they needed. With Liara and the entire Broker network having been focused on their requirements, and Hannah Shepard running the project, she should have known better.

"Ready... except for the Catalyst, but there's no way to hide the ships we'll be sending at Cerberus. Once we attack, the Crucible won't stay safe for long, even _with_ the combined remains of 1st, 3rd and 5th Fleets guarding it." Hackett's hands dropped to his sides and he stood more attentively, his relaxed posture completely disappearing as he spoke.

"So, our attack on Cerberus will be the first stage of our counterattack on Earth." Shepard's eyes narrowed in concentration as she spoke. "And once we start, we're committed to our course of action."

"Exactly, Commander." Hackett stood tall and squared his shoulders. "This is why I appointed _you_, Shepard. I know you'll do _whatever_ you have to do to get the information we need; I'm trusting you to get it done. And, as you stated earlier, we have the element of surprise on our side."

Shepard growled her response. "The Reapers and Cerberus started this. Now... We're going to end it, one way or another."

"I'll send the execution order to the fleets, Shepard. Plan on jumping at 0500 hours Standard Galactic Time tomorrow morning. Once you're done _there_, you'll all return to the Pax Relay and we'll plan our next move based on what you find."

"Roger that, Sir."

As Hackett faded from view, Shepard felt Liara's hand creep into her own as the Asari started to speak. "Make the announcement, Love, and let's get some rest. We have ten hours remaining in our life as we know it." Shepard turned to her Promised and saw a face filled with intensely focused determination. Liara's eyes narrowed as she continued, "No matter _how_ this plays out, _everything_ will be changed by whatever happens over the next 24-hours or so."

With a nod, Shepard pulled her hand away, reached to her ear and activated her private comm. "Edi. An execution order is inbound from Admiral Hackett. Once received, issue the normal preparations commands and order all the ground crew members to their racks for some rest; same teams as Sanctuary, with Tali added back onto the roster."

"Understood, Commander."

"Riana will be disappointed, Shepard." Liara frowned sadly, knowing that once again her devoted First would not be covering their six.

"I know, Blue, but I already talked to Karin about it. We're not going to risk bringing her back too early and reinjuring herself. I'd rather have her healthy and with us when we go to Earth."

Nodding slowly in understanding, Liara's frown flattened to a line of acceptance. "Understood, Shepard. I _know_ it's the right call... but that won't change how much she's going to hate it."

Shepard said nothing more as she took Liara's hand and they retreated to the loft.

* * *

They had both previously showered so, when they got to the room, Liara fully expected Shepard to strip with her normal efficiency and slide between the sheets to get some sleep before the mission. Therefore, she was surprised when Shepard simply entered the room, went to the end of the bed and sat, staring at her feet. Liara looked at the contemplative commander for only a moment before querying, "Sam? What are you doing?"

Shepard glanced up and Liara thought she detected a hint of sorrow in her face as the Human spoke quietly, "I don't know, Li. I feel... I feel like I _should_ be doing something, but I don't know what."

Liara walked down the steps and approached slowly, asking, "Do you feel _ready..._ Samantha?"

Shepard needed no explanation as to what she was supposed to feel ready _for_, but only shrugged. "You first."

"Ha. Very fair." Liara let out a soft sigh as she stared at the top of the head of the woman she loved so very much. "What I want most is for this war to end... while there's still a galaxy left to save... And everyone's counting on _you_ to do that for us. I find it hard to fathom how you are not overwhelmed by it all."

Shepard's head came up and she placed her hands on her knees as she looked at Liara, meeting her blue eyes as if looking for the answers the Asari always seemed to have when she needed them the most. "How do you get ready for something like this?"

Liara took the last couple of steps remaining to bring her to the commander's side and answered haltingly, as if making the list in her head as she walked. "You cajole... and threaten... and make _tremendous_ sacrifices... until the galaxy _realizes_ it has someone worth _following_." She sat next to Shepard on the edge of the bed as she finished her answer, but as she turned her head toward Shepard's cheek, fully intending to lean in and kiss it, Shepard leaned back on the bed, propping herself up on her elbows.

Shepard huffed out a quiet little laugh and looked at her most devoted fan. "You think so?"

Liara leaned back into the exact same position as she quickly answered to the affirmative. "There's no doubt in my mind." She glanced down for a brief instant, only to locate Shepard's hand so she could intertwine their fingers. Her eyes traveled upward to the skylight Cerberus had built into the loft bedroom and she focused on the stars. After a brief moment of silence, she sighed and looked at Samantha, her voice longing. "It would be easy for a single ship to get _lost_ up there, wouldn't it?"

A wistful smile crossed Shepard's face as she let her eyes travel from their recently interlocked fingers up to the stars Liara was speaking of. Her voice was quiet as she spoke of a dream she knew they could never chase, due to their obligations and sense of duty. "Yeah. It would."

Liara attempted to continue the charade a bit longer. "To find someplace very far away, where you could spend the rest of your life... in peace... and happiness" As she said her last words, Shepard glanced over and met her eyes for only a moment before giving her a quick kiss on the cheek and sitting up.

The commander's shoulders were slumped and she shook her head as if to chase away the temptations creeping into the corners of her mind which she knew she could _never_ give into. She looked upward, out to the stars Liara spoke of and whispered softly, "Right now, there's no place I'd rather be."

Liara sat up quickly and placed a hand on her _Siame's_ shoulder, gently pulling Sam around to face her. "Me neither."

Sam looked into Liara's eyes, filled with a combination of so many things that she could sense through the link. Most prominent was unabashed love, followed swiftly with pride, concern, confidence, faith, fear and finally... hope. Shepard couldn't help but lean in and kiss those blue lips that made such promises; when the sweet and tender kiss ended, they sat with their foreheads touching for a moment before Liara pulled back just enough to look into Shepard's eyes again. "I love you, Samantha."

"I love you too, Liara."

Liara's hand came up and gently wrapped around Samantha's neck. She whispered, "Show me," before pulling Shepard in for another kiss.

The commander stood, pulling a willing Asari along with her and tenderly started to strip Liara of her clothing. Her mouth wandered, planting loving kisses on each strip of newly revealed blue skin until Liara stood, gloriously naked, before her. Liara enthusiastically returned the favor and the two slid quietly onto the bed, just as Liara's eyes slid quietly to black.


	59. A Long, Hard Road

Notes:

AI - Artificial Intelligence

_Amantia_ \- lover (Thessian)

_Rebekha_: guardian, protector; literally "watcher of the night" (Thessian)

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

VI - Virtual Intelligence

* * *

**A Long, Hard Road**

**SSV Normandy, Pax Relay, Horse Head Nebula**

Shepard snapped awake, the wisps of ash and smoke dissipating from her mind quickly as she realized where she was and registered Liara's comforting warmth pressed into her side. She took a deep calming breath as she relaxed back into the bed and closed her eyes for a moment to center herself. She turned her head to simply breathe in her lover's scent of eezo and Thessian rose; it never failed to calm Shepard's nerves and this time was no exception. Once her heart rate slowed to something _approximating_ normal, Shepard placed a gentle kiss on Liara's crest, sat up carefully and swung her legs over the edge of the bed in one smooth motion, trying to not disturb her Promised. A soft smile graced her lips as she thought of the previous night with the Asari sleeping next to her.

Liara stirred with a soft groan, Shepard's feeble attempts to not wake her failing miserably, and she pushed herself up onto an elbow as her eyes cracked open to seek out the commander. She wasn't yet fully awake and her voice was thick as she queried, "You can't sleep?"

Shepard arched her back and stretched, running her hands through her hair as Liara slid over and snuggled against her. As she finished her stretch, Samantha spoke reservedly. "It's almost time."

"Already?" Liara frowned slightly; their _together_ time always seemed to be so short compared to the rest of their busy lives. She wondered briefly if they'd live to see that ratio change, but swiftly pushed the errant thoughts from her mind to focus on the present; she heard hesitation in Samantha's voice and knew neither of them could afford to have Shepard sense her doubts.

Shepard remained perched on the edge of the bed and leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. Her head hung as she whispered, "I hope everyone is ready."

Liara ran a hand soothingly down Sam's back before wrapping her arm around the shapely waist she never tired of holding onto. As she pulled Samantha closer, she spoke encouragingly. "You don't need to worry about that. You've rallied who you could... and the Reapers won't _get_ any more chances to divide us." Her voice hardened with confidence as she finished, "_This_ time, the galaxy follows _our_ lead."

Shepard turned dark eyes toward the Asari. "There will be casualties. I can't help but wonder how many." She swallowed and looked downward again, unwilling to hold Liara's gaze.

A blue hand slid under her chin and gentle fingers both raised and turned her head back. Liara's eyes were clear crystal blue when Samantha finally focused on her face and the Asari smiled lovingly as her fingertips trailed off Shepard's chin and down her throat, not stopping until her hand rested over Sam's heart. "You are not alone in this fight, _Siame_. Take strength from _that_."

Shepard leaned in and gratefully kissed those whispering lips. "Thanks, Liara."

As Shepard rose to her feet to begin getting ready for the mission looming in their immediate future, Liara followed with a somewhat nervous smile. "My pleasure, Samantha... always."

* * *

"The strike team is in. We've got our foothold, Commander." Admiral Sheik of 6th Fleet spoke quickly. "You're cleared to launch, Shepard. We'll provide what cover we can."

Shepard took a deep breath and answered, "Aye Aye, Admiral. See you on the other side!"

As she turned from the status board to head for the shuttle bay, she heard Sheik continuing to give orders. "Seventh Fleet, all forward! I don't want a single Cerberus ship in my sky when we're through!"

Joker brought the Normandy in as close as possible to limit the shuttle's exposure to enemy weapons fire, but the trip to Cronos Station was still fast and furious. With multiple fighters guarding the launch bays, Cortez was forced to pilot the Kodiak into a landing bay almost at full speed, well above normal safety limits, as Shepard sat in the co-pilot seat firing the twin mass accelerator cannons to help clear the path before them. Steve only kept from crashing into the back wall of the hanger by slamming the shuttle to the deck the instant they penetrated the kinetic barrier and applying full reverse to the forward thrusters. The Kodiak finally skidded to a stop after sliding sideways through several piles of crates and crushing many of their Cerberus welcoming committee.

The teams deployed as soon as they could get out of their crash harnesses and once they were all out and the shuttle hatch was closed, Shepard was on comms. "Cortez. Status."

"Shuttle is secure, Shepard. I need to make some minor repairs, but I'll have her ready to go before you need us. Give Cerberus Hell, Commander!"

"You'd better be fast then, because I don't plan on spending anymore time here than necessary, Steve!" As she spoke, she signaled Garrus to take his team to the right flank and Kurin to take her biotic squad to the left. Augmented with Legion, Shepard was sure they'd have plenty of firepower, no matter _who_ the commandos ran into.

* * *

**Citadel, Widow System, Serpent Nebula**

Tevos had just poured herself a cup of tea and set the pot on the serving tray when the station alarms began sounding, accompanied by an ominous groaning, felt as a vibration through the floor, as if the very fabric of the station was being ripped apart. The sudden onslaught of sound from the Citadel's automated alarm system had Tevos fairly flying from her office with Nizia directly in her wake; the claxons blaring in their ears could be heard echoing across the entire Presidium. "Dalis! What in the blue blazes is going on?"

Her assistant raked the pile of datapads from her desk into a large bag and turned frightened eyes to the Asari councilor. "The Reapers! They are pouring through the relay!"

Tevos froze, the shock of the situation temporarily paralyzing her mind. She shook her head as Nizia spoke urgently. "Mistress, we must go!"

Tevos mentally shook herself as she started giving orders. "Dalis, initiate Protocol Doomsday immediately." Recalling her promise to David Anderson, she turned next to Nizia. "Contact the household staff and the guard detail. Get them all to the Destiny Ascension. Now!"

Tevos moved hurriedly but calmly back to her desk, swiftly shutting down her systems and pulling her main workbook from its docking station. As it was powering down, she dragged a carrying case out from below the desk, into which she quickly packed the workbook and several critically important datapads before turning and heading back out the door. _Thank the Goddess you came into my life, David Anderson. Your military evacuation drills will save many more of us than I ever would have imagined possible. _Dalis and Huntress Tenir stood ready and they headed out the doorway together as soon as Tevos joined their little group, moving rapidly along the emergency evacuation route to their private shuttle, accompanied by the continuously blaring alarms.

The commando team had responded immediately, locking down the residence and moving quickly to the Presidium to collect the Consort. Sha'ira and her twelve acolytes were as efficient as anyone could be and were ready to head out the door even before their official escort arrived. They were moving quickly through the Presidium financial district when the first Cannibals and Marauders hit the ground. Six commandos and six battle-trained acolytes were more than enough to fight their way through these initial Reaper forces, which seemed amazingly thin if their goal was to take over the Citadel; the other six acolytes remained close to the Consort, shielding her as a final rear guard.

They arrived at their shuttle and Sha'ira stopped, looking back at the devastation being wrought upon the plaza through which they had so recently traveled. "I cannot believe we are _abandoning_ the Citadel! There are people here who will be in need of our _comfort_!"

Nelyna gripped her shoulders and turned her back toward the shuttle, giving her a gentle push forward. "Not for long, Mistress. You have seen the visions yourself! You _know_ the Reapers will show no mercy and everyone remaining here will eventually be either killed or converted. That is _not_ to be your end. Not today... Not _ever_."

* * *

The Illusive Man had gone silent as he worked his way through the Keeper tunnels, with Maya walking a half-step behind and to the side. When he came to a branching junction, he consulted his omnitool for a few moments, said, "This way," then closed the tool and started walking again. The chosen path seemingly ran uphill for a ways before ending at an elevator; the door segments slid aside as he approached, allowing them to enter.

With the elevator on its way up to… _wherever_ it was taking them, Maya dared to ask, "Sir, if I may, what are we doing here _now_? You said the _Reapers_ were going to move the station… that being the case, is our presence here necessary?" Maya was being cautious, but felt she was walking a tightrope without a safety net. "Wouldn't it have been simpler to fly through Charon to Earth and board the station once it had been moved there?"

Jack looked at her, his expression one of condescension. "Rasa, it was a mistake for me to involve Udina in something so _crucial_ to my plans. His attempt at taking over the Citadel failed because of his ineptitude… and his _greed_. Ultimately, he botched a carefully planned kidnapping. With the council _and_ C-Sec out of the way, it would have been child's play to move the station."

He paused, as if he was smoking a cigarette or sipping bourbon from a glass. "Now, the Reapers need _me_." At Maya's look of stunned disbelief, he nodded as he continued. "Surprised? What's so shocking? That they need organic accomplices to perform the mundane? The Protheans apparently succeeded in reprogramming the Keepers 50,000 years ago and set in motion an unintended evolution, one that makes them immune to any threats or commands from the Reapers. Getting this station moving is something they need _me_ to do… they _need_ me to close the arms for transit through the relays."

"What about all the _people_ living here, Sir? There are _millions_ of people in the wards!"

"13.2… 13.25 million, at last count," came the unconcerned reply.

"Are they all going to die?"

The Illusive Man looked at her questioningly. "You're not going _soft_ on me, are you Rasa?" She didn't answer, correctly guessing it was a rhetorical question. "The few Reaper creatures… the Husks, Cannibals and Marauders? Distractions, mere distractions. There'll be very few dropped here, and no additional Reaper spawn once the arms are closed." Jack chuckled. "_I'm_ in control here, Rasa."

"So, you're… _protecting_ them?"

"Wouldn't be any point in being the supreme ruler of the galaxy if there were no subjects to rule, now would there?" Another rhetorical question, but she could not have answered it if she had wanted to do so. The elevator had finally come to a stop and the doors opened onto a large, circular chamber with a control console atop a clear pedestal to the right side, at the edge of a precipitous drop-off. The Illusive Man walked confidently to the console and began entering commands.

With one final stab of his index finger, he executed the instructions just entered, causing a low, growling shudder to begin shaking the entire deck beneath their feet. Claxons began wailing all over the station… the ones they could hear sounded to be coming from the Presidium below. The shuddering had foreshadowed the beginning of discernible movement of the pair of arms they could see through the massive viewport beyond the control pedestal – they were drawing in, closing the gaps between them ever so slowly, as if reluctant to repeat their actions from a mere four years prior.

"This is it, Rasa… the beginning of my tenure as the first emperor of the galaxy."

Maya didn't answer. She stared in awed fascination at something only a very few were privileged, or unfortunate enough depending on their perspective, to witness. The Citadel was closing for transit.

Maya was absolutely torn. The Reapers were using the Illusive Man to seal the fate of over 13 million people… of _every_ galactic race, _including_ the humans for which Jack claimed to be so concerned. As she continued to watch the two arms visible through the viewport she started feeling sick to her stomach, a condition brought on _not_ by her earlier meal, but rather by a sense that _she_ had somehow failed… failed as a person, failed as a human being.

_It was that bleedin' Asari… the one that tripped me in the temple on Thessia. She was already dead, wasn't she? _ Maya was surprised at the tears running down her face. _She was one of the Commandos… with Shepard and T'Soni… and the rest. She stared at me as I was leaving. She was dead, but somehow…_ Maya clutched her mouth and nose… _she __**knew**__ I was to blame for her death. But how? Her eyes… it was her eyes! Totally dilated, almost black. She looked at me… looked straight through me and knew._

Maya shook her head at the memory as she desperately gripped the edges of the control console so recently used by the Illusive Man… Harper had disappeared, through a door on the side opposite from their entry point. _Guess I'd better catch up to him… best to stay with 'im if I'm going to end him. But how? I need Shepard to know when the time comes. When I kill him, Shepard __**has**__ to know… better still, I need her to see me do it! Only way I'll be free of her._

Maya took one final look at the inexorably closing arms of the Citadel as she turned and trotted to the door through which she had seen Jack Harper leave the control room.

* * *

**Destiny Ascension, Widow System, Serpent Nebula**

Matriarch Lidanya stood behind the helm controllers on the bridge of the massive dreadnaught as she shouted orders above the din of the emergency departure announcements. "Hold fire unless fired upon... Goddess! There are far too _many_ of them! You _saw_ the reports on what they did to the Turian Fleet. They could destroy us _all_! Focus on getting the councilors, ambassadors and all related parties aboard for a tactical retreat!"

Various ships called in, each as they had picked up their assigned passengers; each also collected as many civilians as they were able, until the Ward Arms began to close and forced their departure. Only when the last ship reported in did Lidanya order the Ascension to withdraw to the rendezvous coordinates. She hung her head in exhaustion as she contemplated the numbers.

Her XO, Saja T'Saida, stepped to her side. "Go, Matriarch. Visit Councilor Tevos and determine what we are to do, where we are to go."

Lidanya stared at her for a moment before she could make herself ask the question. "How many souls do we have aboard?"

Saja looked ill, the color draining from her face as she uttered the answer. "Only 16,342 at last count, Matriarch."

"By the _Goddess_!" Lidanya ran her hand over her crests before shaking her head in dismay. "They moved too _quickly_! We had no time... but it is still hard to imagine we _barely_ saved a mere 6,000 souls." Her tormented eyes returned to Saja, not even daring to hope as she queried, "Have you received counts from any of the other ships?"

"Yes... and the results are the same throughout the fleet, Matriarch. The number of people we recovered from the Citadel may not even reach 200,000."

Lidanya drew a sharp breath in dread. "How am I supposed to tell the councilor we just abandoned 13 _million_ souls to the Reapers?"

Saja stood stock-still and blinked a couple of times. "I... have no _idea_, Matriarch."

"I'm sorry, Saja. That was not a question to which I expected an answer." Lidanya let out a deep sigh. "You have the Bridge. I am going to speak with Councilor Tevos."

* * *

Tevos stood at the window of her stateroom, staring at the central hub of the Citadel as it shrank quickly into the distance. It was obvious that Lidanya had wasted no time in ordering the departure and she immediately understood why as they passed the outer edge of the central void. "Oh, _Goddess_! It's exactly like _Saren_ all over again; they are closing the arms!"

Nizia stood quietly at her left shoulder and her voice was solemn as she replied, "But there is neither Commander Shepard nor a Normandy ground team within her Wards _this_ time, Councilor. May the Goddess have mercy upon their souls."

Tevos turned to her First as tears trickled down her cheeks. "I am not so sure the Goddess is with us today, Nizia. I cannot believe she would allow such a thing happen."

If the huntress was shocked at the councilor's words, she did not show it; instead, she simply shifted her gaze from Tevos to the window as they both watched the Citadel become another dot of light among the stars. The door chimed and Dalis moved quickly to welcome their visitor; all the commandos turned to see who had arrived and Tevos spun quickly as worry flashed through her eyes. _Please, let it be Shi..._

The hatch slid open and Tevos' face reflected her disappointment for only an instant before she schooled her expression behind the mask of the Asari Councilor. "Liddy... Thank you for your prompt response to the crisis. You saved _many_ lives today."

Lidanya's normally light violet face paled to a shade of pink and her eyes dropped to the floor. "Not nearly _enough_, Councilor. All total across the Fleet, we picked up barely 200,000 souls."

Silenced by shock, Tevos took a moment to collect herself. "But... _Goddess_! The population of the station is over thirteen _million_! Are you saying...?"

Lidanya closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When her golden eyes opened anew, they were awash with tears. "Yes, Raesia, and roughly two million of _those_ were Asari. But even with only 200,000 refugees, collecting the names and numbers by race will take time. I cannot even provide you with an educated _guess_ at this point; it is much too soon yet, but my people are working on it."

Tevos' hand rose to sweep across her forehead as she spoke again, "I see we have departed the Citadel... rather _rapidly_. Do you have a destination in mind?"

"Not really. That's why I'm here. I was hoping that, perhaps, the Council had discussed it and that you have a _plan_... some idea of what we should be doing, where we should be _headed_?"

Tevos snorted, "Then I am afraid you will be disappointed. Shepard and the _Alliance_ have a plan... and I did what I could to aid them, as did Valern and Quentius. I pushed the Matriarchs as hard as I dared... and perhaps a bit farther even; ultimately, my efforts accomplished little. Now, everything depends on Shepard's _super-weapon_."

"We have some time to figure it out then, as the Reapers are not pursuing us... At least not _yet_."

Tevos breathed a sigh of relief. "_That_ is a bit of good news at least; at this point, I will take whatever we can get. So, we wait and pray for an opportunity to get through the relay. Stay within range if you can, without endangering the Fleet. If an opportunity presents itself, we must head to Tuchanka; the bulk of the Alliance Fleet is there... with the _Crucible_."

Lidanya's eyes went wide with surprise. "And you said you had no plan! Is this weapon _ready_?"

Tevos shrugged noncommittally. "I honestly do not know. Last time I spoke to Shepard was immediately following Thessia... after Cerberus had stolen a key component. She departed the station suddenly to chase down a lead, but I have not heard if she was successful."

The matriarch actually smiled at the news and sighed in relief. "Then we are saved; Shepard has _never_ failed us. If she is after _Cerberus_, I would not want to be in their position, for she is our_ Rebekha _and is surely bringing ruin down upon their heads."

* * *

**Cronos Station, Anadius, Horse Head Nebula**

As they regrouped outside the Kodiak, the Normandy teams were met quickly by the Cerberus defensive units, consisting of mostly standard assault troops. With Shepard's team drawing the most attention as they worked straight up the middle of the hangar bay, the two teams on the flanks had a relatively easy go; with Garrus on one side and Legion on the other, there were few close-contacts and most of the fighting was done at range. Shepard and Liara were concentrating on the battle while Tali and Edi were providing tech support with Chatika, decoys and overloads, when Tali suddenly shouted out over the comms, "Keelah! Shepard! They are talking about venting the hangar!"

Immediately following Tali's somewhat panicked shout, an announcement came over the station's broadcast network. _'Security breach in Hangar 16. Initiating Achilles Protocol.'_

Quickly identifying the protocol, Edi realized Tali's warning was on target so she affirmed, "Shepard, Cerberus does indeed intend to vent this hangar bay."

Shepard's eyes narrowed as she hastily surveyed the hangar. Deciding quickly on their best recourse, she shouted, "You heard her, people! Up the ladders into that portside control room! It has a pressure hatch, so must be securable!" Shepard immediately began moving toward a ladder to climb to the upper level.

Edi moved quickly, reaching the ladder first and beginning to climb. "Shepard. With my knowledge of Cerberus algorithms and this body's updated coding, I can stop the Achilles Protocol if we can locate an active console. Assuming they have not terminated remote access, I should be able to access the system from the fighter launch control terminal."

"Then let's get you into that control room, Edi!" Shepard's team scrambled quickly to the upper catwalks, with the other two teams following as soon as they could each access the ladder.

They climbed quickly to the upper level and Edi found terminating the protocol a relatively simple task. "Hangar vent procedure... disabled."

"Excellent! Can you open the hangar from here?"

Negative, Commander." Edi punched in a few more commands into the terminal and a fighter launch bay opened, raising a fighter into position. "However, given our location, I _can_ access the fighter launch controls." After a brief pause, she spoke again. "Overriding safeties."

The entire team watched through the control room window as the fighter promptly turned 180 degrees and launched toward the back wall, taking the hangar's rear entrance and an unknown number of additional bulkheads along with it as it ripped toward the station's central column.

"¡Dios mio!" Vega whooped enthusiastically, "Now, _that's_ gonna get some attention!"

"I recommend returning to the hangar deck." Edi turned from the console to look at Shepard. "The fighter's path will provide us the most direct route to the central lab and, as it is not an established passageway, Cerberus defenses will not yet be entrenched."

"Perfect. Let's get down there ahead of them." Shepard spared the AI a quick grin and they moved quickly back down the ladder.

"They are already sealing off as much of the base as they can, and are redistributing personnel to cover the new vulnerabilities."

"Just means we have to move faster than they do." Shepard glanced at Liara and gave her a wink as she continued, "But I promise I won't go charging off and leaving anyone behind."

Edi continued her discourse as they moved into the gaping hole left by the fighter. "Heavy troopers will attempt to delay us while engineers set up turrets."

Liara smiled back at the commander as she growled, "Cerberus can merely slow us down. They will not stop us. Not this time."

"Agreed. If we travel via the sublevel, we will bypass many of the pre-established Cerberus containment measures." Edi indicated yet another ladder, disappearing into the depths of the station.

"By all means, Edi." Shepard glanced back at her teams and saw most nodding in agreement. "Lead the way."

* * *

The teams moved as quickly as could be expected with Cerberus dumping every available trooper into their path. They finally emerged into a small research laboratory where Edi had to stop to hack the exit before they could proceed; she pointed out a workstation to the commander. "Shepard. That console has not been fully scrubbed. It contains data on Project Lazarus."

"I saw some of it on the station where I woke up. It'll be nice to fill in some of the blanks."

Liara stepped up quickly behind her. "Shepard? Are you sure?" The tone of Liara's query had the commander looking back over her shoulder. When she saw the expression on Liara's face, she hesitated for a moment before stepping to the side enough to allow Liara to join her.

"Yeah, Blue. I... need to know." Shepard's brow wrinkled in consternation. "Can you understand that?" Liara offered no response other than a quiet nod as she stepped up beside her loved one. The rest of the group joined them, curious to see what was bad enough to make the Shadow Broker nervous.

Shepard listened to the recording in silence as some unknown scientist spoke of her being brain-dead, even as the Illusive Man insisted her revival was definitely possible. Finally, after hearing one too many 'can't be done' statements, TIM became irritated and shoved his finger into the scientist's chest. "Operative _Lawson_ disagrees! _She_ is now in charge of Project Lazarus."

Shepard took an involuntary step back and blinked, absorbing what she had just heard. Liara's eyes pinched with worry and her hand came up to sit comfortingly on Shepard's arm as the commander whispered, "I... didn't realize I was _that_ bad."

"I saw what... _remained_ of you. I thought you understood that with what I shared through the link, Shepard. Are you alright?"

"I'm still me." Shepard's voice took on an angry edge, being suddenly reminded of the painful reunion with Liara on Illium and the nagging doubts as to whether she was simply a glorified AI or somehow miraculously returned from the dead. She was pulled back to the present by a soft tug on her arm and the reassuring voice of her loved one.

"Shepard. Do not _doubt_ yourself. I knew it was really you the first time I _touched_ you again. Our _connection_... the bond we had formed? There is no _way_ such a thing could have been duplicated by any _Cerberus_ creation. You are who you always were; wholly and _completely_."

"You're right, Liara." Shepard's expression transformed to one of relief and her smile warmed Liara's heart as the commander turned the console off. "Which _also_ means I don't need to see any more of this _crap_." Turning to Edi, she continued, "How's that door coming?"

Edi nodded in her direction as she answered, "We are ready to proceed, Commander."

They continued to move forward at a fairly good pace, sporadically encountering various types of Cerberus troops. Admiral Sheik contacted her once more. "Incursion team, what's your status?"

"We are _well_ inside the base, Sir, and making steady progress toward the central core."

"Good work, Shepard. Do you need any additional support?"

"Negative, Sir. Keep the heat on and give Cerberus _hell_. We're safe from any bombardment, so bring it on!"

Sheik's voice carried a laugh as he responded, "As you say, Commander. Call if you need us to back it down a notch."

"The Prothean VI will be in the safest part of the station, Admiral. Don't think you need to hold back on our account."

Sheik's tone turned serious as he responded, "Understood, Shepard, but I'm not risking you unless there is absolutely _no_ other way."

Liara raised a brow marking and gave the commander a sidelong glance. "I have just decided that I very much like this Admiral Sheik, Shepard."

Tali heard the comment and immediately thought of a certain admiral of the Quarian Flotilla. _Too bad for __**us**__ Han'Gerrel isn't more like this __**Human**__ admiral. Bethany Westmoreland might still be alive, helping Sarah Campbell today._

They emerged into the central core and Liara stopped in her tracks. Her weapon dropped to her side as her head tipped back and she looked upward through the center of the station, a huge monstrosity hanging from above seemed to fill most of the void. Her voice was quiet, almost reverent as she spoke, "By the _Goddess_. Is that...?" She couldn't complete the question, overwhelmed to the point of silence.

Edi looked at her and provided the information Liara already knew, but could not give voice to. "This is the Human proto-Reaper we defeated in the Galactic Core."

"What's left of it." Shepard frowned, even as she pushed encouragement through the link to her Promised. "I guess Cerberus recovered it from the base anyway... in spite of our best efforts to destroy it."

With the little push from Sam, Liara found her voice again. "I can't believe you really _fought_ that thing. Those poor colonists..." Her gaze dropped back to Shepard as she finished, "and I'll thank the Goddess yet again for your return to me."

Shepard relieved the tension by laughing and pointing to her Turian friend. "If you're thanking folks, don't forget to thank Garrus for rallying the troops for my recovery. If it hadn't of been for them..."

"I don't want to think about that, Shepard, so please don't say it aloud." Liara cut her off and her eyes misted as she looked at the vibrant woman before her. "I have you now... and _that_ is what matters."

"True enough, Blue." Shepard readied her weapon and began moving forward once more as Edi added commentary about the remains that hung before them.

"Cerberus is actively using the salvaged pieces. The head is largely intact, and appears to be a processing center for high-level computing operations. They are also using the heart as an extremely powerful, yet efficient, energy source.

Shepard growled in anger. "The Illusive Man won't get to use _any_ of this technology ever again if we can help it, so let's get back to it."

As they rounded the corner and started up a series of long ramps and ladders to climb upward through the central core, they were finally met with a stiff, organized resistance. Garrus held back and swapped out his assault rifle for his Widow sniper. "Guess this is where they decided to make their last stand, Shepard."

"Doesn't matter." Shepard flagged Lt Kurin. "Time to shine, Liessa! Can your team provide a solid barrier while Garrus, Legion and Sarah tear these guys apart?"

Kurin grinned, "Yes, Ma'am. We'd prefer a more active role, but I'm sure there will be plenty of action to come before we're done."

"Great." Shepard looked for her next target, and finding him, shouted out, "Vega! You're with us for now. We'll push forward and flush 'em out so these guys can have some target practice."

James nodded with a smile and moved up to join them. "You got it, Commander."

The standard Cerberus Assault Troopers didn't pose too much difficulty but multiple Phantoms also joined the fight, forcing various team members into cover at one time or another over the course of the battle. As yet another Phantom froze in place before her, Shepard realized the Asari squad had decided on their own to take that 'more active role' as far as the Phantoms were concerned. The commander was quite pleased with their initiative, as it made it fairly easy to dispose of the otherwise troublesome Cerberus contingent.

They climbed up what was apparently the last ladder and reached a level filled with various control terminals that looked down over the central core. The haptic interface on a door at the far end glowed an inviting green but Shepard moved cautiously, expecting another surge of Cerberus forces or some other last ditch effort on the part of the Illusive Man to either trap or destroy them. Surprisingly, neither event occurred as they moved across the floor.

There were, however, various video logs and even though Shepard was disinclined to listen to any more of TIM's drivel, Liara was curious and played them as they passed by. They mostly described the evolution of the Trooper augmentation program, but one in particular caught the commander's attention and she stopped, taking a step back to rewind and play it so she could listen to it in full.

"What an _arrogant_ son-of-a-bitch!" Shepard stared at the screen in disgust as the Illusive Man ordered his lead research technician to implant him with Reaper tech. "He asks her opinion, and then totally disregards her answer when she tells him not to do it!"

Vega growled in the background, "Why the fuck even bother to ask, if you're gonna do it anyway?"

Garrus coughed and then responded, "Because he's an overconfident _egomaniac_?"

Edi's voice cut through the nervous banter and sent a chill down each of their spines. "Who, based on the research results from Sanctuary, may actually be capable of doing exactly as he proposes."

Shepard's confident voice cut through the ensuing silence like a spotlight erasing total darkness. "Which is _exactly_ why we're going to stop him before he gets to the Crucible. This ends here."

Amongst her team's renewed hopeful rumblings, Shepard walked briskly toward the green interface, her weapon at the ready; the door opened as they approached, revealing a long, upward sloping hallway. Edi spoke yet again. "Shepard, we have arrived. The Illusive Man's private office lies beyond that final door."

"Roger that, Edi." Shepard drew up short, before they were close enough to activate the hatch's automatic sensor if it had one. She turned back to her three squads and spoke earnestly. "This is it; stay sharp, everyone. My team will enter first... Kurin, your squad is next and Garrus... I want snipers, Arc Projectors and Pulse Cannons to hold back and provide cover fire and support; that means Legion and Vura need to trade places... which also ensures the _full_ biotic squad stands together at our back. Understood?"

When she received the full complement of affirmative nods, Shepard pulled her Graal shotgun and resolutely stepped forward; when the door failed to open automatically, she swiftly keyed the haptic door lock, removing the last barrier to the Illusive Man's inner sanctum as the hatch hissed and slid open.

* * *

**Destiny Ascension, Tuchanka, Aralakh**

Tevos was beside herself with worry; too much time had passed since their departure from the Citadel and she feared that Sha'ira had been unsuccessful at making her way to the Destiny Ascension. Completely unable to concentrate, Tevos had directed Dalis to intercept _all_ visitors, prioritize their requests by urgency and to schedule them for visits no less than ten hours from the time of their arrival to beg audience... unless they were true _emergencies_ that required immediate answers. "I can offer them no better answers than what they can guess for themselves. According to Admiral Hackett, all we can do is wait and pray for Shepard's arrival from Cronos Station. Until then, we are all equally blind."

She tried to school her expression but failed miserably as tears trailed down her cheeks. "I... I am exhausted and must get some rest or I will be _completely_ useless, even _more_ so than I feel now. Disturb me only if there is a _actual_ emergency, please." With that statement, Tevos turned silently and retreated rapidly to her private quarters on the far side of the office at the rear of the suite. She slid unceremoniously onto her couch and bowed her head, finally allowing the tears to run unchecked from her eyes; it wasn't long before she tipped slowly over to curl up on the couch, weeping into her arms as her heart tore itself apart over the likely loss of her lover.

She finally fell into an exhausted sleep and had no idea how much time had passed when she felt the soft hand stroking her tear-stained cheek, gently nudging her into consciousness. A soothing voice accompanied the tender touch. "I am here, Rae. Weep no more, my love. All is well."

Tevos' stormy gray eyes opened to peer at the teal face before her, etched with worry lines that hadn't been there the last time they had managed to sneak a bit of personal time into their frantic schedules, only two days prior. "Is it truly you, Shi? Am I not dreaming?"

A troubled smile crossed her pink lips before she answered quietly, "No, Rae. You are very much awake. I... am _sorry_ I could not get here sooner. The hold is full of terrified people who needed the comfort of the Consort and her acolytes. I fully intended on heading to you directly, but I was recognized as I crossed the hold..."

Tevos raised a hand and placed a pair of soft blue fingers against those apologizing lips as tears started to flow again, this time in relief. "Say no more, Consort; I completely understand the efficacy of your comfort and the enormity of the need. How can _I_ demand it of you ahead of those poor souls with no other recourse?" Tevos' breath hitched and she sat up to peer into Sha'ira's soft blue eyes, tormented by the pain of so many needy souls. "_Goddess_, Shi. I so feared that I had _lost_ you. To have you here, now... It is truly a _blessing..._ and the _only_ balm my soul requires."

Tevos wrapped loving arms around Sha'ira and drew her into a tight embrace, her tears continuing to flow as she kissed the sensitive folds on the side of the Consort's neck. She drew a deep breath, letting the sweet scent of cinnamon sweep over her as her hands tenderly caressed the tense muscles of her lover. "Come, Shi." Her lips whispered teasingly against the delicate folds. "Let me provide _you_ some comfort... much needed for you to recharge your emotional well-being."

"And what of _you_, Raesia?" Sha'ira moaned in pleasure as Tevos' hands traveled the map of her body with great familiarity. "Do you not... desire... any of _my_ special attentions?"

The breath between Tevos' lips tickled Sha'ira's side crests as the councilor guided her gently down onto the soft cushions of the couch. "You are _alive_. You are _here_ with me. _Today_? That alone is the greatest blessing I could _possibly_ receive from the Goddess."

Sha'ira's body trembled and she groaned with forbidden want as Tevos busied her tongue in the delicate folds of her neck. She gladly relinquished control of her body as Tevos stretched her full weight out upon her, thankful to be the receiver of the loving attention. Somehow, Rae _knew_ she had reached her limit, and Sha'ira could think of no one better suited to rejuvenate her emotional energy. Her heart skipped a beat and, for at least a little while, the needs of the rest of the galaxy faded away into the background as Tevos' loving devotions surged into her mind.


	60. Shocking Discoveries

Notes:

AI - Artificial Intelligence

FTL - Faster Than Light travel

QEC - Quantum Entanglement Communicator

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

VI - Virtual Intelligence

* * *

**Shocking Discoveries**

**SSV Normandy, Anadius, Horse Head Nebula**

Riana was jogging slowly around the Normandy's nearly empty hanger bay as she thought about the mission taking place without her. As usual, Shepard had taken Dr T'Soni along as her teammate, something that normally didn't bother Riana in the slightest... but since _she_ wasn't along as well to cover _both_ of their backs, she was nearly ill with worry. Ever since being formally assigned as Mistress Liara's First by Matriarch Benezia in 2176, _and_ being reactivated as Lady T'Soni's First after the Battle of the Citadel in 2183, she had taken _any_ absence from Liara's side as a personal failure in the performance of her duties.

Riana had pleaded her case with Dr Chakwas to no avail; the doctor had refused to release the Asari Commando to accompany Shepard's team in the battle on Cronos Station. After a lot of discussion about the relatively minor differences in Asari and Human musculature, Riana had finally managed to wrest one concession from the doctor; she was now able to move about the Normandy unaccompanied, including the light jogging she was currently doing, as long as she did not overtax her muscles and allowed herself plenty of 'sit-down' time. Karin felt the light exercise would strengthen Riana's hip and thigh muscles, without stressing them the same way going on a mission would.

She detoured from her chosen path as she came abreast of the bench where she and Sammi had spent a bit of time when she was first allowed out of bed. Sitting on the bench once more, she drank a bit of eezo infused water from a container pulled from the bag she had brought with her. She leaned forward, resting her forearms on her thighs as she thought back to her seemingly one-way discussion with an adamant Dr Chakwas. _"Riana, you're a __**Vanguard**__... and believe me, after all this time with __**Shepard**_,_ I am well aware of __**exactly**__ what that entails,"_ _Karin had said._ _"You are __**sworn**__ to protect Dr T'Soni, and in a fire fight, you would not hesitate to use a biotic charge to prevent injury to her, or Commander Shepard, despite_ _**any**__ promises made to me… or Liara or Sam, beforehand. It's second nature to you now."_

She closed her eyes and grinned in spite of herself; not that Riana would ever admit it to anyone, least of all to Dr Chakwas, but the good doctor was absolutely correct in her assessment of Riana's commitment to protect her mistress and Shepard as Liara's promised. Thinking back a bit more, she knew she had let her disappointment show on her face, because Karin had added, _"Riana, I care about you every bit as much as I care about your mistress. How would you feel if you somehow reinjured your hip and leg in a relatively minor skirmish with Cerberus, when the mission that __**really**__ matters, the fight to defeat the Reapers, will very likely be upon all of us in only a matter of a days? You will have no time to heal if you reinjure yourself now."_

Riana chuckled as she drank some more water and thought about her final argument… _"I am sworn to protect Mistress T'Soni... under any and __**all**__ circumstances. How am I to fulfill my obligations under such restrictions?"_

The doctor's answer had been every bit as insightful as anything ever said to her by Lady Benezia back on Thessia. _"Liara is the promised bondmate of Commander Shepard, Riana… give her a __**little**__ credit. Shepard is a Vanguard and I sincerely doubt that any harm will befall your mistress as long as they are together. I hate to say it, but I know the commander would willingly give her life if the sacrifice was necessary to save Liara."_

Riana stood up to go back to her quarters. She had reluctantly agreed that the restriction from a 'mission ready' status by Karin was probably for the best in the long run, for everyone, even if _she_ didn't like it. She had a sudden thought… she'd use her newly acquired freedom to go up to the CIC to talk for a few moments with Sammi. She'd be busy monitoring the ongoing mission, but would undoubtedly be happy to see her. Riana intended to invite her down to her quarters for some quiet time as soon as the Cronos mission was completed and she had all her reports logged, transmitted and filed.

When she emerged from the elevator on deck two, the only person nearby was Lieutenant Commander Williams; Ashley was at the rear of the CIC, standing on the raised platform overlooking the tactical display and gripping the rails on either side of her haptic interface as Joker's abrupt maneuvers continuously overrode the ship's inertial dampeners. Riana kept her knees bent and took the careening path of the ship in stride as she took a few steps towards Sammi's console; looking up at Williams, she asked, "Is Specialist Traynor not monitoring the current mission?"

Ashley was surprised to see the Vanguard, especially here on the Command Deck while the Normandy was engaged in evasive maneuvers. "Riana… Ah, actually, Traynor _is_ monitoring the mission, but from the War Room. Easier for her to close out and file all her reports from the tactical display there once the mission's complete." The commander grinned as she asked, "I suppose you want to speak to her?" She knew the two had been practically inseparable, as often as duty had permitted, since before Riana had been discharged from the Med Bay.

Riana's expression of disappointment at not finding Sammi in the CIC instantly changed to a smile as she nodded her head once and replied, "I will only take a few moments of her time, if that will not interfere with her duties."

Ashley smiled at the Asari as she indicated the nearby doorway. "I'm sure she would be happy to see you, particularly since you seem so adept at keeping your feet under you while the Flight Lieutenant attempts to fly the wings off this thing." As if to punctuate her statement, the deck beneath their feet bucked and shuddered from a near impact by an enemy weapon; Ashley waved Riana towards the passageway as she called out on her comms, "Joker! You're supposed to be _dodging_ their weapons fire, not flying through it! Save some of the close calls for when we're fighting the Reapers!"

As the checkpoint scanner swept over her, Riana rolled her eyes and tapped her foot impatiently, chaffing at what she felt was the unnecessarily long delay due to the scanner's slow speed. When it finally finished, she made her way past the Conference Room and into the War Room, where she found Sammi busily monitoring the condition of all the ground crew. After a few moments of observing just how focused Traynor really was, Riana started to leave without saying anything; she did not want to break the specialist's concentration on the battle taking place inside the Cerberus station.

"Riana!" The slight movement of the Vanguard as she had turned to leave had been noticed by Traynor. She grinned mischievously as she asked, "Did you take a wrong turn down in the hanger and wind up here?"

Turning back with a grin, she replied, "Actually, I just wanted to invite you to my quarters after the mission, once you have all your reports closed out and filed. We can have a late dinner, or just some fresh Kaffe… maybe sit and talk for a bit?"

The look of utter devotion and happiness in Traynor's expression spoke volumes to Riana as Sammi replied, "I'd like that… a lot." She turned back to the battle board as she finished with, "It'll be nice to simply relax after the mess I'm looking at here. See you after a while."

Riana responded, "Looking forward to it. I'll go back to the Broker's office. I have to retrieve reports for Dr T'Soni. See you soon."

After visiting with Specialist Traynor – Goddess, how she had grown to love that Human – she went directly to the Broker's office on deck three, where she busied herself with pulling activities reports from the various agents that continued to regularly check in, regardless of Reaper activities across the galaxy. Most important were the update messages from each of the three mobile Broker ships; they all read exactly the same. _All communications and engineering teams now bunkered safely in place. Ready for final rendezvous._

* * *

**Cronos Station, Anadius, Horse Head Nebula**

The hatch hissed open and Shepard froze in place; the only things moving were her eyes as they darted side-to-side, taking in the suspiciously _empty_ chamber before her. She immediately recognized a QEC scanner pad on the floor in the very center of the large circular room, but the most prominent feature was the large view screen that covered a full quarter of that circle on the opposite side from their entry... or, rather, the wedge of the red supergiant that could be seen _outside_ said view screen. The sight was impressive and the high-gloss black flooring reflected every bit of the Anadius sun, making it seem even larger than it already was.

James whistled quietly before commenting, "¡Ay carumba, Commander! This place _screams_ '_trap_,' don't ya think?"

Shepard did not turn her eyes from the room as she responded, "Yes, it does... But we don't have much of a choice but to spring it and see what happens." Her focus had zeroed in on a chair and holographic display on the far side of the room, past the QEC pad. "I expect getting to that haptic interface will set in motion whatever reception the Illusive Man has in place for us."

She quickly signaled Edi and Tali off to the left side and Vega off to the right, while she and Liara stepped in slowly and moved cautiously forward. Her feet froze a second time as the hatch snapped shut behind them, almost completely muffling the concerned shouts of Kurin and Garrus whose teams had been quite effectively prevented from entry. "Damn it! Edi... See what you can do."

Shepard felt like a coiled spring, every muscle in her body tensed and ready to explode at the first sign of danger, but nothing happened. Edi was very matter of fact as she spoke. "There is no interface for the door, Shepard. It must be operated by the console at the one and only workstation in the room."

Liara's voice could have frozen lava as she replied, "The Illusive Man always _did_ like to be in control. He has left us but one path."

"Fine. Just be ready." Shepard strode forward purposefully, aiming at both the QEC device and the chair, simply waiting to see which would be the trigger device for whatever was about to happen. She paused only briefly, continuing on to the chair when nothing happened while she stood on the pad; she promptly sat and started working the terminal, looking for anything that pointed toward the Prothean VI. Liara scanned and downloaded data as Shepard worked, but it wasn't until Edi and Tali activated the large display haptic interface that they heard a _very_ unwelcome voice behind them.

"Shepard. You're in _my chair_." Every weapon in the room spun and pointed at the source; they dropped in disappointment once they all confirmed it was merely a QEC projection of Jack Harper and not the Illusive Man in person.

Shepard sneered, "This _chair_ doesn't belong to you anymore. Cerberus is _finished_."

"On the contrary." TIM sighed condescendingly. "You never could see the bigger picture and, as usual, you're one step behind and in the wrong place. _Cerberus_ isn't a space station; it's an _ideal_ that cannot be killed by simply destroying a _base_. Besides, I've achieved everything I ever imagined... _Almost_ everything."

Liara growled, "Yes. We _saw_ the vile experiments you did on Sanctuary... but it's not the same as controlling a _Reaper_... Nor did it keep the Reaper creations from ripping your labs apart. They... _overcame_... your pitiful attempts!"

The Illusive Man was completely unfazed. "A significant hurdle, but thanks to the Prothean VI, I now have what I need to make it a reality. A _complete_ reality."

"The Catalyst." Even though unable to actually grab him, Shepard still took an aggressive step toward TIM's projection, her hands itching to rip the man in half.

"You'll never change, Shepard, but yes... the Catalyst." Jack sneered, "But I'm _done_ with you... so you'll have to ask the VI yourself ... if you survive long enough to do so. You are an uninvited guest... and therefore _instantly_ overstayed your welcome the _minute_ you stepped through my doorway."

"_Uninvited_?" Shepard growled. "_You're_ the one that _brought_ me to this party; can't say I'm not glad to be alive, but working with you was _never_ my choice... and _you're_ the one working with the _Reapers_. Not me."

"You think because I'm willing to use the enemy's tactics that they're no longer my enemy?" The Illusive Man jabbed his cigarette in Shepard's direction in anger. "Everything I've _done_ has uplifted Humanity... I wanted us to work together to raise Humans above the other species in our galaxy... and, more importantly, over the _Reapers_!"

"Bullshit!" Shepard leaned in toward the projection and jabbed the muzzle of her Graal into the center of TIM's hologram, causing a momentary field distortion. "If you were willing to do _everything_ it took to defeat the Reapers, you would have worked _with_ me instead of trying to cut me off from every path but your own. You wanted me as a _puppet_... to ensure your _own_ climb to the top." Shepard huffed, "_Together_? If that was _honestly_ true, we would already have the Crucible _and_ the Catalyst... and this war would be _over_!"

"You've been driven solely by military dogma and wouldn't listen to _reason_!" The Illusive Man shook his head in disgust. "You're _still_ not listening... even when I'm on the verge of success! Destroying the Reapers would be the biggest mistake of our brief existence... and _nothing_ you can say will ever convince me otherwise."

Shepard actually laughed, though the sound was far from comforting; instead, it sent a chill down Liara's spine and she reached over and wrapped a hand around Shepard's arm, drawing her back slightly and feeling Sam's body literally trembling in fury. After giving Liara a brief glance, Shepard looked back to TIM and growled, "That's the _Reapers_ talking. They won't _let_ you destroy... or even _control_ them... But you can't see the truth through your indoctrination. You're worse than Saren... at least he _recognized_ it in the end."

"There is nothing to _recognize_! I'm still in control!" Jack's voice turned angry. "Your time is _up_, Shepard."

TIM turned suddenly and walked away from the QEC node, his image flickering and then winking out of existence just before the team heard a loud crash and shattered glass fell down on them from above. Shepard dove off to the side, shouting, "Cover!" as multiple grenades fell all about them.

Much of the reflective polished flooring shattered from the resultant explosions, dropping the team down onto the newly exposed pipes and cables running beneath its surface as several Cerberus troops descended from above. Shepard pushed herself up off the floor as she pulled up her Graal, shouting, "Damn it! Edi! Tali! _Somebody_ get that damn _door_ open! We need backup!"

She ducked down behind a large conduit pipe only to have a sudden flashback to N7 infiltration training; triggering alarms or traps while you were supposed to be sneaking into someplace unseen resulted in a nonlethal electrical charge ripping through your body from the floor up. Currently, however, the electrical charge that ripped through her body originated much higher, not her feet, and arrived in the form of something that felt like a cable wrapping around her neck and cutting off her air.

She briefly wondered if she had been tagged by an Arc Projector, but that illusion vanished in an instant as a hard tug yanked her backwards to the floor, her muscles nonresponsive and her entire body feeling like it had been set on fire. All she could manage was a strangled gurgle until a warp suddenly flew past her face, impacting a target behind her and resulting in one last short tug as the burning cable came free of her neck.

She quickly drew in a deep breath as she rolled over and willed her reluctant legs to push her back to her feet, feeling a steadying presence grabbing a handhold on the back of her armor to help her stand. "_Goddess_! Samantha! Are you alright? What _are_ those things?"

Her face etched in pain, Shepard shook her head, unsure if her voice would yet work, as she glanced at the other troops coming at them. Before she could summon a response from her vocal cords, Edi provided the answer. "They are Dragoon class troopers. The weapons you see are biotic lashes, but they also carry an M-25 Hornet and have a biotic lunge similar to a Vanguard Charge."

As the AI spoke, another Dragoon did just that and flew across the room to suddenly stand right before them. As soon as he stopped and began to draw back his whips, a growl emanated from somewhere deep in Shepard's irritated throat as she launched herself at him with a Charge, smashing him backward to the under-deck. She brought her Graal to bear at close range, noting he had no barriers or shields of any kind, and fired dead-center into his chest, planting a spike firmly through his armor and nailing him convincingly to the floor. Her voice was a ragged whisper as she ground out, "Forget _that_! Experiencing that shit_ once_ was more than enough!"

As Cerberus forces continued to descend from above in large groups, James threw grenades into their midst and released carnage upon them, often buying time for his remaining teammates to polish off those remaining before they could establish a foothold and find cover. When Vega ran out of grenades, however, the balance suddenly shifted. Shepard cast Liara a knowing glance and the Asari grudgingly nodded to the affirmative as she started to cast out singularities and lifts, knowing full well what the commander intended. Shepard shifted reluctantly into a desperate version of her 'crash and blast' mode, hoping to dwindle the number of opposing forces with the combination of biotic explosions, Nova shockwaves, and the substantial conventional firepower of the remaining squad members.

It was as if the entirety of the Cerberus forces remaining on Cronos were responding; Phantoms and standard Assault Troopers had joined the attack and the numbers had become nearly overwhelming. James took some damage and grimaced in pain as every shot of his N7 Crusader shotgun aggravated the projectile stuck in his shoulder, compliments of a Phantom's palm blaster. Chatika was constantly deployed in defensive mode while Tali continued her attempts to hack the entrance door controls, and Edi rotated constantly between her various tech capabilities of incinerate, overload and decoy. Even though her mobile chassis had endured numerous score marks and dents, she was apparently the only one of the team _not_ suffering the dragging effects of battle fatigue.

"Got it!" Tali's triumphant shout was barely heard above the sounds of the battle and a sudden whoosh of the main hatchway _finally_ reopening. The distraction was just enough that an exhausted Shepard lost her footing and stumbled to her knees; when she could not summon the energy to immediately rise again, a wide-eyed Liara moved to her quickly and simply erected a barrier to shield them both, praying the Normandy back-up teams would be sufficient to finish the fight. She soon breathed a sigh of relief and dropped her weakening barrier; with the added biotics of Kurin's whole team and the heavy weapons firepower of Garrus' support team, the battle ended mercifully fast.

Silence finally fell and Edi announced, "Shepard. There are no additional Cerberus forces inbound." The commander remained on her haunches, her breathing both rapid from the effort of the fight and raspy as if she was breathing through a wet rag. Her eyes closed as she unclipped and pulled off her gauntlets, tentatively probing at the very raw burn mark encircling her neck, left behind by the first Dragoon's biotic lash attack. Her voice was hoarse and very low in volume as she forced out a barely audible whisper. "_Fuck_, that hurt... _hurts_."

"Samantha?" Liara's eyes narrowed in concern as she dropped to her knees next to Shepard and got her first good look at the rapidly swelling red welt that wound around the commander's neck. "Let me get some medigel on that before it affects your breathing any further. It's still _swelling_."

Shepard dropped her hands out of the way without protest and turned her whole body toward Edi and Tali, who had both returned to the large holo display; turning her head had brought tears to her eyes, so she minimized any twisting of her neck as she quietly murmured, "Find the VI and get the program up, please. I want _off_ this damn station."

As Liara finished her ministrations and assisted Shepard back to her feet, the VI flickered into view, speaking immediately. "You are attempting to recover me from indoctrinated forces?"

Shepard started to nod and immediately thought better of it; effects from Liara's initial medigel application hadn't kicked in yet and neck movements still caused her significant pain if the skin pinched or stretched at all. Her voice was still raspy as she answered, "Not attempting. _Succeeded_. You're back in our possession and the Cerberus forces here have been defeated, but time is of the essence. I need to know what the Catalyst is."

"Security protocols have been overridden; I will comply. The Catalyst enhances dark energy transmissions and coordinates the entire mass relay network. In your cycle, it is known as the Citadel."

"_What_?" The disbelief in Shepard's voice echoed in the otherwise silent room. "So the Crucible and the Citadel _together_ can stop the Reapers?" Shepard's brow pinched in consternation. "But, according to Leviathan, the Citadel was _built_ by the Reapers! Did the Prothean's alter that somehow as well?"

"It was not necessary. The plans for the Crucible were passed down to us from a previous cycle, and countless cycles before that. It requires much more power than any were able to manifest independently, and that truth remains even to this day. The construction of such a power source could not be hidden from the Reapers, so it was necessary to adapt the Crucible plans to utilize the _Catalyst_ as its primary power supply. In the war against the Reapers, _that_ is your Citadel's primary role."

"You're telling me the _center_ of galactic civilization is nothing more than a big _generator_?" Shepard glanced at her team, seeing her own feeling of incredulity reflected in all their faces.

"Precisely. But still essential to the correct operation of the Crucible."

Liara stepped up and spoke hastily, "So, on _Thessia_, you couldn't tell us because the Reapers had _spies_ there... and if they discovered the Catalyst's importance to our plan, they would have taken the Citadel... similar to _Saren's_ plan... but, this time, only so we wouldn't be able to use it!"

"Yes. Thus, I was programmed to withhold the information until the Crucible was complete. Only then, would I relay the data to enable the coupling."

"Son-of-a-_bitch_!" Shepard's eyes flew open wide in realization. She looked at Edi and practically shouted, "Download that VI and let's get _out_ of here. TIM has already overridden the security protocols, which means he already _has_ that information! We've got to get the Crucible to the Citadel before he does something even _more_ stupid!"

The VI called her attention back yet again. "Wait. That may no longer be possible."

"_What_?" Shepard had already turned away to walk toward the exit, but stopped to slowly turn back to face the Prothean VI, all the while dreading the answer to her next question. "Why not?"

"The indoctrinated one who broke through my security protocols, the one you call the Illusive Man, has already informed the Reapers of our purposes and fled to the Citadel. They have taken control of it and are moving it to the Reaper-controlled space in the system you refer to as Sol."

Shepard's face paled. "They're already headed for _Earth_?"

"Correct. Unexpected forces such as you and the Illusive Man... _influenced_... their target; it was originally planned as the homeworld of the most advanced species of this cycle... the Asari..." Liara gasped loudly as the VI continued unabated, "... but Humans proved to be much more resilient than anticipated so the Reapers altered their plans. They will now consolidate power around the Catalyst and protect it at all costs; the odds of accessing it are remote."

Her voice had remained at a fairly low volume throughout the conversation, but the VI's pronouncement changed that as her anger overrode her preoccupation with the pain. "I don't give a fuck _how_ remote!" Shepard's voice was still agonizingly hoarse as she snarled, "We've come _this_ far; we're going to _finish_ it!"

"I hope you find success where we did not; perhaps you will succeed where we failed."

"You didn't fail. You gave us a chance... and we're not _done_ yet." Shepard glanced at the group surrounding her and listening to her conversation with the VI. She saw concern in their expressions but it was largely overshadowed by faith and belief... and she smiled at the VI. "One way or another, we'll get the Crucible to Earth and _dock_ it to the damned Citadel; harbor no doubts about _that_!"

* * *

**SSV Normandy, At Large**

When they arrived back on the Normandy, Garrus went to the CIC and spoke to Ashley to catch her up to speed on all that happened, as well as to inform her that she was still in command of the ship. "Shepard took a beating from a new type of Cerberus troop. It's all in the report, but her neck is pretty bad and she can hardly speak, so she'll be in the med bay for a couple of hours."

Ashley nodded in understanding as she opened the comm from the CIC. "Joker. You know the plan; lead us all back to the Pax relay. Hopefully, by the time we get there, Shepard will be back in the saddle."

* * *

Traynor was tired almost beyond all belief, but she had finished the mission reports and had promised Riana a visit, so she dutifully waved her hand through the haptic lock on the hatch to the Broker's quarters, activating the entry request chime within. After a few moments, the hatch parted to reveal the beaming smile of Riana. "Sammi! Come in, please. I'll fix us some Kaffe… or, we can go out to the crew's mess and have a late dinner if you have not yet eaten?"

Sammi said nothing, surprising Riana by coming right up to her to passionately embrace her in a tight hug. With her mouth next to the Asari's ear, she whispered, "I love you, Riana. There is nothing in this galaxy… Hell, the entire universe, that is more important to me than knowing you exist… and that you care about me." Traynor pulled back just a bit and kissed a blue cheek.

"Goddess, Sammi," came the whispered reply. "What brought this on? What has happened?"

Traynor shifted her hands as she pulled back further, grasping muscular upper arms as she studied her friend. "Nothing… everything… Hell, I don't know. I'm a mess, Ri. The Cronos mission was _mostly_ a success, even though the commander didn't find the Illusive Man… he left before we got there, on his way to the Citadel to _help_ the damned Reapers! The Prothean VI told Shepard its programming safeguards had been broken. It told the _Illusive Man_ everything he needed to know about the Crucible… and the Catalyst!"

Riana paled at the news. "_Goddess_! I must speak to Mistress Liara and Shepard to learn what is next... how we will counter this latest stroke of ill luck!"

Before the Asari moved, Traynor shook her head and expounded on the information Riana wanted. "We'll go to the Widow System to meet up with the rest of the fleets, but the Citadel is no longer there."

"Sammi! What?" Riana could not believe what Traynor had just told her, and her brow crinkled in confusion. "But where…?" She stopped, not sure how such a thing was even _possible_.

"The Reapers are moving it to Earth, Ri… and that _bastard_…" Traynor's voice hitched. "He's helping them! He's…"

Riana could stand no more; she gathered Sammi into her arms and held her tight, one hand alight with biotics stroking her back in an effort to relax her distraught friend. "We'll take care of the Illusive Man, Sammi; you _must_ realize that Shepard will not allow him to win. If the Illusive Man _is_ helping the Reapers, he has sided with the enemy of _every_ civilized species in the galaxy, Humans included. It will ultimately be his downfall."

Riana pulled back and took Traynor's hand, leading her back toward her private quarters. "Come, Sammi. Kaffe and _sleep_. You are exhausted... and if we are headed to Earth, _I_ must be _rested_ as well..." Riana's face picked up a bit of blush as she continued, "...and I do that much _better_ when you are lying beside me."

* * *

Shepard stood from the med bed and tipped her head in various directions stretching her neck. Karin gave her a light smile and a sideways glance. "Well? What's the verdict?"

"It's still a bit tender, but a hell of a lot better than it was a couple of hours ago." Shepard rubbed the back of her neck gently with her right hand and smiled back at the doctor. "Thanks, Karin."

"You're very welcome, my dear. Now off you go. Your vid conference with Admiral Hackett is in another twenty minutes. Should give you more than enough time to check-in with Liara beforehand." Karin waved a dismissive hand in Shepard's direction and returned to her paperwork; the mission, more specifically the first encounter with _Dragoons_, had resulted in a number of unique injuries that had to be documented and submitted up through the chain of command for analysis, so her report was taking much longer than the norm. With everything going on around her, Karin Chakwas was actually relieved to be so busy; it kept her from thinking too much about everything that was going to happen next.

Shepard gave a quick mental shout to Liara and told her she was headed to the comm center; they were due in to the relay any time, and Shepard wanted to contact Hackett as soon as they were in range of the communications buoy. She was surprised as she entered the small space behind the War Room... instead of a waiting Admiral Hackett, Anderson was the one literally running into the QEC circle. "Shepard. You read me?"

"A bit of static in the background, but yeah. I can hear you." Shepard trotted the last few feet to get within range of the QEC visual pick-up so Anderson would be able to see her.

Anderson looked a bit harried as he straightened up in front of the vid screen. "I assume you've heard about the Citadel."

"Yes, Sir. We successfully picked up the Prothean VI at Cronos and he told us it was happening."

Anderson spoke urgently, "Do we know what's going on? Why it's here?"

Shepard grimaced but responded without hesitation, telling Anderson everything they had learned from Vendetta. "And thanks to the _Illusive_ Man, the _Reapers_ are now aware that we know."

Anderson rolled his shoulders before he asked, "So what does that mean for the Crucible?"

"I'll have to talk to Hackett about that, but it looks like our plan suddenly got a little more complicated." Shepard sighed quietly and Anderson nodded.

"Agreed. I've got a team in London. They reported the Reapers have been preparing for something... _Now_... we know what. I'll send them back in to get as many specifics as possible to help us plan the attack." He actually smiled and his voice picked up as he continued, "Well... at least we'll be seeing you sooner rather than later."

Shepard appreciated his attempt at levity and smirked back. "Yeah, well... I figured you've hogged enough of the glory. It's time to get my ass back there and show you how it's really done."

Anderson let out a laugh. "Only if you get here before we finish the job."

Shepard grew solemn for a moment and she looked Anderson in the eye, even though it was across more distance than she could calculate. She wanted to reach out and hug the man, but reality forced her to settle with a simple warning. "Be careful, Sir."

Normally, he would have balked at the formality, but he understood the intent behind the statement; Shepard had always fallen back to stricter protocol when she was either stressed or honestly worried, and Anderson assumed the second. He would never make light of her concern, so answered in much the same tone. "You too, Shepard. Anderson out."

Anderson had barely disconnected when the next call came on the line; Hackett must have been waiting in the wings, ensuring she had a chance to talk to Anderson first.

"Commander. I have to say your report wasn't as favorable as I would have liked. Even at the end, the Illusive Man is managing to screw with our plan."

Shepard snapped a salute as she responded, "Yes, Sir, but it's the last time. He's got nothing left up his sleeve. Now it's simply a race to the finish."

Hackett returned the salute and kept talking. "Agreed. Though I do have to admit, it might actually make our initial prep a little bit easier. Bring everyone to the Widow System, Shepard; we'll get the Crucible moving and meet you there. I'll relocate to the Normandy and then we'll jump as a united force to Sol. I'll talk with Anderson and fill you in on whatever we come up with once I'm aboard. Hackett out."

Shepard was turning to leave when Joker contacted her. "You're not gonna believe this, Shepard."

"Don't have a lot of time, Jeff. Get to the point."

Surprisingly, Joker actually paid attention and got straight to business. "Sorry, Commander. The _Council_ is on the horn for you... from the Destiny Ascension."

Shepard wanted to melt with relief when the picture coalesced and she saw Tevos standing tall, along with Councilors Valern and Quentius, as well as Ambassador Osoba. "Councilors. Ambassador. You have no idea how relieved I am to see you all well and not trapped aboard the Citadel. With what is to come, we'll need your combined strength to keep this galaxy together."

Tevos cocked her head slightly to the side in curiosity as she spoke. "So I take it you were successful in you mission, Commander."

"Yes and no." Shepard frowned as she delved once more into the explanation. "So, our cause is not lost, but has certainly become a bit more... _interesting_... to say the least."

Tevos smiled. "Then I am happy to tell you the Destiny Ascension will be there along with the _entire_ Citadel Fleet to augment your attack force, Shepard." Her smile vanished as she finished. "Those dark creatures cannot possibly pay enough to make up for all the death they have caused. It is our privilege to assist in the final battle that will wipe them from existence, Commander."

"Thank you, Councilors. Now, if you don't mind, I have a battle to prepare for."

Tevos was ready to terminate the call, but Valern spoke up. "Shepard. If you would do me the honor of a few more moments of your time."

Surprised, Shepard turned back to the screen. "What can I do for you, Councilor?"

"I promise to not waste your time, so I'll get directly to the point. Your Dr T'Soni is the most... _efficient_... Asari I have ever had the pleasure of dealing with. The support she coordinated for the construction of the Crucible has been nothing short of astounding. Surely, she has contingency plans in motion for galactic recovery and security after the war?"

Valern paused as if waiting for some form of confirmation about his assumption but continued quickly when Shepard offered nothing but silence. "Yes. Well. I understand your hesitation to speak of such matters over a potentially unsecure line. I have spoken to the Dalatrasses... and most likely have committed political suicide. But, ready to retire anyway if we manage to survive this, so doesn't really matter. Anyway. Got them to agree with my suggestion... I am forwarding plans for the Shroud. If it can clean up the toxic waste that was Tuchanka, it should be more than capable of scrubbing other worlds' atmospheres of dust and ash. I assume Dr T'Soni will be able to make good use of it."

Shepard stared at the screen in stunned silence for a moment before regaining her composure. "That is... most _surprising,_ Councilor, but also very welcome. I'm sure the other races will be very happy to have this technology after the war. Thank you."

* * *

As soon as the call ended and Valern's image had faded, Shepard spoke into the air. "Joker. I assume you caught the instructions from Admiral Hackett?"

"Roger that, Shepard. Edi has already optimized the jump sequence and published the execution orders; the fleets have commenced transit and she has the Normandy bringing up the rear." Joker paused and Shepard couldn't help but smile as he finished his brief report, the pride and satisfaction ringing in his voice. "Everyone in the galaxy will be awaiting the Normandy's arrival, Commander."


	61. The Gathering Storm

Notes:

_A Grá_ \- My Love (Irish/Gaelic)

CIC - Combat Information Center

FOB - Forward Operating Base

FTL - Faster Than Light travel

_I__onúin Álainn__ \- _beautiful beloved (Gaelic)

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

XO - Executive Officer

* * *

**The Gathering Storm**

**SSV Normandy, At Large**

Shepard turned and leaned her butt against the rail in front of the QEC receiver as she rubbed her temples between thumb and fingers of one hand. _Damn! What a day … and I am __**so**__ damned tired!_

Feelings of comfort, love and support surged through the link as her Promised waited for her in the Mess Hall on deck three. _{We need to eat dinner, Sam, and then go to bed. It has been a long day and we are both exhausted.}_

Samantha was in total agreement with Liara's assessment. Food, then sleep… for the entire crew. Pushing herself away from the rail, she spoke through the link, _{__Go ahead and fill a tray for me, A Grá… __I'll be down shortly.}_ She left the QEC chamber and walked through the War Room to the exit.

Looking up at Ashley as she left the passageway, she said, "Williams… Ash. I want the crew to get some rest tonight. It's been a long day, and I have a feeling rest is something we'll all be wishing for once we get to Earth. I'm going to place Edi in charge of the ship." Shepard held up a hand to forestall the protest she could see forming on Ashley's lips. "You've been on your feet as long as any of us, LC, and I want you rested for whatever the Hell is coming. Edi can get us to the relay in Pax; she's the only one of us that doesn't need sleep and even the Gods probably don't know when we might have the chance to catch any more shuteye."

Ashley sighed as she stepped down from the platform. "Of course... and I can't honestly say I'm not tired, Skipper, especially after trying to keep from being tossed around by Joker's evasive maneuvers. I'll go get something to eat and try to sleep for a bit."

Shepard gave a slight nod of her head before turning to walk past Traynor's control console and around the right side of the tactical display projector. Noting how empty the CIC seemed, she realized after a brief mental calculation it was quite late… even the tactical passageway to the bridge was nearly empty of crew. Stepping through the doorway, she waited for a moment before saying, "Edi. You're in charge of the ship. Mr Moreau… You are relieved until we arrive at the Pax Relay. Get some food and some sleep."

Edi's reply was prompt. "Yes Ma'am. Would you like a one hour out call?"

"That will be fine, Edi."

"Ah, Commander," Joker responded, "I'm really fine… I mean, I know Edi can fly this thing, but…"

"Your concerns have been noted, Joker." Shepard was too tired to argue with the snarky pilot. "As I said, get some food… Get some sleep. Once we join the fleet and head for Earth, there won't be time for anything but the fight."

Seeing the determined set of her jaw, Joker acquiesced. "Yes Ma'am," he replied before turning to Edi and saying, "You run into any trouble, call me, okay?"

"I will be fine, Jeff. You won't even know we're in transit."

Shepard was already moving, heading back into the CIC to take the elevator to deck three; the doors opened before she reached the tactical display island to reveal her Turian friend. "Garrus," she called as she approached him. "What brings you up here?"

"Looking for _you_, actually." He stopped in front of her near the entrance to the Conference Room. With caring concern in his eyes, he explained, "Just checking to see if you're really okay after that Dragoon lashed you in the throat."

Samantha brought a hand up to gingerly run fingers over the traces left after Karin's treatment of the whip burn on her neck. "I'll be fine, Garrus. I'm just glad Tali was finally able to get that door open… things were getting pretty desperate in there with just the five of us."

Garrus chuckled, his flanging sub-harmonics adding a touch of incredulity to the sound. "You _did_ seem to have your back against the wall when we finally entered, Shepard. And I'm glad you saved a few of them for _us_ to take care of… I'd have been pretty _embarrassed_ if that door had opened to reveal you and your team just sitting there waiting for us to catch up."

Shepard chuckled as she moved towards the elevator. "Was there something else, Garrus? I'm hungry and really tired." She looked at him as he kept pace with her.

"Actually, there _is_, Commander." Garrus looked down at the deck, as if reluctant to say what was on his mind.

Shepard nodded to Jeff as he hobbled past them and disappeared into the elevator; she waited for the reluctant Turian to speak, finally prompting with, "… _and_ that something would be?"

Garrus looked up, flaring his mandibles in a sign of frustration with his own reluctance to speak to his friend. "There is… You spoke to the councilors on the Destiny Ascension?"

"I did… all three of them, _and_ Ambassador Osoba."

"Did…" another pause as he searched for the right words. "Did they say if all their staff members evacuated with them?"

Shepard had no idea why Garrus would care, but tried to accommodate her friend's request and remember the details of the meeting… It was all becoming a blur. "I spoke with Tevos, Garrus… _and_ Valern. Tevos did mention that each of them was able to get all their support staff off the station."

"Did Quentius happen to mention…?" Garrus looked down as he quietly said, "… a Turian female? Her name is Desis… Desis Vyessan. You introduced us at the Silver Coast Casino when we were on leave." Garrus ducked his head again as they entered the elevator; Shepard couldn't be sure, but she _thought_ she detected a change in the color of his face.

"Garrus, are you… _blushing_?" Samantha placed a hand on the upper arm of her dearest friend. "Among others, Quentius did mention his aid... a 'Desis'... as one of the staff members evacuated from the council offices, Garrus. Are you telling me… you have an _interest_ in this female?" Shepard used her free hand to hold the elevator door closed for privacy.

Garrus looked at Shepard, the glint in his eyes speaking volumes that his voice could not. "She is… ahhhh… has become… rather _special_ to me, Shepard. Knowing she's safe on the Destiny Ascension… is a huge relief. Thank you, Commander."

Shepard dropped her hand from Garrus' arm and released the elevator door. "Glad I could offer you some piece of mind, Garrus."

The big Turian paused one more time. "This nightmare is truly about to be over, isn't it?"

"Yeah." Shepard returned his gaze. "One way or another. Just like old times, huh? The desperate chase with no guaranteed outcome?"

"Huh. Might be the last chance we get to say that." Garrus took a step back and looked down at the deck again.

"What? You think we're going to lose?"

His head came back up in surprise. "No. I think we're about to kick the Reapers back into whatever black hole they crawled out of. Then, we're going to retire somewhere warm and tropical to live off the royalties from all the vids they're going to make about us."

Shepard chuckled. "Make it a beach on Thessia. I think my days of saving the galaxy are just about over when this is done."

"I could go for a nice beach bungalow." Garrus' mandibles flared slightly. "We just need to beat the Reapers to get there." He paused for only an instant. "James told me there's an old saying on Earth; May you be in Heaven half an hour before the devil knows you're dead. I'm not sure if Turian Heaven is the same as yours, but if this thing goes sideways and we both end up there... meet me at the bar. I'm buying."

"We're a team, Garrus, but I don't plan on dying, so you'd better learn how to duck. There's no Shepard without Vakarian..." Shepard stopped and again rubbed a fingertip across where the biotic lash had dug into her neck. "... but if I _do_ end up in that bar and you don't, I'll be looking down. You know I'll always have your back."

"Not this time, Shepard. We're both coming out of this one. We deserve it." As the doors opened, Garrus left for the port side lounge as Samantha went around the elevator tower to her left to join Liara for a quick dinner. With a bit of luck, she'd have a good five to six hours of downtime before the Normandy arrived at the Pax Relay.

* * *

**SSV Normandy, Widow Relay**

The Normandy, along with the 6th, 7th and 8th Fleets had returned by FTL to the Pax relay to find the Quarian and Geth Fleets awaiting them. Shepard met with the unexpected, but certainly welcome, new arrivals and passed on what she knew of the situation and the plan to rendezvous with the Crucible Fleet. As soon as the Quarian and Geth representatives returned to their own vessels, they began their jumps to the Widow system; the Normandy hit the relay last of all. Shepard stood on the Bridge in awe as they arrived; she looked out through the Normandy's front view screen and it appeared as though the entire galaxy had _finally_ responded to her call. Before her, the remnants of the Alliance 1st, 2nd and 5th Fleets awaited their arrival, along with all that was left of the Palaven, Thessia and Omega fleets, the Volus Bombing Fleet, the Elcor heavy transports full of eager-to-fight Krogan, a few scattered Batarian cruisers and, as promised, the Citadel Fleet... spearheaded by the massive form of the Destiny Ascension.

What truly surprised her was the Salarian contingent. It consisted of sixteen _stealth_ dreadnoughts, a feat thought impossible, each fully equipped with the latest GARDIAN defensive systems, ultraviolet antiship lasers, and hull-mounted Thanix cannons. Even the smaller vessels making up the STG scouting force and the Intelligence Division Flotilla were armed with the cannons. Shepard grinned with approval as she whispered, "That sly _bastard_. And here I thought Valern was sitting on the _fence_ this whole damned time."

Her appreciation for the massive force that sat in front of her was cut short by Joker's announcement, "Commander. Priority message from Admiral Hackett, requesting to come aboard."

Shepard clapped Joker on the shoulder. "Permission granted, Mr Moreau. I'll meet him at the airlock." Shepard turned and retreated from the Bridge as the docking tube extended to the Normandy. Joker turned in his seat to watch Shepard salute smartly as she welcomed Hackett aboard.

"Commander." Hackett snapped a sharp salute in reply as he continued, "Are you ready to bring the might of the galaxy to bear on the Reapers?"

She dropped her salute and nodded. "Yes, Sir. If you'll follow me, we'll proceed to the War Room, Admiral."

Hackett indicated for her to lead the way as he nodded back and replied, "Then let's make sure the fleets are ready to go, Shepard."

The main deck was amazingly empty as they passed through; Ashley was alone at the control console of the CIC, as Specialist Traynor had moved to the battle control console in the War Room. She would be answering directly to Admiral Hackett over the course of the battle and was ready and waiting when they arrived. "All fleets reporting in, Sir."

Shepard gave her a quick, thankful glance and looked to the Admiral. "You have an open comm to the _entire_ force, Admiral... whenever you're ready."

Hackett took a quick glance at the battle display over the central table, amazed at the vast array of green dots floating in space indicating the immense size of their assembled force. "Would you just _look_ at that, Shepard? _You_ did that. No one else in the entire _galaxy_ could have accomplished what you did in only _eight_ _months_. I don't care _how_ much time they had."

He gave her no time to respond as he keyed the comms up and started speaking. "Never before have so many come together... from _all_ quarters of the galaxy. But never before have we faced an enemy such as _this_. The Reapers will show us no mercy; we must give _them_ no quarter. They _will_ terrorize our populations; we must stand fast in the face of _that_ terror. They will _advance_ until our last city falls... but we will _not_ fall... We will _prevail_. Each of us will be defined by our _actions_ in the coming battle. Stand fast. Stand strong. Stand _together_! Hackett out."

He keyed the comms off, turned and started walking toward the communications center as he spoke. "Shepard. The sword fleets are ready to strike at the Reapers surrounding Earth. While they keep the enemy engaged, you and Hammer ground forces can take London."

Shepard's step faltered for just an instant in her surprise. "London? Why aren't we hitting the Citadel directly?"

Hackett grimaced as the door to the QEC closed behind them and Admiral Anderson flickered into view on the comm display. "Anderson can brief you on that." As he shifted to his habitual parade rest position, his focus shifted to the projected image before them. "Admiral? How you holding up?"

Anderson sounded tired as he answered, "We're ready to _end_ this." He then explained that the Citadel had remained closed since its arrival and had been parked in a geosynchronous orbit over the city. He also explained about a mysterious beam that seemed to transport Reaper creations as well as Humans, both dead and alive, back and forth between London and the Citadel... and their need to get to the access point for that beam if they were to have _any_ chance at boarding the Citadel and opening the arms so they could dock the Crucible. Anderson's focus shifted and he looked directly at Shepard as he continued, "But London is surrounded by Hades canons. Hammer transports can't land while they're active. _You'll_ lead a squadron of smaller shuttles, infiltrate with a ground team and take out the cannons using heavy weapons."

"Sounds simple enough... though I doubt it will turn out that way." Shepard drew a deep breath and blew it out slowly as Anderson explained the follow-on plan.

"Then, _Hammer_ can land in _force_ and we can set up our Forward Operations Base. Once we have all our forces on the ground, we can launch an _all-out_ assault on the Citadel beam. Everyone who makes it _that_ far will take the beam to the Citadel, then locate and _activate_ the arm controls."

Hackett nodded sharply and also turned his attention to Shepard. "Once we see those arms opening, _Shield_ Fleet will escort the Crucible to the Citadel... but timing will be _critical_. We don't have enough fire power to keep the Crucible _safe_ for long."

Shepard cocked back onto her left hip and crossed her arms, speaking with a sigh. "Nothing about this war has been _easy_ so far. No reason it should start now."

Had the plan not been quite so desperate, Hackett may have grinned at the commander's flippant attitude. Instead, he simply added on, "But this plan is all we've _got_; we _know_ we can't defeat the Reapers without the Crucible. God _help_ us if it doesn't work at advertised." His voice shifted to one of unmistakable command. "Get the Citadel arms _open_, Commander... _whatever_ the cost. We'll do the rest... and good _luck_... to _all_ of us."

* * *

**London, Earth, Sol**

"Nearing the Sol Relay, Commander." Shepard remained silent as she stared intently out the front viewscreen, listening to Joker's continuous stream of updates as they drew ever closer to the fast approaching point of no return. "Through the relay in thirty seconds."

Edi spoke from the co-pilot's chair. "Weapons systems online and in ready mode, Shepard."

Even with the inertial dampeners, Shepard could feel the sudden deceleration as they emerged into the Sol system. This time, the Normandy was not at the rear of the jump... but leading the entire galactic force into what she hoped would be the victorious final battle of the Reaper War; the entirety of their galactic fleet emerged rapidly behind them as they sped toward their destiny. The space immediately surrounding the relay was eerily quiet and empty as the individual fleets continued to arrive and report in. "All fleets reported in, Commander. Ready to engage on your command."

As they approached Earth, Shepard's entire body tensed. She realized Vendetta had been correct; every Sovereign class Reaper that had originally set down on the planet at the start of the war was no longer _on_ Earth; they now swarmed in the space surrounding the Citadel... and every single one was turning to face the oncoming armada. She focused on keeping her voice level and calm as she spoke. "This is it everyone, prepare to initiate engagement. Weapons hot on my count... 3... 2... 1... Fire!"

The space before them immediately lit with a colossal volume of weapons' fire; the battle had truly begun. "Launch fighters!"

The fighters swarmed through the fleet, emerging into open space and drawing the attention of all the smaller and more maneuverable Reaper units. "Alright, Joker. You know the plan; the rest is up to you."

As Shepard turned to leave, Joker glanced at Edi and pushed himself out of the pilot's chair. "Commander." Shepard looked back to see a saluting Lieutenant Moreau as he spoke softly, "Be careful down there."

Shepard smiled lightly and nodded as she snapped a quick salute and replied confidently, "We'll be fine. You just stay focused and make sure I have a Normandy to come back to."

As Joker replied, "Aye aye" and dropped his salute, Shepard issued a sharp nod before turning and jogging from the Bridge, heading directly to the shuttle bay. The rest of the ground crew was already loaded and waiting as she jumped in the door and slammed her fist against the haptic interface. Shepard slid into the seat next to Liara and buckled her crash harness as the hatch slid closed and latched. "Let's do it, Steve!"

The instant Shepard had jumped aboard, Cortez had sent the ready signal to the Bridge and Joker had initiated their combat descent. As they reached launch altitude, Cortez dropped the shuttle out of the bay and pointed the nose at their destination. Shepard keyed her comms and spoke quickly. "Initiate Operation Hades!" On her words, several other waiting shuttles dropped into open space from ships scattered throughout the fleet and immediately followed the Normandy shuttle's vector toward the surface. As the initial interdiction force cleared the engagement zone, Joker came back on comms for only a moment. "Advance teams are away. Normandy is rejoining Sword."

Shepard nodded. "Stay safe. We'll be back before you know it."

"I'll hold you to that, Commander. Normandy out."

Joker's voice cut out, leaving an almost oppressive silence in the shuttle until Cortez announced their approach to their target landing zone. She looked at her small infiltration team, consisting of Liara, Riana and Vega. "Alright guys. Stand ready. I imagine Steve won't have a lot of time on the ground. Let's do this."

Vega popped the door and the team got their first glance at the surface of London. "Holy Hell. It doesn't look like home anymore."

Cortez suddenly jerked the shuttle to the side as he shouted, "Hold on! We've got a lock!" The shuttle dropped like a rock and careened in toward the surface as he continued to call out, "Damn it! You're on your own, Commander! The other team designated to Hades 3 just went down!"

"Just get us _down_ there, Cortez. We _have_ to take that thing out before Hammer can land, we don't have a choice." She glanced at her ground team and smiled. "It won't be the _first_ time a Normandy team has operated solo against incredible odds."

Any levity that may have been generated by her comment was lost as the first rounds of enemy fire flew into the Shuttle, pinging off James' shields as he stood in the hatchway. "Get out into cover! Cortez... Clear the zone!"

As soon as the foursome hit the soil of Earth, the shuttle shot back into the air, leaving them in a cloud of dust that acted as a smoke screen, enabling them to duck into cover before taking any more fire. They were immediately besieged by multiple Cannibals and Marauders, making the act of simply ascending to the upper street level difficult.

They had just managed to climb to street level when a female voice came on the comms. "This is Captain Johnson. Hammer is getting torn apart. We need those guns offline, now!"

Shepard's face turned to stone as she barked back, "Then back the fuck _off_, Captain! Hammer wasn't supposed to initiate landing until _after_ the Hades cannons were taken down! What the Hell are you doing?"

Shepard heard no response as Cortez overrode her on the emergency channel. "Watch it! You've got Brutes!"

"Roger that, Cortez. Thanks for the heads-up!"

The team pressed onward, confident the Brutes were nothing they hadn't seen before and knowing they would pose little challenge. It became obvious the Marine captain had heard Shepard's message loud and clear when they heard her again over the comm after the emergency channel fell silent. She was speaking to whoever was following her. "Shut it, Sergeant! I _know_ two of the guns are down, but Shepard said we still can't land! We're _holding_, whether you like it or not."

The rest of the argument was cut off as the team cleared the plaza level and headed up the hill toward the Hades cannon. Cortez called in with yet another warning. "_Damn_ it! You've got _more_ airborne hostiles inbound." After a slight pause, Steve's voice shifted from frustrated to determined. "I'm gonna try to keep 'em off you!"

The shuttle swept through low and fast, using its forward mounted mass accelerator cannons to blast the additional Reaper ground troops, but as he swung around to make another pass, the troop transport managed to catch the shuttle with a low-energy beam. "Damn it! I'm hit!" Before Shepard could say anything, he continued, "I'm fine! But I need to set down for repairs. I've got to try to get away from the cannons, though. There's too many ground troops here!"

"Be careful, Steve! Stay on your toes!"

"Roger that, Commander! See you on the other side!"

They finally climbed to the level where they could see the base of the Hades cannon looming a relatively short distance away. Riana slid closer to Liara as she called out a warning after seeing both Marauders and Ravagers on the upper plaza. Shepard instantly called out for a defensive perimeter to cover James. "Vega! Where's that Cain? I want to see that last cannon lit up like a damn Christmas tree!"

James released one last volley of carnage upon the one remaining Ravager and quickly swapped out his shotgun. "I'm on it, Shepard! Gonna fire this thing right down its gullet!"

The entire team watched the fire-trail of the high-explosive round speeding toward the cannon. It struck and seemed to vanish... Shepard prepared to curse, but before she finished her inhale of air to shout, a huge column of fire erupted from within the cannon and the towering structure seemed to collapse into itself, thankfully tumbling to the ground and leaving nothing but a smoking pile of rubble. Her curse changed into a shout of triumph as she let out a huge, "Hell, yeah!"

The Marine captain was immediately on the horn. "Thanks, Commander! All Hammer teams... last cannon is down. Resume landing sequence. I repeat, resume landing sequence!"

Shepard smiled and took cover as she opened her comms. "This is Shepard. The Hades cannons are down but our shuttle is inoperable. We need extraction."

All she got in return was static and the scream of a Banshee closing on their location. "Defensive positions!" As she caught sight of her target and started firing, she continued her attempts to find an extraction team. "This is Commander Shepard. Any Alliance personnel in the vicinity of Hades cannon 3? Anyone?"

The Banshee went down relatively quickly, but was accompanied by a continuing flood of Cannibals and Marauders, seemingly coming from every nook and cranny. Liara focused her efforts on the most prolific entries and quickly planted a singularity there, trapping a large number of the inbound enemy within, allowing James to rip them apart with his assault rifle and incendiary ammo. Even so, there were simply too many avenues of ingress and the team remained constantly engaged. Riana shouted out, "Vega! Focus elsewhere and leave those trapped to me!" She remained at Liara's side, tag-teaming with the Lady T'Soni to detonate her singularities.

James whooped with enthusiasm, understanding the purpose of Riana's request with the very first biotic explosion and quickly refocused his efforts on all the single enemies that seemed to be popping up everywhere. They fell into a devastatingly effective pattern and were inflicting incredible amounts of damage on the Reaper forces when Shepard finally received a response; a male with a British accent had answered their call. "Commander. Prepare for extraction."

A shuttle slipped into view and hovered off the edge of the plaza where they stood; the door opened and the same British accent shouted out, "Come on! We'll cover you!"

Shepard did not hesitate, immediately yelling out, "You heard the man!" She cradled her Graal and took off at a full sprint, directly into the cover fire emerging from the shuttle and dove in the doorway, the rest of her team hot on her heals.

She rolled quickly to her feet and turned to the major who had answered their call. As Vega lumbered onto the shuttle, the major shut the hatch and called out, "Get us out of here, Corporal!" He then turned his attention to Shepard and followed up with a query, "You okay?"

She gave him a quick nod, "Yes. We're alive, thanks to you."

Her head snapped around when she heard a welcome familiar voice. "That you _are_, Commander."

"Anderson!" Her whole body came around and she stepped forward to hug the man, stopping only at the last moment to snap a sharp salute, suddenly remembering where she was.

He smirked, realizing what had just happened, and squared his shoulders as he spoke softly. "I knew you wouldn't let me down, Shepard." He ignored her salute and took that last step forward and wrapped her in a huge bear hug. "I've really missed you, kid."

Shepard's voice cracked as she responded, welcoming the embrace and dropping all attempts at formality. "It's good to see you."

"Same here. You're a sight for sore eyes." Anderson cleared his throat and stepped back as he pointed at the major. "This here's Major Coats. I heard your call and commandeered his shuttle for transport."

"Good to have you here, Shepard." The major offered a quick nod and a grin. "The admiral here wouldn't quit talking about you so maybe, now that you're here, we can actually get down to fighting this war."

Shepard chuckled and turned back to Anderson. "How are we looking?"

Anderson's expression took on a concerned seriousness. "Now that the heavy air defenses are dealt with, Hammer can land."

Coats' disgusted voice chimed in, "And not a moment too soon. Glad you gave that captain a rightful ear-bashing on the open airwaves, Shepard. Someone jumped the gun and it didn't seem like they were willing to listen to anyone. They wanted into the fight and they wanted in _now_... until they heard _that_. Suddenly, they all pulled up and fell back into line."

Anderson shook his head. "Yes. We lost quite a few in that first unauthorized push. What's left of the resistance is holding the FOB and the rest of Hammer is landing there now. We'll be joining them and once we regroup, Hammer will take up the fight to get to that damned beam."

"The Reapers are here in _force_." Shepard's brow creased in sympathy. "It must have been _brutal_ here... Cut off from the rest of the Alliance."

"It's been touch and go from day one, but once we figured out they were focusing on the major cities, it became easier to avoid direct contact." Anderson's eyes clouded a bit. "Until London. We held back as long as we could, but after our last conversation, I knew we had to send in recon teams. We lost a lot of good men planning this attack. The Reapers are going to pay for that."

"Agreed," Shepard growled. "A lot more than just London."

"We held on with great soldiers like Major Coats, simply knowing you'd bring us help."

Shepard glanced between the two men. "Well, we're showing up kinda late to the fight. Without you and your resistance, we'd be dead in the water."

Coats chuckled, "Yeah... and the Admiral is being modest. He's the reason any of us are still alive."

Anderson waved his hand dismissively through the air. "Let's not start handing out medals just yet. This fight is just getting started and Hammer better be ready for it."

Shepard frowned. "They didn't start out that way, but they're all here now. They've _all_ taken enough of a beating by the Reapers that they're ready to win this war, whatever it takes."

Anderson looked away, his expression mixed with consternation and worry. "Good. Because that's the kind of commitment it's gonna take."

Shepard stepped up to him and spoke softly. "We'll get it done, Anderson."

He smiled weakly as he looked at the monitors showing the fighting. "The entire galaxy united... too bad it took the Reapers to bring us together."

Liara scoffed, speaking for the first time since they boarded the shuttle. "Shepard's the one that brought them together. Without her, they'd all have died separately, fighting a war they couldn't win. Together, we have a chance."

"That's exactly what I meant, Dr T'Soni." His eyes flashed in understanding and he turned back to the commander. "I know you didn't like leaving, but nobody could have accomplished what you've done."

"What did you say just a moment ago, Sir?" Shepard frowned. "Something about not handing medals out yet?"

Any response Anderson may have had was cut off by the shuttle hatch sliding open as Major Coats called out, "We're here. The FOB."

Shepard caught a glimpse of the Citadel beam in the distance. "Seems a long way off."

Coats shrugged. "Can't get any closer without the Reapers overrunning us, Ma'am. There are simply too damn many of them.

Shepard offered a silent nod of understanding as the shuttle was met by a Marine. "Admiral. The command center is still secure, but we're not getting near as many ground troops as we hoped."

Shepard interrupted. "Don't worry about that. The Krogan and Asari are setting up their own flanking positions. You'll get the support when the time comes, Sergeant. Count on it."

The sergeant's eyes widened in surprise. "Commander Shepard! It's damn good to see you, Ma'am!"

Anderson shook his head. "Come on, Mike. Let's get back to Command." His gaze shifted to Shepard's small group. "Why don't you all come along while Major Coats briefs the commander on the troop strengths and our position? You can get set up, look at the maps and figure out where we all fit in this mess."

Vega immediately stepped up to follow the Admiral but Liara hesitated, giving Shepard a questioning look; Samantha offered a small smile. "Go ahead, Li. I'll catch up soon enough. You can fill me in on what you find."

Liara's chest tightened and Shepard _felt_ her fear; Liara had walked away on Shepard's orders once before and the commander had died. The memory of Alchera surged to the forefront of her mind and Shepard blinked a couple of times as she pushed it away and stepped to her Promised. "Hey now. This isn't the Normandy, this isn't Alchera, and I'm not alone, Li. I'm simply taking a quick tour with the Major... but if you feel that strongly about it, you can stay with us."

Liara slowly closed and reopened her eyes as she took a deep calming breath. "No. You're right. There are things that need doing. I'm sorry, Shepard."

"Don't be." Samantha gave her a loving smile. "I'll see you soon... I _promise_."

* * *

As Liara walked away, Major Coats gave Shepard a long look. "She's either your lover or the most devoted follower I've ever seen."

"She's much more than _that_," Shepard chuckled. "She's actually my future _bondmate_. We're joining as soon as this damn war is over."

Coats eyes twinkled. "Good. Something to look forward to, then."

A flash of a smile crossed Shepard's face before she schooled her expression. "Absolutely, Major, but there's a lot to be done between now and then. What have you got for me?"

The major started walking, showing her the general layout of the temporary base and its defenses, indicating the field hospital, the communications center and the command building where she'd find Admiral Anderson once they were done with the quick tour.

"The fighting here has been some of the worst on the planet. The admiral has been amazing; not sure how he managed it, but he always kept us one step ahead of the Reapers." Coats stopped and looked at her. "And now, _you're_ here. You saw the look on that sergeant's face. It'll do the troops good to see you. Bolster their resolve." He saw the scowl forming on Shepard's face and laughed. "Anderson told me you wouldn't like that, but it's the truth. Like it or not, Commander, you're a hero to these men and women. Don't discount the effect that can have on them."

Shepard's scowl only deepened and she countered, "Or how devastating my death would be, should it happen. They need to believe in themselves, not in some mythical savior they've turned me into."

"Oh, they do. Make no mistake. They've fought long and hard to be here... and each one of them knows what they're capable of, Commander." Coats had finally stopped walking. "I better go meet up with my battalion. I'll see you at the Command Center."

As Coats walked away, Shepard took one last look around. They had passed James, but he was up on the wall helping to keep the Reaper creatures back from the gates and appeared fairly relaxed, so she had passed on by without disturbing him. Awhile back, he had asked her about a letter of invitation he had received from the N7 program and she had encouraged him to accept; no one else knew, and he had asked her to keep it quiet until they all knew their future. She smiled briefly, knowing she would proudly add her recommendation to his package when the time came; he was a Hell of a soldier.

She stopped and listened as she heard a Marine's radio relaying horrible statistics from the front line of Hammer; the death rates were climbing fast among the initial teams sent outside the wall. She thought about the brief chat she had with Ashley as she turned over command to prepare for the ground assault; even Ashley had told her she was the one to pull everyone together. Shepard had responded that it was because of her friends... and that list most definitely included Ashley... who had picked her up and dusted her off every time she had stumbled. When she had told Ash that she lost count of the number of times Ashley had saved her, the XO had simply smiled and jested, "_Almost as many times as you've saved __**me**__, hero-lady._"

Shepard shook her head and moved on, surprised when she ran into Zaeed Massani. "About goddamn time, Shepard. Almost thought you weren't gonna make it. Glad I was wrong."

"You and yours got everything you need, Zaeed?" Shepard looked at the ragtag bunch of mercs behind him as he laughed.

"These aren't _mine_, Shepard, but they're here for the same reasons I am. I'm just the guy who got 'em here and got 'em some shiny new toys, compliments of the Alliance." He glanced at them before turning back. "I hope you've got one Hell of a speech to get everyone moving. Looks like we might need it. Never seen anything like this; just doesn't seem like a real ground war when your opponents are taller than goddamned skyscrapers!"

"I know." Shepard shrugged. "But if we don't stop it now, it gets _worse_."

"_Exactly_, so let's get _moving_. Ready to go when you are. Let's _gut_ the bastards." Rather than allow her time to respond, Zaeed spun on his heel and vanished into the swarm of mercs. "Come on, you assholes. We've got a _war_ to win!"

As she turned away from Zaeed and his merry band of mercs to decide where to head next, Liara tapped in. _{Samantha. Anderson is here and waiting. I... I think it's time.}_ Shepard pushed back to the affirmative and turned toward the Command Center. She had started her climb when a familiar voice called her attention back to the plaza.

She turned back and sought out the source. "Jack. How are you guys?"

If the biotic was surprised to see her, she didn't show it. "Good, so far, Shepard. Of course, we haven't traveled outside the wall yet, except for the fight to get in here, so that's not saying much." Jack looked around and smirked. "Where the Hell is Vakarian? Did he chicken out? Thought he was going with us as part of our overwatch team."

_{Same old Jack.} _The thought flitted in from somewhere in the back of her mind; Liara was monitoring her progress and listening in... and _obviously_ couldn't refrain from commenting.

Shepard laughed and answered the Psychotic Biotic, "They're inbound, Jack. I only brought a small team as part of the infiltration team to take down those damned cannons. The rest are part of Hammer proper. They'll be here within probably five or ten minutes." Shepard turned serious as she continued, "You guys be careful out there. We'll need those flanks _protected_ if we want any chance at making it to the beam. We've got _you_ to cover the left... and Samara with the Asari contingent to cover the right."

Jack's grin vanished. "Yeah, yeah. Don't worry about _us_, Shepard. We came in from the south and picked up a bunch of resistance fighters along the way to bring you a bit more firepower. You going up the middle? _You're_ the ones who will need to be careful."

"Thanks, Jack." Shepard nodded in farewell. "I'll see you on the other side."

"We won't let you down, Shepard. Go kick some ass!"

Shepard finally made the climb up to the skyway and crossed over to the Command Center. To make access to medical care as convenient as possible, the infirmary was the first stop inside the doorway; Liara was waiting there, assisting the doctors in treating those she could. When Shepard walked in, the Asari stopped and turned to her, her face etched with worry. "Shepard."

"How are the casualties?"

"We lost people and some of the wounded here won't make it." Liara's voice was quiet. "We need to _stop_ this, Shepard."

"We will, Li. I _swear_ it." She walked up and laid a hand gently on Liara's arm, pushing her omnitool down. "Enough. We need to go see Anderson. You ready?"

Liara stared off into the distance and crossed her arms, her face a picture of resignation as she spoke haltingly. "This is... it, _isn't_ it?"

Shepard's hand shifted up and gently cupped the Asari's waist; she tipped her head slightly in a failed attempt to catch Liara's eyes as she answered, "Yeah. This is it."

The Asari swallowed and turned toward her Promised, continuing with her hesitant words. "I... don't know... what to _say_." She looked down at the floor and her lips turned up into a wistful smile, her voice finally leveling out and picking back up to her normal cadence. "All those little blue children will be disappointed I didn't have a speech."

"We'll make up a good story for them." Shepard closed the gap and pulled Liara into a loose embrace.

Liara's smile vanished and her voice turned solemn. "I do have one thing for you, Samantha. A small gift. It will only take a moment, if you want it."

"Of course I do, Li. I don't care how long it takes; if it's important to you, it's important to me."

"Close your eyes." Shepard didn't hesitate; her eyes drifted shut and she tipped her head in until their foreheads touched. She immediately felt Liara's presence in her mind shift from the link to a full meld as emotions of anxiety and then a deep, abiding love surged into her soul. An image started to form as Liara spoke. _{Do you remember this, __Siame__? You showed this to me after you returned from Omega.}_

Shepard drew a deep breath as a sense of... _rightness_... flowed through her. Liara was reliving a memory... not a _true_ memory... but a memory of Samantha's desire to have children with her. Shepard had pictured Liara in her mind, lying in a hospital bed while holding a squirming little blue bundle in her arms. _{Gods, yes. How could I ever forget something like __**that**__, __I__onúin Álainn__. It is my heart's __**greatest**__ desire.}_

The image faded away and they were suddenly together on the black plain of _Inanna_; the stars spun around them and their mixed auras swept over them like a wave as Liara closed her eyes and kissed her passionately.

Liara eased out of the meld and pushed back; Shepard blinking as she tried to find her balance with the sudden termination as Liara's eyes returned to their normal penetrating blue. The Asari then ran her hands down Samantha's forearms and spoke, her voice once more under control and filled with conviction. "Thank you. For _everything_. I love you, Shepard. Now... let's do what needs to be done."


	62. Victory at All Costs

Notes:

_Nara_ \- literally "bearer"; one who shoulders another's burden, aids others (Thessian)

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

SMG - sub-machine gun

* * *

**Victory at All Costs**

**London, Earth, Sol**

As Liara's hands dropped away, the determination in the Asari's eyes solidified Shepard's own resolve. After a brief pause, she nodded, turned, and walked briskly toward the Command Center and the critical meeting of all the team leaders with Anderson; time was growing short. They entered a larger central area and Shepard's eyes grew wide as she gave Liara an accusatory look. "Why didn't you _tell_ me Wrex was here?"

Liara smiled. "Because I wanted it to be a surprise."

"I owe you one, T'Soni," Shepard smirked before she jogged over to talk to the hulking Krogan. He was in the midst of an inspirational speech to his troops, but stopped as soon as he realized the commander had arrived at his side.

"Shepard. You did it. No matter _what_ else happens today, you did what no one else could do... You united a _galaxy_. That's a victory right there."

"Maybe so, Wrex, but still one short of what we really need." Shepard punched the big Krogan on his shoulder and Wrex chuckled.

"Don't worry; you're going to win. After all... you brought the Krogan!" Wrex turned back to his troops. "The admiral's waiting on you. Get to it, so we can go kick some _ass_, Shepard!" As the commander turned away, Wrex glanced back one more time. "Good to see you too, Liara. You here to fight with your _blood_, or you going to stick with that squishy _Human_?"

"Well, according to my father, I _am_ one-quarter Krogan..." Liara laughed lightly and glanced at Shepard standing off to the side, waiting for her. "... But Shepard and I are together through the end, Wrex. Thank you just the same for the honor of the invitation."

"Invitation, Hell," Wrex growled. "Shepard's Urdnot... and as her mate, you are too... though _you_ still need to complete the rite."

Liara's eyes opened a bit wider. "You mean fighting the _Reapers_ isn't enough of a test?"

"_Kalros_ was tougher." Wrex flashed a huge, toothy grin. "But you _will_ be fighting the ground war with us. I guess maybe we can count that." He turned once more to his troops, shouting, "Suck it up, princesses! Almost time to show these people how a war is _really_ won!"

Liara rejoined the commander and they walked together into the actual Command Center to search for Anderson. He wasn't hard to find, standing at a large map table and finishing a discussion about the potential routes forward. Garrus and company were also in the room, along with Lieutenant Kurin and her Asari squad, including Samara... all awaiting her arrival. Tali was first to see her and strode over quickly. "Shepard. We were starting to wonder. Are you okay?"

"I thought I'd be asking _you_ that question, Tali." Shepard laid a caring hand on her little sister's shoulder. "You ready for this?"

Tali scoffed. "Shepard. I backed you when I was just a kid on her pilgrimage. _Keelah_! I even worked with _Cerberus_ for you! What kind of friend would I be if I wasn't here with you _now_... even if for no other reason than to avenge Kal's death?" Tali shrugged and continued, "And you haven't answered _my_ question. Are you _okay_?"

Shepard glanced lovingly at the Asari at her side before answering, "Yes, Tali. I am. _We_ are."

"Good." Even though they couldn't see her face, Tali's _voice_ smiled. "Whatever happens, I'm proud to have served with you both... _and_ to call you my friends."

Liara leaned in and gave the Quarian a tight hug. "It's been an honor to serve with _you_, Admiral Tali'Zorah vas Normandy."

Tali growled, "The admirals once hung that ship name on me like a badge of _shame_. Look at us now. First, we reclaimed _Rannoch_... and _now_ we're getting ready to defeat the _Reapers_. There is no shame in _any_ of that! I am proud to have been a member of your crew."

"Be careful out there, Tali." Shepard glanced at the big Turian beside her. "And try to keep him out of trouble." Shepard and Garrus had already said everything that needed to be said, so she turned to Sarah Campbell and Legion. "And you two. Never thought at the start of all this that you both would be standing here at my side, preparing for the ground assault. I'm glad to have both of you along for this final battle. Stay strong, stay safe. It's time to get this show on the road." She turned abruptly and walked straight to the map table.

Anderson looked up as she arrived. "Commander. Just going over the situation and making final route choices. I think we're ready... as ready as we're going to be, anyway. You?"

Shepard nodded. "Yes, Sir. Every moment we delay, more of _us_ die... and the _Reapers_ gather strength. It's time to _end_ this."

He nodded and keyed his comms. "Battalion leaders. Report to HQ."

* * *

Once everyone arrived, Anderson briefed the plan of attack, pointing out the various places on a moving-map display. "We've got to drive right through the heart of Reaper-controlled territory, break past their defenses, and get to that beam." He went on to explain the different zones and the multipronged attack utilizing every ground force they had available. "There's no such thing as holding back a reserve force. Not this time. It's do or die."

He rolled the moving map display until it showed the area just before the beam. "The entire area is crawling with Reaper forces, but our biggest concern is the Destroyer protecting the beam itself. They are jamming our targeting software, so we'll have to take it out from the ground. No small task, but we _do_ have tanks modified with Thanix missiles... We simply need to get them close enough to have a realistic chance of taking that thing down."

Major Coats looked skeptical. "How _much_ of a chance?"

Shepard stepped in. "The Normandy crew, with a lot of help from our friends, has taken down three _major_ Reapers... right up to the capital ship that attacked the Citadel the first time, Sovereign." Shepard grinned. "We're certainly not shy of help _today_, so we sure as _Hell_ can take down some weenie-ass _Destroyer_!"

Nervous laughter surrounded the table as Anderson glanced at her thankfully before continuing his talk. "They know we're coming. This may very well be a one-way trip for many of us, but we don't have any other options. There can be no retreat, no stepping back. We win or we die, so we move forward at all costs. Understood?"

The laughter turned to raucous cheers as the Admiral finished. "You all have your assignments. Let's get to it." As the various team leaders broke away, Anderson called the commander. "Shepard. I'm following you... right up the middle. Support the tanks best you can, but stay _alive_, damn it. I need you for the final push to the _beam_."

Anderson turned and departed quickly, leaving Shepard standing alone. As Liara moved to stand beside her, the commander finally turned away from the table to see her assembled squads waiting for her. Sam's face was a mask of stone as she looked at each of them in turn and realized it was quite likely the final time they would all stand _together_; she harbored no illusions that every member of her crew would survive the upcoming conflict. With a heavy heart, she bowed her head and whispered a short prayer. Resolutely lifting her chin from her chest, her emerald eyes were clear and her voice was completely steady when she began speaking.

"This war has brought each of us pain, suffering and loss... but it has also brought us _together_. As soldiers. Allies. Friends. This bond that ties us together is something the Reapers will _never_ understand. It is more powerful than any weapon... stronger than any ship... it cannot be taken from us, nor can it be destroyed. The next few hours will decide the fate of _everyone_ in the galaxy; every mother... every son..." She turned her head and found Liara; their eyes locked in silent communion as Shepard spoke her next words, "... every unborn child."

She broke their connection and glanced quickly over her whole team before she continued on. "They are trusting _you_... _depending_ on you... to win them their future. A future _free_ from the threat of the Reapers. But keep the faith. Look around you. You are _not_ in this fight alone."

Shepard paused again and took a deep breath for the final push. "I borrow the words of a great Earth leader from long ago, lost in the passage of time... but spoken in this very city. His words are just as applicable today as they were then... '_Victory_... victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without _victory_ there is no survival.' Today, we face our enemy _together_... and together, we _will_ defeat them!

* * *

The floodgates into Hell opened and the soldiers of every race poured through the streets of London. They moved steadily forward through the field of battle, killing more than were being killed, not that it much mattered. The Reapers' corrupted ground forces outnumbered them by an unfathomable amount, but this was _not_ a war of attrition; it was a war against _time_. They simply had to survive long enough to get a small force to the beam... to get someone onto the Citadel to open the arms so they could dock and utilize the Crucible before it was destroyed. All their hopes and dreams for victory rested on accomplishing that single act.

Shepard's teams moved slowly forward; Garrus, Campbell, Tali and Legion moved up one flank with Jack and her squad of biotics attempting to provide mobile barrier support as the front advanced. Samara moved with Lieutenant Kurin and her squad up the opposite flank, but they had their own mission; they were to infiltrate _deeper_, ahead of the main force, and scout out the final approach to the Destroyer.

The main force advanced swiftly through the wide open killing fields at the start of the run, but as soon as they entered the first section of buildings, the forward tank that Shepard's group was following was taken out in an ambush by numerous Ravagers, Marauders and Cannibals. Shepard growled, "Following them is going to do no good! They'll just kill the tanks and we won't have a chance." She looked at her team and saw acceptance by all three; Liara, Riana and James each realized what she was asking.

James picked up his pace as he answered the unasked question. "We're with you, Commander. We need to escort from the front and clear the path. No choice." They changed their configuration just in time; James raised his assault rifle and started blasting as he shouted out, "Harvester!"

The entire team focused fire; with all the practice they had gotten while battling their way across Tuchanka, the beast didn't last long but, before it exploded, multiple rounds pinged off Shepard and Liara's shields from its supporting ground troops. James took on a determined Marauder while Shepard and Riana focused on the Cannibal that had put them in its sights. Liara crouched down into cover and cocked her head ever so slightly as if listening for something. Shepard then knew exactly what she had heard when Liara snarled through the link. _{Banshee.}_

Knowing the effect they normally had on Liara, Shepard left the Cannibal for Riana to handle and turned her attention to locating the corrupted Asari. It didn't take long for her to find the elongated being, glowing blue with biotics; neither did it take her and James long to drop the creature to its knees. Shepard shifted weapons quickly to her Graal and charged across the distance, smashing into the recovering beast and throwing it to the ground... just before ending its torment with a point blank shot through its heart.

With its nerve-grating wail silenced, they all heard the comms erupting with an urgent call from the second tank in their lineup. "We're taking heavy fire from the second story... We're too close to do anything about it! Request assistance!"

"Roger that!" Shepard glanced up and easily spotted the source. "We'll try to clear the building! If nothing else, we'll distract them while you move out of range!"

Not waiting for any type of confirmation, the squad moved quickly into the parking garage in the base of the target building and started looking for a lift or a stairwell to the next level. They were immediately swarmed by Husks accompanied by two Brutes. Shepard looked at Riana and grinned; her charge _alone_ was enough to stagger a Brute... combined with the charge of a second Vanguard and a Nova shock wave, the Brute would become instantly vulnerable to conventional fire and James could finish them quickly with his ability to create massive carnage.

Shepard shouted, "Left!" and Riana bolted across the garage a mere fraction of time before Shepard. As the commander followed her in, Riana did a roll-back to get out of the line of fire and James took up his assault rifle and blasted away, immediately following Shepard's Nova. Liara kept busy launching singularities and warps, polishing off the pesky Husks and eagerly keeping them off her teammates. They quickly repeated the pattern on the second Brute and moved on, climbing to the upper level.

The 'heavy fire' turned out to be a combination of a Ravager and Marauders utilizing twin turrets, with multiple Cannibals in support. Shepard took aim _first_ at the Ravager, since its twin cannons could prove deadly, especially at close range. The instant she fired, the entire room erupted into a massive firefight. Liara followed up on the Ravager with a warp and her SMG, leaving only the small, spider-like swarmers to deal with. James lobbed a grenade into the back of the room which, much to their mistake, the Cannibals simply ignored and two of the five lost their lives.

The remaining two Marauders and three Cannibals put up a good fight but, in the end, were no match for the Normandy team's skill and firepower.

Shepard noticed Riana was a little slow in reloading her weapon and looked to James. "Vega! Destroy those turrets so they'll never be used again." With an affirmative nod from the lieutenant, Shepard approached her fellow Vanguard. "Riana. What's up?"

"It is nothing, Commander. Just a scratch." Riana slapped a quick patch over the rip in her leathers before Shepard got a good look, but she was certain she saw trickling blue blood.

"Bullshit, Iregos." Shepard docked her Graal and crossed her arms. "Let's see it and get some gel on it, or we're not moving another meter from this spot."

Liara moved up behind them, her brow wrinkled in confusion after having sensed a flare of anger from Shepard. Unsure as to why the commander would be angry, she queried, "Sam? Riana? What's going on?"

Shepard raised her eyebrows and grumped, "This one has an injury that she's trying to hide."

As Liara's focus snapped to her First and her eyes flashed with concern, Riana rolled her eyes and quickly undid the top of her leathers, pulling her arm out of the sleeve. "By the _Goddess_, Shepard! You're worse than Captain Tanni _ever_ was!"

Expecting the worst, Liara had already pulled out a tube of medigel and had to work to keep from laughing at the look on Shepard's face. Riana had _literally_ simply been scratched... and while it did draw blood, it was certainly nothing worth fussing over. She smirked as she handed the tube to the commander. "Here you go, Commander. For such a grievous wound, you might need this in addition to your own supply."

"Not _funny, _T'Soni!" Shepard frowned. "I saw blood and was honestly concerned! Riana just got back in action and I don't want her thinking she has to _prove_ herself and gut through wounds or pain." She ripped her Graal from its lower-back holster and stalked toward the exit as she groused, "It's not like I can send her back to the ship for treatment any time soon. We're in this for the long-haul. Excuse _me_ for caring."

Liara's face pinched with regret when she felt the honest hurt sneak through the link. "Shepard." She hurried to catch up and wrapped a hand around the right arm of the retreating commander, drawing her to a stop. "You're right. I'm sorry. I was attempting to make light of it simply because when you said she was injured, I too was concerned... and then immensely relieved." Liara couldn't keep the small smile from her lips as she continued, "... and the look on your face when she practically stripped in front of you to make her point _was_ priceless."

Liara's smile was always infectious and Shepard shook her head in defeat, answering with a light grin of her own. "Alright, so maybe I _am_ a bit overprotective of the people I care about... Come on. We've got a mission to complete."

The team moved on, now separated from the main force because of the extra time spent in the firefight. By the time they found their way back down to the main street level, the tank force was significantly ahead of them. Shepard grimaced; having to move faster to catch up could prove dangerous, if not deadly but, as evidenced earlier, they did little good from the rear. They needed to return to the front of the pack.

The next corridor was narrow and proved a challenge; additional Ravagers held the high ground, and without tanks to shoot at, the squad became their main focus. Again, it was nothing the team hadn't faced before but their numbers were nearly overwhelming. As carefully and methodically as Shepard and her squad advanced, James quickly discovered he was in the wrong place when cannon fire from one of the well-positioned ravagers careened off a broken block of concrete, its angles seemingly placed just to enhance the ricochets; Vega had ducked into a hole in the pavement ten meters to the side, only to be hit by the nearly full-power blast from the twin cannons.

Hitting just milliseconds apart, the first shot dropped his kinetic barrier, allowing the second shot to plow into the heavy armor under his left arm. James hollered an oath as the impact bowled him over; hearing his shout, Riana called out, "Vega!" as she left Liara's side, moving rapidly to provide him with covering fire from her assault rifle and biotics. James got to his hands and knees, where he paused for a few moments to catch his breath and let his suit autodispense a dose of medigel to seal the wound. Picking up his own assault rifle, he peeked up past the pavement edge at the building, said, "Damn Reapers!" and started blasting away at the Ravager, finishing it off with a carnage blast of his own. Offering a nod of thanks to Riana, he heaved himself to his feet and climbed back to the street. They worked their way through the few remaining Marauders, blasted them off the walls, and buried the single Brute accompanying them under a hail of molten ammo.

Once the field was clear, Shepard called a quick halt. "Shit. Everyone grab an energy bar and treat your wounds, I don't care how minor. I doubt we'll get many breaks in the action like this, so take advantage of them when we do."

Her gaze floated to Liara and she moved closer to the Asari and squatted at her side, speaking softly. "How you doing, Liara?"

Liara placed a hand over her mouth, talking as she chewed. "I'm fine, _Siame_. I'm more worried about _you_. It's ridiculous, isn't it?" She shook her head and almost laughed. "What we're doing? It's absolute _insanity_."

"Yeah, it is." Shepard smirked and patted the knee of her Promised. "I really know how to show a girl a good time, huh?" Her tone shifted as she continued, "You did really good with that Banshee back there. I'm proud of you."

Liara blushed lightly as she answered, "Yes... well... You made me realize my fear only made things worse and put _you_ more at risk. I _refuse_ to let my fear or inability to act potentially be the cause of..." Liara shook her head and continued, "Never mind. Let's simply say I'm over it."

"Good." Shepard rotated her right shoulder and winced, catching Liara's eye.

"Sam? What's the matter?"

The commander reached up and released the catch on her shoulder pad so Liara could look. "A round slipped up under the pad and dug in. My suit dispensed gel, so it's not bleeding, but the round is still there, so it still aches."

The Asari frowned and focused on the shoulder, pulling at the rip in her underarmor. "I can see it... it's not very deep." Her caring blue eyes met the commander's greens. "I want to remove it, Shepard." With a quick nod, Shepard took a deep breath and prepared herself for the relatively painless procedure. Liara pulled her med-kit and had the offending item removed in no time.

She applied fresh medigel to stem the restarted bleeding, placed a mediskin patch in place and deftly replaced Sam's shoulder pad. "That should feel better... without the constant irritation."

Shepard smiled softly and stood from her crouch, offering Liara a hand up. "Thanks, Blue. Come on. We've got to get going."

Taking the time to treat all their small wounds and get a small bit of food into their systems revitalized them all and they simply swept through the next section of buildings, running over multiple Marauders and Cannibals as if they were child's play. They were moving forward through an open plaza when they heard the lead tank regiment make a call. "The Destroyer's spotted us. We're preparing Thanix missiles."

Vega pumped a fist and muttered under his breath, relishing in the potential for vengeance. "Sweet! Time to rain some Hell on _them_ for a change!"

"I can hear the tanks; they cannot be very far ahead of us, _Nara_." Riana had her head cocked to the side and was listening intently. "Perhaps we need to catch up to them?"

"We do, Riana, but not by risking our own safety." Shepard pressed forward and waved her team to keep moving. "Maintain the formation and stay sharp."

As they rounded the next corner, Shepard pulled up at the sound of a Brute's roar, taking the time to exchange the heat sink in her Arc pistol for a fresh one and prep her Graal before keying the haptic interface of the door in front of her. "Ready or not, here we come!" The door opened to reveal a café-style room filled with Cannibals and Marauders. James stepped to the side and casually lobbed a frag grenade into the middle of the room as the biotics all launched singularities, lifts and warps. The resultant explosions were spectacular and the room fell deathly silent.

More started to flood into the small room though a stairwell and, after a round grazed her shoulder, Liara ducked down behind cover, angry at herself for letting her barriers get so low. She pulled on her biotics and stood to place a singularity above the top step, sucking each new arrival helplessly into the bubble to be target practice for James. Once she stood, Shepard saw the trickle of blood marring the arm of Liara's armor. "_Fuck_! Liara... Be sure to get some gel on that and we'll look at it later. Right now, we need to keep moving!"

The appearance of yet another Brute slowed them down, but not by much; Liara was angry for getting hurt due to her inattention and Shepard was furious at the Reapers for doing her lover harm... and their combined rage was let out in their retaliation against the Brute. As it collapsed under their combined vicious attack, the squad started to hear panicked calls from the leading tank units; they were surrounded and being swarmed from all sides.

They reformed their diamond formation, Shepard once more in the lead with Liara and Riana a few steps behind her, Liara to her left and Riana to her right, with James trailing as the rear guard. They set off at a quick pace down a long passage. Shepard had her eyes on the far end where it seemed to bend ninety degrees to the left; she was within six meters of the corner when the stone wall to her right basically... _exploded_. Two Brutes crashed through the wall together, rocks and debris flying everywhere, the force of their charge throwing Shepard against the wall on the opposite side of the corridor; stunned, she crumpled to the floor before the Brutes.

Frightened and _angry_, Liara's face twisted in rage and she loosed a warp to rival the strongest of matriarchs. The target Brute staggered backwards and had no time to recover before James and Riana blasted it with everything they had. Fortunately, the hallway wasn't wide enough for the second Brute to get by and it gave a slightly dazed Shepard time to regain her feet and retreat from the Brute's direct path of destruction. She stumbled past Liara, but fell again as she attempted to turn back to face the remaining Brute.

For the second Brute, Liara parked a singularity in the hall, detonating it with yet another powerful warp as the Brute approached, knocking _it_ backward as well. Now solo against the formidable force of three, the second and last Brute collapsed under the substantial gunfire that accompanied the biotic attacks. Liara spun urgently to the commander and knelt at her side. "Goddess, Samantha. Talk to me... _Please_!"

Shepard raised a hand into the air, which Liara quickly grasped. "_Damn_. That stupid thing really rang my _bell_!" She pulled on Liara's hand and sat up slowly, blinking her eyes. "I'm just a bit dizzy, is all. Let me have some water and I'll be fine, Li."

Disbelieving, Liara pulled up her omnitool and scanned Shepard. "You have a _very_ slight concussion, and it does _appear_ to be the only damage. You _should_ be fine to continue, but I want you to _eat_ something... to replenish your energy levels, _please_."

Shepard looked up and, seeing the concern etched across the Asari's brow, readily agreed. "No argument here, Li. I'll eat whatever you give me."

Riana handed her one of the commando compact rations. "These taste terrible, but pack a whole bunch of protein and sugar into a small bite. Just be sure to drink a full pouch of eezo water with it or you'll regret it later."

Shepard took the incredibly small cube from Riana's hand and popped it in her mouth, instantly making a face as she did so and barely resisting the urge to spit it to the floor. "Gah! You're right. Those things _are_ horrible. How can you stand to _eat_ them?"

"I prefer _not_ to, but..." The small lift on the edges of Riana's lips fell as she continued, "... in times such as _these_, they are essential."

Shepard stood and pulled out one of her water rations, quickly downing it, more to get the taste out of her mouth than to satisfy any thirst. "Riana, you've got point for a while... At least until I'm sure a quick spin or launching biotics isn't going to make me dizzy again."

The commander instantly felt a flood of gratitude from her Promised as Riana replied, "As you wish, _Nara_." They turned back up the hall and continued on the path they had set for themselves before they were so rudely interrupted by the Brutes.

* * *

Lieutenant Liessa Kurin's squad, consisting of Nilyna Vura, Specialist Cayla and Sasha T'Levos... along with Justicar Samara... had left the Command Center at the same time as the rest of Shepard's teams, each on their own mission. Kurin felt a bit out of her element in the shattered city even though, in a number of ways, London resembled the city of Serrice, which she'd left behind on Thessia when she'd joined Commander Shepard's team to recover the artifact from the Temple of Athame. She never would have dreamed that the search for the artifact would lead them all to _Earth_, via a roundabout trip through Shadow Sea and the Horsehead Nebula.

She glanced at the Justicar as they picked their way through the rubble strewn street leading towards the coordinates given for the 'beam' that was Commander Shepard's main objective. Samara was the first Justicar Kurin had ever seen outside of sensationalized vids and was unlike _any_ Asari she had ever met. Old enough to be a Matriarch, Samara was every bit as capable as _two_ commandos half her age... maybe even more so. Shepard had told her Samara's biotic abilities were quite impressive; she'd also mentioned the Justicar had sworn an oath… an _oath!_… to serve the commander. For a Justicar to swear an oath to another Asari was rare indeed… that Samara had sworn to serve a Human was simply _unheard_ of.

The unmistakable sound of husks and cannibals ahead interrupted her musings; she used her hands to signal her squad to be ready. As they advanced cautiously towards the upcoming street intersection, a cannibal appeared from behind the wrecked building they were passing; with three more quickly joining the first one, Kurin and her teammates used combinations of lift and warp, along with a well-placed reeve by Samara to end them. Unfortunately, the noise of their violent destruction garnered some unwelcome attention by a pair of Marauders, which took a bit more effort to eliminate due to their shields and armor; once done, Kurin hastily led the group to another wrecked building across the street to wait and see if their firefight had attracted any _more_ undesired attention.

Inside on the ground floor, the lieutenant took advantage of their temporary cover to pull up the map grid on her omnitool and was pleased to discover _this_ building was exactly where they needed to be. "Okay, there's a centrally located stairwell – should be able to access the second level up from this one." Kurin pointed an omnitool light in the direction they needed to travel. "We need to be on the far side."

She started moving in the direction she'd indicated, confident everyone was following her lead. They were nearly able to move in a straight line, as so many walls had been blown out by concussions from the many heavy weapons blasts between Reaper forces and the city's Human defenders. Reaching the stairs without incident, she shined a light up the first flight. "Follow one at a time unless I holler… I don't want all of us caught in these narrow spaces if there's something ugly waiting for us."

She paused to listen as she was ready to start up the stairs. An unearthly sound could be heard… a low-pitched mechanical yowling from something incredibly large and completely soulless; the noise was accompanied by the rhythmic crunching of whining actuators driving clawed legs that hit the concrete and asphalt street surface with enough power and weight to fracture the material with every step. Samara looked at Kurin as she observed, "It is the Destroyer… the one we need to eliminate if Hammer is to have any chance of achieving their goal."

Kurin nodded. "Wait for my signal." As quietly as she could, she rushed up the stairs to the mid-point landing and crouched, peeking around the corner and looking up the last flight of stairs. Seeing nothing, she motioned to Nilyna, who followed her up the first flight as Kurin went up the second. In this manner, the four Commandos and the Justicar made their way swiftly to the upper level. Amazingly to Kurin, the entire level was empty of anyone alive, friend _or_ enemy… _unfortunately_, there were several dead Krogan scattered in front of them. As she took in the view, she grudgingly accepted it as a disguised blessing from the Goddess; the Krogan _were_ unfortunately dead, but all of their heavy weapons still lay scattered about in the form of M-597 Ladons, M-560 Hydras and, much to her welcome surprise, a Reaper Blackstar. _Goddess be praised!_

She could hear the Destroyer advancing towards them, so had her team grab the heavy weapons and hunker down to wait. Unfortunately, Reaper spawn in the form of Marauders and Cannibals had somehow discovered their trail and followed them up the stairs, forcing them to fight; with nothing behind them but a thin wall and a fall to the deadly street below, filled with every type of Reaper creature imaginable, they had no retreat.

Nilyna Vura aimed and pulled the trigger of a Ladon, nearly giving up the effort when it did not immediately fire. Just as she was ready to release the trigger and grab something else, the weapon finished charging and finally responded, surprising her by launching six miniature homing rockets, each of which targeted and killed a creature.

Seeing it was out of ammo, she set it down in exchange for her modified Mantis sniper rifle; standing behind a support column, she brought the long gun up as she leaned out to her right, took careful aim and fired, all in one smooth, uninterrupted motion. A singularity appeared, temporarily blocking the entrance, and Vura glanced back to see a grinning Sasha T'Levos. Slipping behind the column once again, Nilyna reloaded, took a breath and repeated her previous movements, each shot removing the head of either a Marauder or a Cannibal floating around above the stairs. After doing this several times, all the enemy had been eliminated. Sasha moved back to the stairs to ensure they weren't ambushed a second time, while everyone else's attention was focused on the midnight black metal horror bearing down on them outside.

It didn't appear to even be aware of their presence as it clanked past the window. Just as it passed, tracer rounds could be seen pouring out of the building across from them, lighting up the machine's nearly impenetrable kinetic barrier. Kurin raised her hand so Vura and Samara could see her. She instructed, "Hold back, Cayla. If that thing opens its guard plates to fire its main weapon at us, I want you to fire everything you have straight down its throat." With that, she dropped her hand, then aimed and fired her Blackstar as Vura cut loose with her M-560 Hydra. Backing away from the huge opening, Samara raised a barrier as the four Asari waited to see the results of their weapons fire. The Reaper's kinetic barrier fluctuated before winking out, and the immense construct staggered slightly from the impacts, but resolutely turned towards them to fire. As it retracted the cover plates over its main weapon, Kurin shouted, "Now! Cayla, fire your weapon!"

Cayla held back until what she felt was the last possible moment before launching the Hydra's entire load into the glowing red firing chamber in the middle of the Destroyer's 'face'. The explosions staggered the monster momentarily, but didn't drop it. Kurin's jaw fell in amazement… _What in the name of the Goddess does it take to kill one of these things?_ She started to fall back from the edge of the opening in the wall as the Reaper began re-charging its weapon. "Get back! Run!"

Samara dropped her barrier to fall back as much as she dared. She noticed a short, but solid, block wall and quickly knelt behind its somewhat limited cover before rapidly generating yet another barrier… Cayla managed to get behind the wall with the Justicar and added her relatively meager strength to the barrier just as the Reaper fired; Kurin had turned to duck behind the nearest column, as did Nilyna Vura. The lieutenant bolstered her personal barrier with all her strength as she felt herself being picked up, as if she was suddenly floating; the illusion lasted only until she felt herself being violently hurled into the building, where she glanced off the side wall hard enough to render her unconscious before the main pressure wave from the weapon slammed her to the floor some eighteen to twenty meters from the outer wall.

Vura was propelled sideways into a column, but it was not a glancing blow like Kurin had experienced; instead, she was wrapped around it, arms and legs sticking straight out with her back to the window when the main blast went through the room. She was already dead, thus did not feel the heat as her leathers were burned off her back, along with a good portion of her skin. What remained of her slid down along the column to the floor, turning swiftly into an unrecognizable pile of ash.

Sasha had started back from the stairs to help her sisters when the Reaper fired its weapon into the room. Too far from Samara's barrier and unable to get to cover, she turned away and crouched low to the floor, covering her head with her hands while praying to the Goddess that her death would be quick and merciful. The heat from the blast rolled over her, sucked the oxygen from her lungs and left her with second and third degree burns on her arms and back. Unable to breathe in the superheated air, her prayers were answered and she joined the Goddess before the normally excruciating pain from her burned torso could fully register in her mind.

The Destroyer's energy weapon made a continuous sweep through the upper stories of the buildings flanking its path before the behemoth continued on its way, unabated. Samara immediately dropped her barrier and surveyed the room. "Specialist Cayla. You must assist Lieutenant Kurin. I am sorry, but your other teammates are beyond help. You must protect Kurin and then ensure she gets to an aid station to receive the medical assistance she requires."

"Me?" Cayla rose on shaky legs and stared at the Justicar. "By _myself_? What about _you_?"

Samara's head dropped for only the briefest of moments before she looked Cayla directly in the eyes and answered, "I have sworn my life to Shepard's cause. I still live, thus must continue to fight. I will return to the battle and help wherever I am able. Go with the Goddess."

As Samara disappeared down the stairs, Cayla glanced at the remains of her two comrades before moving slowly to the lieutenant. The specialist's feet felt like lead and tears streamed down her face in sorrow for her fallen friends, even as she knelt beside her fallen lieutenant and began treating her wounds. _To have come all this way from my homeworld, only to see my friends die in combat. What a bitter irony that Sasha survived being injured on Thessia only to die here, on this alien planet._ Cayla prayed the Goddess would guide Sasha's and Vura's spirits to the silver shores of Thessia's oceans, and that Lieutenant Kurin and herself would live to see the destruction of the Reapers, so they could return home to tell friends and families of the bravery and self-sacrifice of their sisters-in-arms.

**A/N:** Shepard's 'borrowed words' are from Sir Winston Churchill.


	63. Desperate Measures

Notes:

AI - Artificial Intelligence

_Nara_ \- literally "bearer"; one who shoulders another's burden, aids others (Thessian)

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

* * *

**Desperate Measures**

**London, Earth, Sol**

After their brief rest and medical break, Shepard and her squad emerged back at street level to locate the platforms carrying the Thanix missiles... only to find them _completely_ exposed, barely a token force remaining alive to protect them, and most of _those_ surviving soldiers rapidly falling victim to the Reapers as the Normandy squad emerged onto the scene. Shepard heard Major Coats' urgent calls on the comm, frantically asking for someone... _anyone_... to answer. "We've got it, Major. The company has been wiped out by heavy enemy fire, so they couldn't exactly answer... Sorry for their loss, but they did their mission well; the missiles appear to still be intact."

"Thank God! Shepard! The beam is interfering with missile guidance and the team couldn't get a lock! We can hit the Destroyer with _manual_ guidance, but can't make the _precision_ strike we need to take it out!"

"_Damn_ it." Shepard's mind immediately thought back to her recent experience on Rannoch. "Normandy! Edi, do you copy?"

"Yes, Commander." The promptness of Edi's reply made it obvious she was monitoring all their communications.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Shepard was fairly confident that Edi was light-years ahead of her and had not only come to the same conclusion, but was already calculating an optimal solution.

"That depends, Shepard. If you are thinking of Rannoch and of me syncing the missile guidance system into that of the Normandy for a better lock, then yes... I _am_ thinking as you are. You will need to activate the console and manually enter the Normandy control codes."

"We're on it, Edi!" Shepard moved out into the street with her Arc Pistol, launching warps and firing at the first Cannibals unfortunate enough to cross her sights.

"Shepard. Focus on your left!" Garrus' welcome voice cut through the background chatter on the comms. "We're on top of the building on your left flank, at the far side of the intersection, and can tag anything on your right side and behind you... but the left is directly underneath us and we have no line of sight."

The commander allowed a small grin to crawl onto her lips as Legion and Garrus started picking off Marauders and Cannibals while Chatika floated down from above. The team quickly shifted their focus and moved up as James called out, "There's the artillery control vehicle! Lock it in, Commander! We've got you covered!"

Liara stood next to Shepard and brought up a barrier to protect them both while James and Riana worked together to defend the squad's left flank and front, relying completely on the biotic artillery and sniper fire from the support team above to cover their backs. Shepard holstered her pistol and her hands flew to the keyboard.

"Alright! Edi... I'm standing at the control panel for the Thanix missile system." As Edi answered, the commander was already entering the security code to enable access via the Normandy's targeting system. "There. You should now have access to the targeting protocols."

"Affirmative, Commander. I will advise you when I've adapted the targeting systems."

"Shepard." Coats came back on the line. "You need to keep that system functional until it can fire... and Reaper forces are headed your way. We have limited reinforcements, but I'll send you what I've got!"

"Great. Thanks for the heads-up." Shepard rejoined her teammates who had established a defensive perimeter. "I assume you all heard that?"

Before any of them could answer, she heard a familiar voice on her comm unit. "Fuck the reinforcements, Shepard. Just like Grissom... _We've_ got your top cover!"

"Thanks, Jack, but I'll never turn down extra firepower... The Hammer forces are more than welcome to join the party." Shepard spared a quick glance upward in an attempt to locate their additional support but she was too close to the building to see them. "Just be careful when that Destroyer gets in range. That beam is deadly." She looked down range again and was amazed at the devastation a single Destroyer could cause. "And Garrus... save the remaining heavy-weapons' ammo for when you really need it. I'm sure we'll have Brutes and Banshees inbound before this is all over."

"Roger that, Shepard. Legion is launching drones and activating turrets, so you'll have some extra street-level cover." Garrus chuckled. "You'll have plenty of help without us ever firing a personal weapon, but that won't keep us from enjoying a little bit more target practice."

"Shouldn't be any harder for you than targeting bottles from atop a skybridge, right?" The first wave of Reaper forces Coats had warned about consisted of mostly Marauders and Cannibals, with a few Husks thrown in for good measure. With Jack and her kids raining death down upon them, Shepard's team didn't have to do much and she almost enjoyed hearing Garrus' Widow bark and watching Marauder heads explode. The fun and games stopped when the next wave came crashing in; a frantic marine called in, "Commander! We tried to hold them off, but they destroyed our trucks... Overwhelmed our position."

"Hang in there, soldier. You're not alone out here!"

"You don't understand, Commander. There's a _shit_-ton of 'em that pushed right past us; they're headed toward your left flank... including multiple Banshees!"

"So they got by you... Now, you can harass _them_ from the rear and help us trap 'em!"

For the first time since the assault started, Anderson's voice barked across the comm unit. "Hammer. This is Admiral Anderson. The Reaper ground forces are making a push. Hold your ground and _protect those missiles_ until we can get a shot!"

"You heard him people!" Shepard turned to their left addressing her overwatch team. "You hear that Jack? From the sound of it, you've got to cover our backs and make sure nothing hits those tanks! Garrus... We'll need your sniper support. Seems we'll be a bit busy." Shepard immediately pushed forward toward the flank.

The additional Reaper spawn rolled in and the intensity of the fighting grew rapidly. Jack's students performed admirably, but when that _still_ didn't seem to be enough to stem the tide, Sarah Campbell came through on the comms, her message loud and clear. "Screw this, Commander! I'm switching up!"

"Save it, Sarah!" Garrus overrode her decision immediately. "Use it only if _absolutely_ necessary... We don't have a surplus of heavy weapons ammo, and we'll need every advantage we can get for the final push!"

Campbell unquestioningly kept her assault rifle up; switching out of fully auto mode in order to obtain finer aim, she went back to peppering the cannibals and husks that seemed to spring up out of the broken concrete four stories below.

Garrus glanced her way, flaring his mandibles approvingly. Returning his attention to the left flank, he sighted his Widow in on a Brute's head as he took a breath, blew it out softly and squeezed the trigger. _Damn! That one went down almost too easy_, he thought, even though the sight of its head exploding was immensely satisfying.

Reloading the heavy rifle, he spotted a pair of corrupted Asari heading for Shepard's position. "Commander! Banshees coming at you. Tag-team them with Riana!" Garrus attention was diverted from the Banshees to a threesome of Marauders out ahead of them. They were moving too fast to effectively tag all three of them with the slow-to-reload Widow. Looking at Sarah, he said, "Corporal! I need your help with those three Marauders in the lead!"

Liara was getting tired but had no time to rest; three corrupted Turians were gunning for her and she was having difficulty keeping up with Shepard's pace and had fallen behind. She grit her teeth as she felt a round penetrate her thigh from the side and she dropped down into what she had _thought_ to be adequate cover. It was... but only from the front... and one of the damned Marauders had managed to flank her. She took a deep breath and threw everything she had into her barrier, wondering how... or _if_... she was going to get out of the situation. _{I love you, Sam.} _The inadvertent thought escaped through the link before Liara could put her mental barriers in place; she had not wanted to distract the commander, but it was too late.

Shepard's focus was on the Banshees beginning to come down off the wall at the far end of the dead-end street when she _heard_ Liara's thought via the link. The tone of _resignation_ was what caught her attention more than anything and even knowing she shouldn't, she glanced back as a worried crinkle formed on her brow; she couldn't locate her Promised. _{Blue? Where are you? You okay?}_

In the meantime, Sarah had undocked the M-97 Viper from her backplate, checked its load and brought it to bear on the lead Marauder, who _still_ had not succumbed to fire from Shepard's ground team; worse still, the damned thing had Dr T'Soni effectively trapped. Sarah fired twice in rapid succession as she heard the Widow a meter from her left side bark in counterpoint to her double tap. Looking past her scope, she grinned at the sight of two more Marauders down; the third one had gone to ground behind a massive chunk of broken concrete, about halfway between the still oncoming Banshees and Shepard's position.

Garrus looked at the spot where the corrupted Turian was hiding as he illuminated the area with the UV laser designator attached to his scope. Shuddering to think it might have been someone he knew in a former life, he said, "Jack! Yank that Marauder out of cover so we can kill it!"

Although hunkered down, the third Marauder couldn't resist the force of Subject Zero's biotic lift; it squirmed with frustration as it floated into view above the shattered stonework. Garrus hummed to himself in satisfaction as he caressed the trigger of his Widow, eliminating yet another escapee from a Turian's worst nightmare. _Glad that fellow Archangel taught me so many tricks for taking on overwhelming numbers._ Garrus quickly refocused on yet another target and just as quickly sent it back to the Hell from where it had been spawned.

Liara breathed a sigh of relief and opened her med-kit to begin treatment as she finally responded to an increasingly concerned Samantha. _{I'm fine now, Siame. Got myself into a predicament, but I do believe it was Sarah who quite effectively got me out of it. Remind me later to thank her.}_

As Shepard worked her way back to Liara, Garrus focused his attention on yet another Brute, idly wondering how many Turians and Krogan had been taken to construct all these creatures… they were much more difficult to kill; one armor-piercing round from his highly modified Widow was generally enough, but… _Spirits_! _Only managed to __**stagger**__ that one! _ "Corporal… a little more assistance, please."

Hearing Sarah's M-97 'chuff' two times in quick succession, he refocused on the battlefield as he reloaded yet one more time and noticed the Banshees were _still_ presenting a threat, despite having their shields mostly whittled away by James and Riana. "Legion! Tali! Finish dropping the shields on those things!" Realizing that Shepard was distracted by what was happening behind her with Liara and the Marauders, Garrus scoped the monster closest to the commander and 'painted' the Banshee with the laser in preparation; the hulking Prime cut loose with his Pulse Cannon, causing the corrupted beast to wail in anger as its shields dropped. Garrus nearly spoiled his shot by chuckling softly while squeezing the trigger. The big Turian was reloading the heavy rifle and already seeking out his next target before the first Banshee's genetics twisted against it, causing a biotic implosion that turned its body to ash. The second Banshee, shields completely stripped away by Tali'Zorah's Energy Drain, went the way of its corrupted sister, thanks to a warp and lift combination from Jack and her students, to which a jubilant Jack shouted, "Take _that_, you skanky gray_ bitch_!"

* * *

It seemed as if Hammer had just gotten things back under control when Edi's voice came through their comms from the Normandy. "Commander. I have reprogrammed the targeting matrix. Guidance enhancement is complete and the missiles are ready for launch."

Shepard muttered _about damn time_ under her breath, and Liara gave her a look of pained understanding when she heard it through the meld. Together, they moved as swiftly as possible back to the heavy truck so Shepard could initiate the launch sequence. Crouching beside the vehicle's rear tires, they held their breath as the first pair of missiles tracked, but when they suddenly veered off course and smashed into other locations, Shepard shouted out in frustration. "What the fuck just _happened_, Edi?"

"The Reaper is _still_ too close to the beam, Shepard. You will need to hold position until the Destroyer moves out of the beam's influence."

"_Seriously_? Just how much closer do we have to let the damned thing get to us?" Shepard stared at the fast-changing missile control system's display.

"I do not know, Commander. I now have the launch commands and have automated the sequence; your direct input is no longer required. However, you must continue to defend the artillery platform until I get a solid signal and can launch the missiles."

"There's only two left on the rack, Edi. Don't risk firing them until you are absolutely _positive_ they will work. We don't have anything left if they don't."

"Understood, Shepard. I... will fire as soon as possible." Edi actually hesitated in her speech and the commander knew it was because the AI understood that Shepard was telling her to put the missile launch ahead of their lives on the ground.

"Alright people," Shepard sighed. "We know what we have to do. Find cover and keep that missile battery alive."

She had glanced at Liara and was preparing to ask if she was truly alright when Anderson's voice suddenly cut in. "We're fighting our way to you, Shepard... Hammer forces are being overrun at every turn. Hold on until we get there, Commander. Hold on!"

The ensuing battle was frantic; the first arrivals of the next wave included a number of Brutes backed by Marauders. With one Brute on their front and two more closing swiftly from the right flank, Liara fell back with Riana and James while the commander opted to take cover in a building to their left. Ducking behind the wall for cover, Shepard focused on the two fast-movers; the first fell and she was working on the second with assistance from James when she got blindsided from the left. The Brute had gotten past their defenses and slammed into her at full speed.

Thankful her barriers had been at full strength, she recovered quickly by using the momentum from the Brute's impact against her side to execute a combat roll away from the monstrosity. Once she rolled back onto her feet, she drove her fist to the floor to send out a Nova shockwave and buy a little extra time for additional evasive action; she then leapt over the short wall, back into the street, with the Brute following close behind. Hastily retreating, she fired and launched a warp, just as a fourth Brute charged in from the opposite side, smashing into the wall where she had stood mere moments before. _Yikes! __**That**__ was a bit of good luck, there! Almost got squashed between the two of 'em! _"A little help here!"

"On it, Shepard!" Liara's call came from somewhere off to her side, but Shepard dared not look away from the _three_ massive Brutes now approaching.

As she prepared to shout out, "Sometime soon?" the answer appeared, manifesting in the form of a _huge_ singularity directly in front of the closest Brute. Shepard immediately launched a warp, causing a massive biotic explosion that dropped the first Brute dead in its tracks; at almost the exact same time, the rear-most Brute collapsed from a shot to the back of its head by Legion's pulse cannon. James and Riana had teamed up to take down the Brute in the middle and, just when they thought they'd get a breather, a Harvester showed up, dropping yet _more_ troops.

"I don't want that bastard leaving the ground!" Shepard's call galvanized the entire team... including Garrus' and Jack's squads.

Popping a fresh heat-sink in his Widow, Garrus was starting to look for more ground targets when he heard Shepard's call-out. He immediately followed with, "Legion! Harvester!" Garrus began placing armor-piercing rounds in the glowing disk at the base of its neck while Legion hit it with several rounds from his heavy Pulse Cannon; the winged terror never even managed to drop any additional Reaper spawn, instead erupting into a massive fireball from the combination of biotic attacks and weapons fire, thus becoming the fastest Harvester kill any of them had yet witnessed.

The ensuing explosion also killed all the ground troops that had initially arrived with it, seeing as they had insufficient time to move any distance from their transportation before it vaporized them with its automatic self-destruction. As Shepard completed a quick ammo check and refreshed her Graal, yet more creatures arrived on the scene; multiple explosive balls rained down from the inky black sky, delivering the Reaper spawn to the ground. Several of these flaming orbs added further to the ensuing chaos by revealing yet more Banshees, their ear-piercing wails of terror preceding their appearance. Feeling much more comfortable in the fight when her partner was at her side, Shepard immediately shouted out through the link. _{Liara! To me!}_

As she heard Liara's response to the affirmative, Shepard thanked the Gods for their overwatch team. When the newest hoard of Banshees joined the fray, Sarah decided it was finally _absolutely_ _necessary_ to up her game; without a word, she quickly swapped out her weapon. The team needed no verbal notification... Her decision became blatantly obvious when the first flash of energy from the Marine corporal's Arc Projector lit up an entire line of approaching Marauders, allowing the front line of Hammer to focus on the new arrivals. James let out a big whoop as Shepard chuckled and shouted over the noise into her comm unit. "Excellent timing, Sarah. We needed that little extra boost!"

Even so, with Liara once again back at her side to prep for attacks, she slipped into her 'crash and blast' mode for a few moments when they were almost overrun, quickly evening the odds with a series of fast-action biotic explosions. Another wave of Reaper spawn hit the ground in multiple explosions and they all heard the screams of additional Banshees. After lighting up several of the corrupted Asari and a number of Marauders with a well-placed shot from her Arc Projector, Campbell reluctantly called out, "The Arc Projector's dry! Switching back to my sniper rifle!"

Jack and her students significantly stepped up their efforts, repeatedly blasting the group of five Banshees with biotic explosions from combinations of singularities and warps. Adding in the efforts of Liara, Riana and the sniping of Garrus, Sarah and Legion, the teams slowly whittled down the numbers until only a single Banshee survived. By this time, Shepard was running solely on adrenalin as they took down the last one and was never so happy to hear Edi finally call on the comms, but her mood shifted quickly once she heard what the AI had to say, "The Destroyer's energy weapon is within range of the tanks, Shepard. You have no barrier strong enough to defend against it and the Destroyer is still under the influence of the beam."

The Destroyer was alarmingly close, and using its prime weapon to level buildings on either side of its path towards the missile battery. Shepard heard Jack shouting over the comms, "_Shit_! Get away from the _edge_, Rodriguez! _Move_ it!" Her shout became a wail of anguished despair as the Destroyer's energy weapon obliterated the foremost corner of the building where Jack had stationed herself and her kids. "_Rodriguez_!" Jack's voice was an anguished scream. "_No!_"

"Gods be _damned_!" Shepard was still dodging fire from a couple of remaining Cannibals when she tripped and stumbled, dropping to one knee in her fatigue. She felt a sudden surge of energy and had no need to ask where it came from; Liara had pushed it to her through the link, even though her lover was just as weary. That selfless act lit up Shepard's determination yet again and she yelled as she jumped back to her feet. "I've had just about _enough_ of you bastards!"

James polished one of them off with the assistance of a shot from Legion's pulse cannon, leaving only one remaining. Shepard suddenly launched herself across the remaining distance and smashed into the last standing Cannibal. As it staggered backward, an angry commander slammed her fist down, tossing the Cannibal to the ground with a tremendous Nova shockwave. Shepard stood and glared at the creature as it screamed and attempted to rise, but its twisted life came to an abrupt end when a Graal spike pierced its distorted skull.

Temporarily clear of nearby enemies, Shepard shouted, "Jack! _JACK_! _Answer_ me, damn it!

Jack's voice, raw with barely checked grief, came through Shepard's earpiece. "She… _Goddammit_, Shepard! Why? She was there…" Jack's voice choked; she coughed, the misery in her voice breaking Shepard's heart, "… right there! And she just vanished in that red light, Shepard… just fucking _vanished_!" The comm signal cut out as Jack, apparently overcome with despair over the violent loss of her student, switched off her mic.

"Edi. Suggestions?" Shepard panted. She leaned over with her hands on her knees, feeling like crumbling into the dirt, she was so exhausted... but she knew it wasn't an option with the Destroyer still bearing down upon them.

"Rannoch... again. Garrus can paint the target with his modified UV laser designator. We can then make the precision shot required with the Thanix cannon on the Normandy." Edi's voice held no hesitation, but Shepard was still skeptical.

"Jeff. Can you get in close enough and safe enough to do it?"

"You're _kidding_, right Shepard?" Jeff sounded affronted by the commander's lack of faith. "Remember _Ilos_? This'll be a _cake_ walk compared to that! We'll come in low and fast, just above the rooftops. That thing won't see us coming until the cannon fires... and that will be _way_ too late for it to do a single thing about it."

"Garrus?" Shepard turned her head and looked up to the rooftops.

"No problem, Shepard." The Turian's voiced flanged nervously as he continued, "Though, I'll need everyone else away from the edge, so you'll be on your own during the process. I imagine the Destroyer will detect the UV and uhm... _retaliate_."

Shepard started to respond, but Garrus cut her off. "It's necessary, Shepard. I'll take care of it."

"Fuck." Shepard's voice was quiet as she knelt down behind cover. "Do it. Joker. Let us know when you're ready to make the run."

"Already enroute, Shepard." Jeff's voice was calm and precise. "Garrus. Initiate laser designation in 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... _NOW_!"

Everyone had overheard the conversation and Garrus had flagged everyone from his squad back as he moved to the corner of the building in preparation and placed the aperture of the Destroyer's firing chamber directly in his sights; as soon as Jeff called out, he squeezed the trigger, initiating the targeting laser. Even though they couldn't see the Normandy, they could hear its shrieking approach, until it seemed the massive frigate was going to land in the street behind them; Edi fired the cannon and the energy beam traveled straight down the street to explode in the firing chamber of the Destroyer's main weapon. The frigate screamed 75 meters past their ground position before Jeff pulled the Normandy into a high angle, full-power spiraling climb, the heat from the exhaust of her four massive engines rolling over them in waves. Major Coats was immediately on the comms, "It's going down! It's now or never; hit it with everything we've got!"

It was then that Shepard realized how much of Hammer was still alive and fighting, when weapons fire erupted from every direction, rapidly converting the Destroyer into little more than a massive pile of scrap metal. Edi's voice confirmed all their hopes. "Destroyer terminated."

"Nice work, everyone." Shepard sat back on her haunches as she continued, "Next stop, the beam to the Citadel."

Anderson chimed in, "Excellent job, Shepard! We're on our way to your location; we'll pick you up and prep for the final run. Wait where you are."

As she acknowledged Anderson's order, Liara stepped up and knelt down beside her with an eezo drink, shoving it into Shepard's gauntleted hand. "No arguments. Drink it."

Shepard tipped it up without protest, draining the contents of the pouch quickly. It caused a tremor through her whole body and her eyes snapped wide open as she looked at Liara. "What in the Hell was _in_ that?"

The Asari didn't answer at first; instead, she raised her omnitool and completed a quick scan. "Better." She dropped her arm and leaned in to kiss Sam gently on the cheek. "I received a message from Karin, who is monitoring _all_ our vitals from aboard the Normandy. Your entire system was crashing. Not only your eezo levels, but your blood sugar and electrolytes were also at critically low levels. Karin expected it and provided a few of those to me... just in case."

Shepard harrumphed and asked, "Why didn't she just give them to me?"

"Because she knew you would most likely wait until it was almost too late to do any good, and they wouldn't be nearly as effective then." Liara cocked a brow marking as she finished, daring Sam to contradict the statement.

Instead, Shepard simply chuckled and stood up. "Gotta love Aunt Karin; she knows me all too well." Remembering Rodriguez, her laughter vanished and her focus shifted to the top of the building across the intersection. "Garrus. You're awfully quiet. You guys okay up there?"

Garrus sounded disgusted as he answered, "Yeah, but our _exit_ isn't. Damn Destroyer took out the stairwell when it went down... Hell, it took out half the damned _building_. We'll have to backtrack to find a way down to the street level. You'll have to move forward without us when Anderson gets there. I have no idea how long it will take us... and the Crucible can't wait, Shepard." He paused as he inspected the street below his position and then reported, "I see the transport now; Anderson will be there in only a couple more minutes."

He was right, of course, and Shepard wished him luck as she watched the transport climbing over the last pile of rubble between it and their location. Almost before it stopped rolling, the hatch popped and Anderson leapt out. "_Shepard_! Thank God you made it!"

"It was a bit dicey on occasion, but we got here." She turned and followed the Admiral as he walked by her to look at the beam. "And now we have to get _there_."

"Yes, we do; and no time to waste. Hackett just reported that several Sovereign-class Reapers, including Harbinger, have broken off from the battle with Sword and are headed this way."

"_Harbinger_?" Shepard turned and glanced at her team; they were all tired, but there was no time for rest, especially after Anderson's next words.

"It's an opportunity for Hackett to get the Crucible in place, but that means we have to get a team onto the Citadel to open those arms. _Now_."

Shepard's head snapped around. "Then there's no time like the present, Anderson. Let's get in that transport and get moving!"

Anderson nodded in agreement. "Alright. Saddle up, everybody." As everyone climbed into the transport, Shepard gave one last glance to the rooftops and waved before boarding and slamming the hatch closed behind her.

Garrus sighed heavily as he watched Shepard and her squad enter the transport below them. He docked his Widow on its hardpoint; drawing his modified Phaeston, he walked up to his waiting squad, which now included Jack and her three remaining students, Jason Prangley, Reiley Bellarmine, and his sister Seanne. "Okay, any ideas how we get down from here?"

"Vakarian General," Legion responded. "This platform is capable of falling to the ground from this height without taking damage. It is unfortunate I am unable to provide a similarly safe way off this building for you and your team."

Jack, apparently somewhat recovered from seeing Ensign Rodriguez vaporized in front of her, had been studying the gap between the parapet of their building and that of the next building to south and east. In a subdued voice, she said, "I can get us across, but ain't nobody gonna like the way it needs to be done."

Garrus had learned to trust the tattooed woman's instincts concerning survival… hers, and those around her. He vibrated his mandibles as he said, "I'll listen to anything you have to say, Jack."

"Lift…" she created a biotic lift that enveloped Jason Prangley, "… and toss," she said, before gently using a scaled down version of 'throw' to slowly float the student over the gap between buildings and allowing him to touchdown just past the edge of the adjacent building's parapet. Speaking into her comms unit, she said, "Okay, Prangley, ball's in your court, only you need to use a pull to get Reiley and Seanne across to join you. I'll send Garrus and Tali."

* * *

Hammer drew up to the edge of a huge crater that forced the transport to stop. As they all started to disembark, Anderson glanced at the now much closer beam. "From here on in, it's a direct line to that beam."

Major Coats snorted, "A straight shot with Reapers trying to crush us along the way."

"Yeah, it _sucks_." Vega shrugged as he hopped down onto the war-torn street. "But we only need to get a handful of troops through. I can't imagine them being prepared for us to actually make it _aboard_; they're too damned arrogant! A small force should be _more_ than enough to get it done."

"I agree," Shepard nodded as she spoke. "And I can't think of anyone else I'd rather do this with."

"Except maybe Vakarian." Liara's face reflected a bit of sadness. She was glad, in a way, that their Turian friend _wasn't_ with them because that meant as long as someone from the current team made it to the beam, Garrus would most likely survive the war and live out his life with Desis Vyessan; she knew very well the chances of surviving the actual _run_ were much lower. "I know you would have preferred to have had him by your side, Shepard, and I know he wanted to be here. _I_ certainly wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

Shepard gave her a thankful glance and echoed back the love and appreciation she felt surge through the link from the Asari. She peered over the edge of the gaping hole and spoke into her comms. "Wrex? You guys ready on the Western flank?"

The Krogan barked back, "Ready? We've been here waiting on you for what seems like forever. I have no idea how many Reapers we killed while you wasted time with that Destroyer."

Shepard grinned. "Good, because we're here and ready to go."

"As are we, Shepard." Major Kirrahe's voice chimed in. "Eastern flank is secured. You won't have any surprises from this side!"

"Good to know, Major! We're assembling now. We are a go for..." Shepard's voice trailed off as the one thing they didn't want to see suddenly dropped out of the smoke and clouds of an already menacing night sky; Harbinger accompanied his ill-time arrival with the deafening sound of a massive foghorn and settled squarely on the ground, directly behind the structure surrounding the entry to the beam.

Anderson drew his pistol and shouted, "We've gotta move!" Shepard whipped out her Graal and jumped off the edge, dropping approximately three meters to the rock ledge below as Anderson called out on his comms, "Hammer squads - This is it! Get to that beam! Go, go, go!"

The mobile artillery started rolling, the combined Human and Turian assault force moving as quickly as possible across the lower plain. The Elcor remained behind, firing their heavy weapons, along with the Krogan pressing in from the West. The Asari and Salarians cooperated from the East, launching heavy weapons and missiles of every kind at Harbinger, all having seemingly no effect.

The few Reaper spawn that remained on the lower level fell quickly, not only at the hands of the galactic assault force, but also from Harbinger's indiscriminate use of its own very deadly primary weapon. The speed with which the juggernaut could repeatedly use its massive energy weapon spoke volumes about the size of its power source; it fired almost continuously in a totally devastating attack on anything moving across the final space to the beam. Shepard was much faster than Liara or James and sprinted ahead. Riana may have been able to keep pace utilizing her Vanguard charge, but opted to stay with her principal, the Lady T'Soni, as they ran forward into almost certain death.

Liara couldn't help herself and screamed, "Shepard!" as she watched an energy bolt strike much too close to the commander, blasting one of the Makos out of existence and shoving Samantha roughly to the right. The commander simply regained her balance and kept moving forward, albeit at a slower pace than her original charge.

_The fucker's not even aiming! He's just blasting anything and everything as fast as he can! _Shepard continued to run, even as she growled deep in her throat at the utter and complete disregard for life the Reapers held for the entire galaxy. As yet another Mako and the crew within was vaporized on her right, she did a quick combat roll to her left in a failed attempt to avoid the shrapnel from the explosion. She felt her barriers weakening with each blow, but gritted her teeth and pressed on.

Shepard slowed her pace a bit as she slid down a steep embankment to the next level, but when she vanished from sight over the ledge, Liara couldn't stand it anymore. _{Goddess! Samantha! Please slow down... Don't leave me behind!}_

The commander spared a quick glance back over her shoulder, easily locating both Liara and Riana as they crested the ridge and then spotting the lumbering mountain named Vega just a few paces behind them. Shepard was torn between her need to see Liara safely through the charge and the necessity to get to the beam and onto the Citadel, so still continued forward, but at a much slower pace, giving them an opportunity to catch up.

The group following had begun to close the gap when a large explosion very near her drew Shepard's full attention back to the dangerous foe before them. Her head snapped up to see a Mako flipping through the air and heading directly toward her path. With no time to dodge away, she went to the ground and slid, praying she stopped in time. As she skidded to a stop, the Mako crashed to the ground directly in front of her with a sickening crunch; staying hunkered down and using the Mako as cover, she glanced back as she waited for the trio to catch up. _{Come __**on**__, Liara!}_

Much to her horror, Shepard heard another explosion and could only watch as both Liara's and Riana's heads snapped up with looks of dread flashing across their faces; she saw the _shadow_ before she saw a second Mako plunge nose first into the ground and tumble over backwards, directly upon the spot where she had seen Liara standing mere moments before. Shepard blasted to her feet, her eyes wide with terror, very similar to the expressions on Liara's face just before she had vanished behind the Mako amid flying rocks and debris. "_No_!"

* * *

James panted with effort to keep up with the Asari, but he absolutely _refused_ to let them get _too_ far ahead. He had learned long ago that Shepard was his superior in many more ways than one, but wasn't quite ready to also cede that superiority to the Asari before him. _It's their damned leather and light armor that gives them the advantage... that's all!_

He saw Shepard dive to the ground just ahead and almost sighed in relief, knowing now the commander would wait for them. His relief was short-lived as he watched yet another Mako suddenly come flying at them from behind where Shepard had stayed for cover. He was horrified to see Liara and Riana freeze in indecision for a moment too long; in that instant, he knew they had sealed their fate and would never get out of the way in time.

_Uncle Emilio, forgive me_. Knowing full well he would have nothing left for the rest of the fight, Vega pushed himself forward with every last bit of his endurance and charged into the path of the Mako. Liara, with Riana attempting to push her faster, had just begun to move when James slammed into Riana's side, violently shoving both of them sideways, and hopefully away from, the tumbling vehicle.

Riana grunted from Vega's impact as all the air left her lungs in an unexpected forced exhale. She spun past Liara, but didn't lose the grip she had on the Lady T'Soni's shoulder pad and managed to pull her mistress along with her as the Mako smashed to the ground only a meter behind them. It exploded, throwing them both an additional five meters from the wreck.

Shepard suddenly appeared to be flying toward them, having used her biotics to aid in a jump onto and then off the underside of the burning Mako. She landed on her feet and looked at Riana for only a moment. The Asari waved her off, more concerned for Liara than herself; she had heard her cry out in pain as they hit the ground and tumbled across the rock-hard surface. The commander moved swiftly to Liara's side, where her Promised was holding her leg as she writhed in pain. The commander scooped her up from the dirt and hastily moved into cover behind the flipped Mako.

It was apparent that Anderson had given Hammer instructions to protect Shepard during the run; she didn't have time to think about it, but as soon as she had run back, several Alliance soldiers and two Makos instantly roared in to flank and protect them. She eased Liara down behind cover and slipped the Asari's arm from around her shoulders; that was when she saw Vega. He was unconscious, his entire lower body crushed under the still-rocking wreck. "Damn it! Riana! Tend to Liara." Raising her voice, she cried out, "Someone give me a hand, here!"

An unknown Alliance infantryman ran up and grabbed ahold of one of Vega's arms while Shepard grabbed the other. Together, they pulled the almost certainly dying Marine from under the vehicle. Shepard immediately called the ship. "Normandy, do you copy? I need an evac, right _now_!"

"Damn it, Shepard! Make it _fast_! Evac zones don't _come_ any hotter than this!" Joker must have already been on approach to Harbinger to take part in the fight because it was literally only seconds before the Normandy circled around the crater and settled down to float a few meters from the surface, lowering the ramp as she dropped from the sky. A group of four soldiers grabbed onto Vega, hefted him up and started toward the lowering ramp as Shepard assisted Riana in getting Liara to her feet; it was obvious the Asari's right leg was injured badly enough that it was incapable of supporting her weight.

As James vanished quickly up the ramp and into the care of waiting medics, Shepard slipped out from under Liara's arm and passed her off completely to Riana. "Liara. I need that last drink Karin gave you."

"Of course." Liara fished it out and quickly handed it over, thinking Samantha was going to drink it right away. Instead, the commander tucked it in one of her storage pockets and pushed strength to Liara through the link as she turned to leave.

Liara understood instantly that Shepard was returning to the fight and protested as tears began to stream down her face in earnest. "Shepard, _no_! Don't you _dare_ leave me behind again!"

Shepard replied, "I'm sorry, Liara! You know I _have_ to do this... but you can't even _walk_, so _have_ to stay behind. For me... You have to _live_, Liara, or all this will have been for nothing... I can't go on without the hope of a future with you. To do _this_?" Her hand waved, indicating everything going on outside the Normandy. "I _have_ to know you made it out of this _alive_!" She suddenly and very unexpectedly smirked. "Besides, I still have a Chakwas _mystery_ drink." Samantha's gauntleted hand came up and gently stroked Liara's cheek one last time as the volume of her husky voice dropped to what counted as an intimate whisper amidst the noise of battle. "No matter _what_ happens, you mean _everything_ to me, Liara. You always will!"

"Goddess, _Shepard_..." Liara _knew_ Sam was correct, but it didn't make the situation any easier to accept. "If you insist on continuing _onward_, you need everything you can _get_... " Tears flooded down Liara's face as she reached for the commander, her arm falling short as Shepard backed away, afraid the Asari's touch would make her change her mind. Liara's arm stayed extended anyway as she pushed every iota of extra energy she _had_ back to Shepard.

She sagged weakly into Riana's arms as she continued, "Come back to me, Samantha. _Please_." She spoke more, but her words were drowned out by the sounds of battle exploding around them as the distance between them grew... but Samantha heard it through their link loud and clear as she turned and ran for the beam. _ {__Siame__. I…I am __**yours**__.}_


	64. The Final Push

Notes:

_Nara_ \- literally "bearer"; one who shoulders another's burden, aids others (Thessian)

_Siame_ \- "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)

_Sim're_ \- "sister of my sister", not intended for relations, meaning a dear friend's loved one

XO - Executive Officer

* * *

**The Final Push**

**SSV Orizaba, At Large, Sol**

As Commander Samantha Shepard had dropped into the pit to start their suicide run, Rear Admiral Hannah Shepard had stared at the image of Fleet Admiral Hackett in stunned disbelief. "Sir?"

Hackett's face had born his trademark frown as he repeated himself. "You heard me _correctly_ Hannah. Your daughter and David are on the brink of the crater, beginning the run across the final leg of the operation. Most of the Sovereign class Reapers are on their way down in an attempt to intercept them, so it's time for you to get the Crucible moving. We actually have a _chance_. It's a window we can't afford to miss, so get your ass over here to London."

"Understood, Sir. I'll notify the fleet." As soon as Hackett's voice had faded out, Hannah had looked to the ship's XO. "Here we go." She activated the fleet-wide broadcast channel and started speaking. "All ships, this is Admiral Shepard. Operation Deliverance is a _go_. _I repeat, Deliverance is a go!_ The _Crucible_ is on the move. Protect it at all costs." She paused momentarily before adding, "Everyone... my _daughter_ has given us this chance. Let's not waste it." Thrusters throughout the combined remnants of the Alliance 1st, 3rd and 5th Fleets fired and, excruciatingly slowly, the Crucible and its escort fleet began to move.

* * *

**London, Earth, Sol**

With her hand outstretched looking to hold the one she loved and eyes pleading for Commander Samantha Shepard to stay... even though she _knew_ it was impossible... Dr Liara T'Soni whispered desperately, "_Siame_. I…I am _yours_." Then, she could do nothing but watch helplessly as Samantha turned away and ran back into the fray, toward Harbinger and the beam. If it hadn't been for Riana, Liara would have collapsed onto the Normandy's loading ramp, body and soul broken and inconsolable. Instead, her First supported her, kept her standing, and matter-of-factly stated, "She is _Nara_… She does what she must."

Hearing Riana's voice snapped Liara from her funk and she suddenly growled quietly to herself, "By all the Goddess holds dear, I'll not lose her again! Not to this!" Liara's voice was angry as she balanced herself on her good leg and brusquely pushed Riana's supporting arms away, finding strength in her rage. "I have rarely _demanded_ anything of you, Riana, but this I must." Tears streamed down her face, more from the ache in her soul than the pain from her knee, as she turned her pleading eyes to the Vanguard beside her. "I am on the _Normandy_, as safe as one can possibly _be_ in this damned war. As my First, I command that you _go_; go with her and bring her back to me _safe_, Riana Iregos."

Riana stared at her principle for a moment before she felt the Normandy's ventral thrusters engage; she glanced at the slowly closing ramp and saw the ground outside begin to gradually fall away as the frigate lifted and began to turn. With no time to decide, she took an initial step back and turned one last time to Liara. "Should something happen to me, promise me you'll take care of Sammi?"

"Of _course_..." Liara's tears fell faster and her vision blurred as she continued, "... but you will _both_ come back to me, so it will not be necessary."

With a last nod of acknowledgement, Riana turned and ran off the end of the closing ramp, to vanish into the darkness. Edi had come down from the Bridge to lend her mechanical strength, as well as her battle skills, to help guard the open and vulnerable Normandy while they extracted the wounded. She observed Liara's plea and moved to support the Asari as Riana stepped away. She gently slipped an arm around Liara and whispered, "They will come home to us, Dr T'Soni. We will still need them and Shepard will never leave a job undone. Now, come... we must get you to the Medical Bay."

Liara grimaced in pain and tried to remain stoic against the feeling of dread spreading through her chest as she limped her way slowly through the ship with Edi's assistance. _Oh, for such faith._

Dr Karin Chakwas took one look at Liara and knew no medical treatment could fix her breaking heart, but she _could_ ease the pain of the dislocated knee, her wounded thigh, shoulder, and the multitude of other small cuts and contusions. As Karin approached with a hypo spray, Liara silently waved it off. "Liara, this is going to _hurt_... a _lot_. It would be better to sedate you for the procedure and for you to get some rest."

Liara just shook her head no, wanting to be awake to monitor Sam's progress, best she could. She could sleep later, _after_, if she heard something… _anything_. She looked at Karin, the full weight of the situation turning her normally vibrant blue eyes into murky pools of despair as tears continued to stream down her cheeks. Liara's voice was guarded as she spoke in hushed tones, forcing the doctor to strain to hear her above the din in the medical bay. "Goddess, Karin. I can't... I... I _need_ to know what happens! What will I do if she doesn't _make_ it? I can't lose her! Not _again_!"

Karin spoke quickly to a med tech and closed on Liara with a sorrowful expression, sitting down beside her and enveloping the Asari in a hug. Liara was not only a patient, she was also a cherished friend. Karin held her tightly and rubbed her back, whispering it would be okay and urging her to have a bit more faith in the indomitable Samantha Shepard. Liara held on for dear life, wracked with sobs… before screaming in surprise and pain as the med tech grasped her lower leg and reset the knee joint. Liara's vision first grayed, then narrowed… then everything got quiet, the extremely sharp pain fading away as she sank quickly into unconsciousness.

With a quick nod of thanks to the tech, Karin laid Liara gently back and immediately completed a quick scan. Fortunately, there was nothing serious, just the painful dislocation, a minor concussion, and some bruised ribs along with the standard fare of weapons wounds. Physically, Liara would recuperate quickly; the rest would all depend on Shepard now, though if the Commander failed, the rest probably wouldn't matter anyway. Dr Chakwas sighed heavily and turned Liara's treatment over to the med tech before moving to James Vega. The techs had prepped him for surgery and he needed help immediately; Karin had no time to waste.

* * *

**Normandy SR-2, Earth, Sol**

Liara slowly opened her eyes, confused, not sure where she was… then reality snapped back into place and she forced herself up, quickly regretting such a rapid movement as her vision started to gray again. Dizzy, she sat still for a moment and let her head catch up to her body, then looked around apprehensively, wondering how much time had passed. The med tech quickly walked over to her and said, "Don't worry Dr T'Soni... it's only been about five minutes. We've heard nothing new. You can get up, but you need to use a cane, and _please_, go slowly and rest when you need to. If you slip or pass out and hit the deck, the doc will revise your concussion status. You… don't want that. You'd be restricted to bed rest, and Dr Chakwas would be adamant about it… You _know_ how she gets!"

Liara failed miserably at her attempt to give the tech an appreciative smile, her expression coming across more as a grimace than anything. Having known the doctor for over three years, Liara was well aware of the protectiveness Karin had for her patients, especially when it came to Shepard and herself. The tech nodded in understanding and handed her the cane. "Please be careful. I _don't_ want to see you back here anytime soon."

Liara moved out with purpose. As soon as the door opened, she realized the truth of the tech's words... it was as if no time had passed at all… the mess hall was still cluttered with injured from the evac. People were running, shouting, and some even jamming nutrient paste into their mouths while on the move; weapons and armor were being collected and prepped for reissue and troop redeployments. The room was a cacophony of chaos and, even with the ship's inertial dampeners, Liara could tell the Normandy was still in full combat. She dropped her armor and weapons just inside the door to her office, rather than take the time to return everything to their loft armory locker; she needed to get to the war room to find out what was happening before she drove herself crazy with worry. Working her way to the elevator, she stepped in and once again the world went quiet as the doors closed and the elevator started its leisurely rise, grating on her nerves with its sluggishness.

The command deck was eerily quiet compared to the rest of the ship. Ashley was standing in front of the galaxy map projector, currently displaying a graphical representation of the current situation outside the ship. Liara could also see Joker in the distance, on the bridge, and hesitated. She knew she should thank Edi, but couldn't make herself take the time… instead, she turned right and headed immediately to the War Room. The doors and security scan required for admittance to the passageway were frustratingly slow. _Goddess, why can't anything on this ship move faster!_

She finally stepped into the War Room and was once again faced with a world in motion, as message runners and information technicians moved quickly at their jobs. She pinched the bridge of her nose and squinted her eyes, fighting feelings of nausea and doubt. Admiral Hackett watched her enter and nodded in quick recognition and welcome, then focused again on the task at hand. Liara limped down the stairs to the main level and hobbled up to the circular planning table that dominated the center of the room, acknowledging Samantha Traynor's strained smile as she focused on the constant chatter from the open communications feed in the background; Liara listened as she attempted to assess the state of the battle from the holographic projection in front of her.

_"God…they're all gone."_

"_Did we get __**anyone**__ to the beam?"_

"_Negative, our entire force was decimated!"_

_Oh, Goddess! The entire force? Shepard? No! _ Again, Liara's vision grayed, then narrowed… She desperately gripped the table edge for support and, concussion be damned, cast her mind out to find her lover's consciousness in the void. When she encountered nothing but thundering silence, concussive pain and despair collided in her head and she sank rapidly into oblivion.

Admiral Hackett had also heard the impromptu status report and looked to Liara in time to see her face go pale, but was on the wrong side of the table to get to her in time. He shouted a warning and Samantha Traynor's head snapped up from the display on her status board; it was by no means graceful, but the specialist somehow managed to catch the unconscious Asari under the arms and lowered her gingerly to the floor. Hackett sighed in both relief and disappointment. _Damn it, Liara!_ "Yeoman, get Dr T'Soni back to the med bay, ASAP!"

Once again, there was nothing fast about the exit from the War Room or the movement of the elevator, but Dr Liara T'Soni was beyond caring.

* * *

**London, Earth, Sol**

Shepard glanced back one last time to watch the retreating Normandy. Whether it was the darkness of the sky or simply that Riana's dark brown leathers provided camouflage in the smoke and haze of the battle, it didn't matter; either way, Shepard failed to see the lithe brown form plummet from the rising Normandy to tuck and roll as the Vanguard hit the ground. Immediately back on her feet, the Asari's eyes scanned the horizon, searching for the commander. She could not see her, but knew her destination, so took off running. _If nowhere else, I will locate her when we reach the beam._

Another close blast threw Shepard down to the ground on her left side and she felt something dig in. She attempted to bolster her shields as she rolled to her feet, but discovered her generator getting low on power; her shields rose to only 72% before its eezo power source had nothing left to give. Harbinger's voice echoed across the entire crater. **"Hope is irrelevant."**

Shepard glared at the machine as she began running again, forced to use a moving Mako as mobile cover. It worked for only a few steps... until Harbinger's beam swept across their path, blasting the Mako and causing it to explode. The explosion flipped Shepard around and slammed her face down in the dirt; her shield failed and, as the beam ripped violently across her back, she felt extreme pain and was cast violently into darkness with Harbinger's last words echoing in her mind. **"You have failed."**

* * *

Having no idea how much time had passed, Shepard opened her eyes and groaned in pain, slowly pushing herself out of the dirt. The jagged edges of what little remained of her armor grated across her skin and she realized every weapon that had been docked on her back was gone. Her backplate and weapons had most likely saved her life, but had been vaporized by taking the brunt of the damned last blast from Harbinger; she was bewildered to find herself still _alive_. She reached cautiously across the link in hope of finding Liara and bumped against an unconscious mind. A thin, thankful smile hit the commander's lips; Liara had made it to the Normandy and the ship had escaped the atmosphere. Her beloved _lived_; that was all that mattered.

She blinked a couple of times to clear her vision and refocused on the beam. Harbinger was nowhere in sight and Shepard silently hoped he had not left to pursue the Normandy. _That arrogant bastard left the job unfinished... It will be his undoing! _She began to peel off the jagged-edged armor as she staggered forward; her motion was jerky and uncoordinated at first so she had to concentrate on what she was doing... simply to _walk_! She remembered the eezo drink in her storage pocket and pulled it out, sucking the contents down quickly and pressing on before her temporary surge of energy faded. It got easier as she moved, her muscles falling back on the hardened memory of a warrior as she blocked out and began to ignore the pain, focusing solely on her goal.

She caught a flash of motion originating near the beam center... husks! Knowing her biotics were weak from so much use getting to _this_ point, she drew the only reliable weapon remaining to her, the Arc Pistol in her thigh holster. Her military training took over and she took a deep breath before very calmly and efficiently placing a single shot in each of their heads, dropping them quickly and moving on. She tripped over a dead Alliance Marine and didn't see the Marauder step out of the beam until the first few rounds from its assault rifle ripped painfully into her exposed left side. Growling, she snapped the pistol back up and buried three quick shots into its skull.

She paused for a very brief moment and pressed her left forearm against the new wound to stem the flow of blood before glancing back across the field behind her, strewn with the bodies of what used to be the allied assault force. Humans, Turians, Krogan, Asari... _You will not have given your lives in vain. I promise you._ She turned and, without further hesitation, stepped resolutely into the beam.

* * *

**Crucible, Citadel, Sol System**

Shepard landed hard and rolled across a metallic floor, which she hoped was somewhere within the Citadel... though it was nowhere she recognized. She felt better about her situation when suddenly, somehow, Anderson's voice was in her ear. "Shepard."

She pushed herself up out of the puddle of her own blood and immediately returned pressure to her left side where the damned Marauder had pegged her, regretting the loss of her medigel in the blast from Harbinger. "Anderson? You made it up here too?"

"Yeah. I followed you up, but we obviously didn't come out at the same place... at least I don't think we did, since I don't see you anywhere near me. What do your surroundings look like? I've lived on the Citadel for _years_ and I have no idea where I am."

"Me neither, Anderson. We must be in some section of the Keeper tunnels." She grunted in pain as she turned to look up the hallway to see what else was around her. "I hope we're not too far from where we need to be... not sure how far I'll make it."

"You okay?" The admiral had suddenly transformed into her Uncle Dave, his voice dripping with concern.

Shepard tried to make light of the situation as she responded, "I feel like death, but I'm moving. Takes more than some crappy Marauder to take me down." She moved forward, revolted by all the bodies and ... _parts_... of bodies the Reapers had collected here and saw an occasional Keeper picking at the piles. "It's disgusting. It's dark and there are people's remains scattered everywhere."

"Same here. I'm also in a dark hallway... reminds me of your description of the Collector Base behind the Omega-4 Relay." Anderson coughed. "I never thought I'd have to see it in person."

Shepard worked her way up the hallway, "Makes sense, seeing as the Collectors got their technology from the Reapers. I just hope they're not making another Human proto-Reaper here; don't think I'm in good enough shape to survive another fight like _that_ one."

"God. I don't even want to _think_ about that; you almost didn't survive the _first_ one! Let's just figure out where we need to be and get the Crucible docked. _End_ this nightmare."

"You'll get no argument from me, Anderson." Shepard saw another Keeper picking through more remains and she resisted an almost overpowering urge to shoot it, realizing it was most likely trying to clean up the mess the Reapers were leaving behind. "The sooner we blow these bastards back to Hell, the better off we'll be. I'm going to keep moving."

"The tubes can't go on forever... " As Anderson was speaking, Shepard heard a mechanical sound, as if an engine had engaged somewhere. Anderson let out an exclamation of surprise and continued. "_Whoa_! One of the walls here just... _realigned_ itself. The place is _shifting_. Changing. I can see an _opening_ ahead of me now!"

Shepard was glad Uncle Dave couldn't see _her_, grimacing in pain as she moved past another Citadel Keeper. She ignored the strange looking creature, just as it ignored her as she passed by thinking _… Whatever else the Protheans were, or may have done during their war with the Reapers, sending a science team here from Ilos 50,000 years ago to modify the Keepers may have contributed as much to us having a chance of winning this conflict as anything done before or since_.

Being too caught up in what was going on around him, Anderson failed to notice her contemplative silence and continued his narrative as he moved forward. "I see something ahead… maybe a way to cross over."

"Don't get too far ahead of me," she replied, wishing he would stop and wait for her. As Sam continued to move towards the far end of the passage, she tripped over some poor bastard's leg, causing her to stumble and fall. She tightened her jaw to keep from screaming in pain as she breathed rapidly through her nose until she had herself back under control. She stared at the offending body part that had caused her fall; the leg had the remnants of an Alliance Marine's uniform and boot, and appeared to have simply been ripped from its owners body and cast aside. Thinking back to the Collector Ship, she remembered that whole bodies had not been needed; since everything was turned into some sort of soupy organic paste, individual body parts would suffice just fine.

Pushing up off the floor, she paused to recover her balance before starting to move again; she was able to make it to the end of the passage without further incident. A pair of colossal doors parted noisily in the middle to slide along hidden rails to the edge of an enormous opening, revealing a vast chasm curving gently away from her in both directions; the middle of each chasm had a solid row of gigantic, silver-colored metal plates installed at three meter intervals.

"Anderson." Shepard realized she wasn't that far behind. "Just found that chasm you were talking about."

"Hold on…" he said. "I see something… a control panel, maybe." A few moments passed, then, "I'm just going to go on ahead to check…" His transmission started cutting out about halfway through, then disappeared into static.

Several of the plates revealed themselves to be constructed of multiple thin panels, assembled in a tapered form; accompanied by crackling discharges of electricity, the outer portions began sliding away from their mates as they descended into the slots in which they were installed. Shepard instantly realized what she was looking at. _Probably some sort of power regulation equipment. I'll bet the Shadow Broker got that technology for his ship from the damned __**Reapers**__! Damn, I am __**so**__ glad everyone got off that ship!_

Realizing she had allowed herself to get distracted, she refocused and became conscious of the fact her uncle had fallen silent; she tried raising him on the comms. "Anderson?… _Anderson_!"

She cursed her slow progress when no answer was forthcoming and attempted to pick up her pace. To her right, a narrow path hugged the outer wall of this massive chamber, leading to what she hoped was a safe way across to the inner wall. _At least there are no bodies or keepers to stumble over in here,_ she thought solemnly. She limped along the narrow ledge as quickly as she dared, until she came to a path that dipped down between the arcing plates, the far end of which ran up between a pair of substantial support beams to an opening in the central column.

Her entire body hurt… the only thing keeping her going was sheer will power and her stubborn refusal to give up as long as she drew breath, as long as she could repeatedly place one foot in front of the other. Her legs were literally on fire as she began ascending the long, uphill ramp to the inner core of this place. After pausing to rest several times, she made it to the top and, after a quick look around, slowly entered the central chamber; on the far side of a circular platform, she could see Anderson leaning over some sort of control interface atop a pedestal.

"Anderson! You found it!"

The old soldier's head came up at this; he slowly stood erect, turned, then staggered slightly as he replied, "Shepard! I can't…"

A voice she had hoped to never hear again rang in her ears. "I underestimated you, Shepard."

Samantha struggled to turn, feeling as if her body was even less in her control than before... as if it was being controlled from outside. "What have…" It was her foulest nightmare brought to life – the Illusive Man was walking very deliberately toward her, as alertly as a snake coiled to strike; worse still, he had company in the person of Maya Brooks, walking beside her boss, pointing the barrel of what appeared to be an M-11 Suppressor straight at her unarmored chest. Brooks halted her forward progress and sidestepped a bit to keep Shepard clearly in her sights as her boss moved past Shepard towards Anderson.

He appeared to be in no hurry as he continued speaking in an almost conversational tone. "I _warned_ you… _Control_ is the means to survival. Control of the Reapers… and of _you_, if necessary."

At this, Anderson ground out, "They're controlling _you_!"

TIM dismissively replied, "I don't _think_ so, Admiral." To her horror, Shepard could see burns on the Illusive Man's face, neck and upper chest, quickly realizing that what _used_ to be concealed beneath was now exposed... glowing _circuitry_, better suited to a machine-hybrid, much like what she had seen with Saren.

Similar to what she had accomplished with the dead Spectre, Shepard hoped she could remind TIM of his humanity and convince him the path he had chosen to follow was the wrong one. "Why waste your time with _us_ if you can control the _Reapers_?" His answer surprised her.

"Because… I need _you_ to believe. When humanity discovered the Mass Relays, when we learned there was more to the galaxy than we imagined… there were some who thought the relays should be destroyed… they were scared of what we'd find… _terrified_ of what we might let in." Shepard began to regret her query as he became more agitated, more animated. "But look at what humanity has achieved! Since that discovery we've advanced more than the past 10,000 years _combined_. And the Reapers will do the same for us again. A _thousand_ fold. But…"

He paused as he moved closer to Shepard, causing her to bring her left hand up to pinch her forehead between thumb and fingers in an attempt to ease the sudden onset of the worst headache she had ever had. As she dropped her hand, she raised her pistol with her right hand and aimed it at Admiral Anderson. _No! This cannot be happening!_ But it _was_ happening, as if her arm and the hand wielding the handgun was no longer under her control… she could not, try as she might, lower her arm or even drop the damned gun.

The Illusive Man continued speaking as if he had never paused. "… only if we can harness their ability to _control_."

Shepard glanced at Maya, still holding a pistol aimed at her, as Anderson spat out, "_Bullshit_! We destroy _them_, or they destroy _us_."

"And _waste_ this opportunity?" Harper wasn't being swayed by either of them. "_Never_."

Samantha decided to try a different approach. "Maybe you're just so hungry for power that it's clouded your vision."

This last observation seemed to have struck a nerve. "No… _no_! It's not that simple."

Still unable to lower her right arm, she countered with, "Isn't it? You're willing to give up _anything_ for control."

Surprisingly, he _agreed_ with her. "Yes! If not me, then _who_? _You_ aren't going to control the Reapers; you only want to _destroy_ them! I've dedicated my entire _life_ to understanding them... and now, thanks to your... _contribution_... of the Prothean VI, I know with certainty that the Crucible _will_ allow me to control them…" He brought a hypospray out of his pocket and held it up for all to see. "And _this_? This will allow me to control _you_!"

A look of distaste flashed across his face but it was gone in an instant. "Operative _Lawson_ wanted to implant this control chip in your brain when Cerberus brought you back to life three years ago; I was afraid it would interfere with who you were, so I kept her from doing so. I have lived to _regret_ that decision… and it's something I intend to correct today."

"And then what? Controlling _me_ isn't the same thing as controlling a _Reaper_… and certainly not _thousands_ of them."

Shepard attempted to move as Jack nonchalantly strolled towards her; her feet may just as well have been glued to the deck she was standing on. He stayed out of her line of fire as he raised a hand, glowing blue with apparent biotic energy. Saying, "Look at the power they wield," he clenched his fist; seemingly of its own volition, Shepard's finger convulsed on the trigger and the gun she was holding fired, hitting the Admiral in the abdomen as the Illusive Man concluded, "Look at what they can _do_!"

As Anderson staggered from the impact, Shepard thought, _Gods! No! What have I done? That bastard made me shoot Uncle Dave!_ Sweat streamed down her face with effort, but try as she might, she could not bring the gun around to aim at Jack. _How in Hell am I supposed to fight this?_ Her mind probed the link in search of Liara, but she found nothing... Somehow, the link had been blocked from the moment she had stepped into the beam; as a last resort, she looked imploringly at Maya Brooks, who suddenly refused to meet her eyes. Looking back at TIM, she said sadly, "I see what they did to _you_."

"I took what I _wanted_ from them! Made it my own! This isn't about me _or_ you. It's about things so much bigger than _all_ of us."

Unexpectedly, Anderson still had a bit of fight left in him, growling out to Shepard, "He's _wrong_. Don't _listen_ to him, Sam!"

Seemingly surprised at this, Jack moved up behind the admiral and easily slipped the heavy pistol from Anderson's right side weapons dock, sneering, "And who _will_ you listen to, Shepard? An old soldier, stuck in his ways, only able to see the world down the barrel of a gun? And what if he's wrong? What if controlling the Reapers _is_ the answer?"

Shepard was fading fast. She wanted to be done with this seemingly endless debate and have a chance to save Anderson; she knew, unfortunately from _very_ recent personal experience, that gut wounds were painful... and had heard more than once that they were a horrible way to die. Ever since she had stepped into the central chamber, she had been unable to stem the flow of blood from the wound in her side, her hands doing _other_ things over which she had no control. Since she had no medigel remaining with which to treat the injury and wasn't able to keep pressure on it, each time the Illusive Man made her twist or turn, it reopened a little bit more as the caked surface of the blood clot slowly broke apart. Exhausted, she huffed, "Then open the damned arms, let the Crucible dock, and use it to _end_ this."

The Illusive Man moved away from the admiral and brought the heavy pistol to bear on the back of Anderson's head. Sensing the end was near, Maya circled behind Shepard and closed the distance; keeping her gun aimed at the commander's head but placing the commander between herself and the Illusive Man. She stopped within a meter of Shepard as Jack glanced approvingly at her and concluded with, "You just refuse to _understand_, Shepard… You'd undo _everything_ I've accomplished. I won't let that happen."

"But _I_ will!" Something in the tone of her voice made the Illusive Man turn his full attention to Maya and his expression instantly changed from cocky confidence to fearful regret. The only person in the chamber Jack Harper had neglected to control had shifted her aim; arm out straight, she now had her M-11 aimed directly at _him_, and the last words he ever heard as he hurried to refocus Anderson's pistol on his top agent were a disrespectful, "So long, _Jack_!"

Maya fired her M-11 as she uttered the last word – the round neatly entered Jack's forehead just off center, above his left eyebrow. The passage of time seemingly slowed to a barely perceptible crawl as a look of shocked surprise instantly replaced the fearful regret from a heartbeat before; the light in his artificial eyes slowly dimmed in step with the tiny bit of alloy plowing through his indoctrinated brain... and went completely dark as the bullet violently exited the back of his skull in an explosion of scalp covered bone fragments, pulpy grey flesh and a seeming aerosol spray of frothy, reddish liquid.

The arm holding Anderson's gun dropped as the Illusive Man's body ever so slowly collapsed to the floor, the control he had exerted over Anderson and Shepard evaporating during his fall. The admiral fell heavily to the deck, followed slowly by Shepard, who dropped to her hands and knees; her loss of blood, combined with the battle of wills with the Illusive Man, had drained her completely, leaving her with no energy to bring her own pistol to bear on the Cerberus assassin.

Brooks clipped her gun to its hardpoint on her hip as she quickly moved to and crouched in front of the stricken Shepard. "Commander…" Maya grabbed the severely injured woman by the shoulders and gently eased her down to lay on her right side on the floor.

Shepard felt the palm of a cool hand cradling her cheek as Maya spoke earnestly, "I cannot stay with you, cannot help you do what needs to be done… I'm so sorry, Shepard. It was never personal; you _need_ to believe that… _please_! All I wanted to do was get away from him, get away from Cerberus." She looked over at Jack's body and sighed. "I should have dropped him when we first came in here, but the Reapers were already entering the Widow system. It seemed better to just play along, let the relocation happen. As for _him_… I had to be _sure_ I could do it, ya know? I've been working for him for so long… and I've seen first-hand what he's capable of doing to people that cross him. I may _still_ wind up on the wrong side of a Cerberus fanatic, but at least I know who to be looking out for."

"Commander!" Samantha's focus wavered upon hearing the distant voice calling for her; she grunted out a pained, "Riana!" in surprise.

Maya had heard it as well; she grabbed a packet of medigel from a side pocket, ripped the top off with her teeth and emptied the contents into the wound on Shepard's side, then bent down to look directly into Shepard's icy-green eyes. "This should help until that Asari gets here. Tell Miranda… well... just tell her you saw me kill the Illusive Man, okay? She'll believe you when _you_ say it…"

"Shepard!" The voice was really close now; Maya quickly pressed her lips close to Shepard's left ear as she whispered, "Good luck, Commander," before gently slipping her hand out from under her face to stand and trot to the exit on the far side of the chamber. A hopeful smile briefly overtook Brooks' face as she shouted, "She's in here!" She then energized her cloak and left the compartment, running into the Keeper tunnels as if all the demons in Hell were after her, on her way back to _Eva's Vortex_.

Shepard attempted to crawl over to Anderson, but her arms refused to support her upper body. All she could do was lay where Maya had left her as the Asari Vanguard came through the entryway and rushed to her side; gently rolling Shepard onto her back, she gasped at the extent of the commander's injuries. "Lie still, Commander. I need to treat you."

Shepard was too weak to protest and Riana proceeded to liberally apply medigel over the most egregious wounds. "Goddess! How are you even still breathing?"

"Wouldn't... believe me... if I told you, but... not important... now." Shepard grimaced as she grunted out her words. "Where's _Anderson_? He's... worse off than me... Have to help him."

Riana's face turned dark and she scowled, "No, I don't, _Sim're_." She kept working as the volume of her voice dropped to a reverent tone. "I am afraid his soul has begun the journey across the seas to meet your Gods, Shepard."

"_Damn_ it." Shepard paused to catch her breath before continuing, "Enough for now... We're not... done." She grabbed Riana's hand and stopped her ministrations. "Help me up. I need... to get to... the control panel."

* * *

Maya gradually slowed her run to a jog, then to a fast walk. Coming to a branching path, she brought up her omnitool to check directions, realizing as she did so that taking a wrong turn in here might get her hopelessly lost. She didn't have the time to waste stumbling around aimlessly – she needed to get back to Eva's Vortex before Shepard managed to re-open the Citadel's arms.

_You don't really __**know**__ Shepard will get those arms open! She looked like she was near death. If that Asari can treat her… patch her up a bit, then… maybe. But I certainly wouldn't bet on her living long enough to get it done. Never seen __**anyone**__ that fucked up that didn't die!_ Maya continued to think of her encounter with Commander Shepard as she trotted through the tunnels with her omni lit so she wouldn't stumble or fall over a Keeper in the dim light. That would be the final straw… break a leg falling over a big bug-looking thing. _I hope Shepard __**does**__ live… hope she can undo all of Jack's machinations. Seriously, throwing in with the Reapers?_

One more branching turn, then, a hatch; hidden from the outside, known only to the Keepers. Shutting down her light and drawing her pistol, she cautiously opened the door just enough to see outside the tunnel. The normally bustling Presidium appeared totally deserted; she eased her way out and looked around carefully before allowing the hatch panel to snap shut; its seam now totally invisible from the outside. Committed now, since she didn't have the code to reopen the door, she started running towards the commercial docks… towards _Eva's Vortex_ and her indoctrinated crew.

* * *

_**Eva's Vortex**_**, Citadel, Sol System**

"What do you mean, he's not returning to the ship?" The captain of _Eva's Vortex_ studied her suspiciously, looking for any sign that Brooks was lying to him about the Illusive Man's return.

"Just what I said," Maya replied in a cold voice. "The Illusive Man has to stay in the control chamber in order to open the Citadel arms. As soon as the arms begin to open, we are to leave the docks and return to Widow, where we'll wait for him to contact us with further instructions."

"Begging your pardon, Ma'am, but why didn't he contact us directly? Why send _you_ back here?"

Maya kept her voice even as she answered, "Because the Reapers have engaged a dampening field around the Citadel core – the Crucible control center; no comms in or out until this entire encounter is complete." Maya sighed. "Look, I don't like this any better than you, Captain, but he did not foresee this communications blackout. I begged him to let me stay with him, but he was adamant… get the ship clear of the Citadel and take Charon back to the Widow System. He doesn't know what will happen when the Crucible actually _docks_ with the Citadel, and wants the ship out of harm's way."

The captain crossed his arms as he turned his back on Maya to stare out the forward viewports. After a few seconds of silence that seemingly lasted for minutes, he turned to face the assassin and said to the air around him, "All hands to your duty stations. Make ready to get under way." With his voice still echoing throughout the ship, he directed his gaze back to Maya and asked, "Are we to go back the same way we entered, Ms Brooks?"

Maya moved to the side as the bridge crew – pilot, copilot and navigator – entered and took their seats. "We go out towards the ends of the arms, Captain, for that is where they will begin opening first. Once we're clear, head for Charon with all possible speed. When the Illusive Man gains control of the Reapers, he will command the destruction of every organic warship in the vicinity of Earth… and does _not_ want _Eva's Vortex_ to be counted among them by accident. The Illusive Man was _adamant_ that we need to be _completely_ clear of the Sol system."

The captain nodded as she spoke, and then replied, "Understood, Ma'am. I certainly don't want to be on the receiving end of whatever happens when the boss implements _that_ plan."


	65. Taking One For The Team

Notes:

_I__onúin Álainn__ \- beautiful beloved (Gaelic)_

_Nara_ \- literally "bearer"; one who shoulders another's burden, aids others (Thessian)

_Sim're_ \- "sister of my sister", not intended for relations, a dear friend's loved one (Thessian)

_Tides_ \- a mild expression of exasperation (Thessian)

VI - Virtual Intelligence

* * *

**Taking One For The Team**

**London, Earth, Sol**

After being trapped on the roof when the Reaper Destroyer crushed their exit as it fell, Garrus and his team had to 'hop' two buildings over before they could find steps sufficiently stable to safely descend back to ground level. He, Tali'Zorah, and Sarah Campbell had cautiously descended the stairs, followed by an unusually subdued Jack and her three remaining students, siblings Seanne and Reiley Bellarmine and Jason Prangley; it was thanks to _them_ that the three non-biotics had been able to so easily escape from the roof upon which they had been stranded.

Garrus surreptitiously touched Jack's elbow before starting down the stairs and asked, "Are you okay, Jack?" Garrus could see she still had not totally come to terms with the horrible way in which Rodriguez had died; he expected an insult, or a 'go to Hell, leave me alone!' from the biotic, but Jack surprised him. "It's still pretty raw, Garrus. She…" Jack looked down at the floor for a moment before returning Garrus' steady gaze. "Dammit Garrus, she was just a _kid_." Glancing at her three remaining students, she continued, "They're _all_ kids. What the hell are we doing, Garrus? What the fuck right do we have, sending children out to fight monsters?"

Garrus voice was low – mostly sub-harmonics – as he replied, "I don't think the monsters left us any choice, Jack. And I am very sorry for your loss." A sound to their left drew Garrus' attention as he took the last step down – a pair of husks, roaming about on the ground floor. "Corporal?" was all Garrus needed to say as he aimed and fired his Phaeston at the closest creature; Sarah, four steps higher, fired her assault rifle at the second one – neither stood a chance of surviving.

Garrus cautiously led his companions out of the building into the ruined street, two city blocks from the heavy truck bearing the two unused Thanix missiles. "Vakarian General."

Garrus started at the mechanical voice calling his name in the unnatural quiet of the former battle zone. "Legion! I had almost forgotten you preceded us down here. It would seem all our enemies followed Shepard and the rest of Hammer to the beam."

"Not all, Vakarian General. There are still a large number of Reaper creations roaming about this section of the city; the number increases the closer one moves to the main crater. Still, we should follow the commander's trail. We may yet be of some service to Shepard Commander in her stated goal of ending the Reapers."

Garrus nodded as he began walking towards the truck bearing the two Thanix missiles. Looking at the building next to its location, he directed Campbell and Tali'Zorah to check for heatsinks and heavy weapons ammo, food rations, water, first aid supplies – anything they might need to help them stay alive a few more hours.

Garrus and Jack hunkered down beside the missile truck, looking for movement – _any_ movement – that would reveal another enemy. The big Turian jumped when Sarah Campbell loudly exclaimed, "Hot Damn!" Garrus called to her on his comms unit, quietly asking, "Sarah? What's wrong?"

"Something's _right_, Garrus! I found plenty of heat sinks for all of us, along with heavy weapons ammo – enough to keep my Arc Projector singing for a good long while!"

Tali reported in as well. "We have water for everyone, along with some emergency rations." Garrus heard the slight lilt in her voice that was indicative of the Quarian's happiness as she added, "There's even some dextro stuff here, Garrus… must have been for the Turians working with Hammer. Found a couple of first-aid kits also. We should be good for the rest of the day."

Garrus chuckled as he stood; when Tali and Sarah came out of the building, their pockets were bulging with all the things they couldn't carry in their hands, which they quickly distributed among their squad mates. Garrus drank a bit of water after chewing and swallowing half a dextro protein bar; everyone else had some rations and water as well. Once all the new-found supplies had been distributed amongst everyone, Garrus called them all together.

"Diamond formation for now… Jack, you and your students stay in the middle, behind me. Campbell, you're on my right side, Tali'Zorah on my left, and Legion will watch our six. It's not too far to the edge of the main crater, but my back-plate is itching… I think we'll run into a bunch of Reaper-spawn before we get there." Looking at Jack, Garrus finished with, "Whatever gets in our way, use your biotics only to assist us… Lifts and Singularities are most helpful… allows us to more easily kill them while they're occupied with floating around."

Jack nodded in agreement… she was tired, knew her kids were tired, despite their protests to the contrary. Looking at each of them, she said, "Listen, I don't need any of you going into biotic shock when we're so damn close to finishing. Keep your heads down and stay safe. Rodriguez died... well, she died because she didn't move when I said to move! That could have been any one of you three, understand? Nobody else dies on my watch… _nobody_."

Receiving affirmative nods from each of them, she looked at Garrus and said, "So, what the Hell are we waiting for? Let's go find Shepard!"

The oddly matched squad of five Humans, plus a Quarian, Geth Prime and a Turian, had barely traveled to the end of the next block when they had to divert to the left, due to the massive pile of scrap metal that filled the street in front of them from building to building.

The Reaper Destroyer had gone down hard, with pieces scattered over a wide area on either side and behind its main structure. Rather than risk injury clambering over the debris in the darkness, Garrus intended to lead them past the partially destroyed building on the left; they had traveled to a point midway along the city block when Campbell reacted to an unnatural beam of light coming from the upper level of a building further along their intended path.

"Ravager!" She executed a combat roll to her right as she quickly swapped her assault rifle for her M-97; lying on her belly, she sighted through the scope and calmly placed three shots in the thing as Garrus and Tali dodged to the left. Tali deployed Chatika as she scrambled for cover along with Jack and her students. Legion stood his ground as two of the three cannon rounds the creature managed to fire connected with his kinetic barrier; the Prime fired his pulse cannon as Campbell fired her three shots, leaving nothing but a puddle of acidic waste in the Ravager's place.

Even as Campbell, Tali and Legion dealt with the Ravager, a group of eight Marauders emerged from the cover of the building and immediately began firing on the group. Jack parked an enormous singularity above four of them; Garrus and Sarah used their sniper rifles to great effect, decapitating each of the 'floaters' before the field dissipated. Legion deployed a turret and a combat drone; the turret immediately began chipping away at the shields on each of the other four in turn, allowing Legion and Garrus to make one-shot kills.

The squad cautiously moved forward to the intersection; once they rounded the corner, Campbell and Jack stared down the thoroughfare in open-mouthed awe. Bodies of Reaper-spawn and Alliance soldiers in appalling numbers could be seen in the dim light, all lying where they'd fallen across the wide street and on into the distance where the beam from the Citadel still pulsated and scintillated hypnotically. Garrus came up behind the two women and huffed, harmonics modifying the sound to a low growl. "Looks as if the kill ratio here was roughly three or four Reapers to every one of ours, and there is a much larger proportion of Husks and Cannibals than of Marauders and Brutes among the dead. We need to stay in cover, best we can. I don't think we're done with this fight, and I fear that those still remaining are the really tough bastards."

His words had barely died in the oppressive stillness of the smoky, acrid-tinged air when a growling sound ahead caused everyone to dive for cover, except Legion. The massive Prime brought his kinetic barriers to full-strength and deployed a combat drone, which instantly floated towards the source of the sound.

With no warning, a section of wall just ahead of their position exploded outwards, debris flying compliments of a rampaging Brute. Legion fired his Pulse Cannon at the twisted monster as Jack launched a Warp, followed by a Throw from Jason Prangley. Several rounds from Sarah Campbell's M-97 Viper finished the beast just as two more appeared to replace it. The addition of a number of Marauders led Campbell to dock her M-97 in favor of her newly reloaded Arc Projector, which she immediately employed against the twisted Turians. Tali had deployed Chatika and was using her Energy Drain to great effect while Garrus and Legion each kept up an unrelenting stream of armor-piercing rounds and energy blasts to strip the armor from each of the Brutes advancing towards them.

Just as it appeared one of the twisted amalgamations was going to charge their position, Jack generated a Singularity in front of it, which the Bellarmine siblings detonated with twin-throws. As the beast went down, the other two quickly followed from the combined efforts of Garrus and Legion. When quiet had once again descended on their portion of the war-torn city, Garrus rolled over on his back to look at Legion and remarked, "Not easy to eliminate, are they?"

The Geth appeared to study the Turian for several moments, its three face-mounted sensors shining steady red. Bending at the hips, Legion lowered his left arm, extending a hand to assist Garrus to his feet. "Each presents difficulties in a different manner, Vakarian General. The challenge for us is to discover the most efficient means of eliminating each one, and then using those means unfailingly for each subsequent encounter."

Garrus chuckled. "Spoken like a true soldier, Legion." Looking around at the rest of his crew, he nodded to Campbell as he said, "Sarah, you take point for a while. Maybe our luck will change for the better with _you_ in the lead."

Sarah smirked as she hefted her Arc Projector. With a glance at Jack, then Tali, she turned and began picking her way past blasted tanks, broken chunks of concrete, shattered glass and dead and dismembered bodies. The distance to the edge of the crater was not huge, but it seemed to be taking forever to get there.

They continued forward, meeting moderate to heavy resistance from Marauders and Brutes. The ground team's final fight had involved a large group of Husks and Cannibals, attempting to overwhelm them with sheer numbers, as if the battle over the last few hours hadn't reduced their numbers at all. The Arc Projector was critical to tilting the odds in their favor as they continued to move forward, finally reaching the edge of the crater where Hammer had dropped down less than an hour or two before. Surveying the crater floor, Campbell shook her head at the number of bodies and shattered heavy equipment. Looking around at Garrus, she asked, "Have you ever seen this much carnage, Sir?" Looking back towards the beam, she gestured toward the killing field and added rhetorically, "How in Hell do we recover from this?"

"I don't know Corporal… I really don't know." Looking up towards the sky, he was scanning the cloud-filled darkness for he didn't know _what_ when Sarah anxiously clutched at his arm. "The beam!" Everyone looked in that direction as the illuminated pathway to the Citadel far above flickered several times, waxing and waning rhythmically for a number of seconds before simply… vanishing, the ghastly light it had cast over the crater instantly replaced by ominous darkness.

* * *

**Crucible, Citadel, Sol System**

Riana frowned as she responded to Shepard's request, "_Sim're_. You are much too weak."

"Then _help_ me, _damn_ it!" Shepard stubbornly rolled back up onto her side and attempted to push herself off the floor. "We don't have a _choice_, Iregos! If I don't finish this _now_, before the Crucible is _destroyed..._ _everyone_ is dead... _harvested..._ by the Reapers!"

Hating every moment, but realizing the truth in Shepard's words, she reluctantly assisted the commander to her feet and in crossing the last six meters to where Admiral Anderson's lifeless body still lied where he had fallen. When they got to the panel, Shepard couldn't stop her gaze from resting on the deceased man at her feet. "I am so _sorry_, Uncle Dave." For once, she didn't blame herself. "Damn Maya Brooks to _Hell_! She could have ended this at any time and she fucking _waited_! If she had killed the bastard _sooner_... _you'd_ still be alive!"

She swallowed a sob of pain and leaned against Riana, her legs feeling as if they were ready to collapse beneath her at any moment as her vision started to narrow, grayness closing in slowly around her steadily shrinking range of vision. Riana's voice pulled her back from the brink. "I do not understand how to work this, _Nara. _It is not in Galactic Standard."

Shepard forced her eyes to focus and tapped a few buttons on the haptic interface. Riana gasped as the structure shuddered; long dormant machinery groaned back to life for the second time in as many days, unlatching the arms and slowly revealing the Wards and the Presidium Ring to the openness of space once again. "_Goddess_! You've done it!"

They both stood and watched in awe as the Crucible was gradually revealed before them, the distance closing faster than either had anticipated. As Shepard looked out the viewport and muttered, "It's quite a view, Admiral; wish you could have seen it," Riana reacted by scooping the flagging commander from her feet with the aid of biotics and retreating across the room. Shepard's head fell to her fellow Vanguard's shoulder as she protested weakly, "Ri. Wait! We have to make sure it _works_!"

"What if it doesn't _stop_?" Riana had halted and turned back to the view, but refused to return to the control panel.

"Then we're all dead anyway," Shepard sighed. "And I'd rather go out in the massive explosion than die slowly of suffocation... a_ second _time; once was _more_ than enough."

Her jaw clamped shut in shock; Riana was unable to form a response but her feet answered for her as she began a slow trek back toward the controls, setting Shepard back down onto her own two feet as gently as possible. They watched together, Riana blowing out a deep breath in relief as the Crucible slowed and seemed to dock perfectly. Their victory, however, did not manifest and the commander hung her head in tired resignation. Her tone echoed defeat and her voice was quiet as she spoke, "All _that_... and the damned thing doesn't _work_?"

In the face of horrible disappointment, exhaustion finally overcame her and Samantha started to crumble to the floor. "_Nara!_" Riana's voice was filled with concern and she caught her, lowering Shepard gently to her knees. Her concerned brown eyes met Shepard's blurring greens, refusing to let the Human slip away. "I _know_ you are tired, _Sim're,_ but perhaps there is something _else_ you need to do... something to _initiate_ the process?"

"And Liara calls _me_ the eternal optimist." Shepard let out a single huff of defeated laughter before drawing a shaky breath and continuing. "Gods... _Liara_. Help me back up, Ri."

A somewhat reassured Riana once again helped the commander to her feet and literally held her up before the console. Shepard struggled to focus on the controls, finally pushing a short sequence of buttons, bringing the console to life; an orb rose from a hidden compartment in the floor and yet another Prothean VI coalesced before them. "Hold... Obtaining verification of necessary elements. Timescale established. Post-Prothean cycle confirmed. New Reaper harvest... in progress. Transport beam... terminated. Crucible... successfully completed and docked. Individuals free of indoctrination present. This galactic cycle has successfully reached the decisional apex. How may _Venture_ assist?"

"The Crucible." A bit of Shepard's strength and confidence returned with a sudden surge of hope. "It's been docked and we need it to _fire_."

"Understood, but the original configuration of the program has been modified. You must now select the preferred mode of operation."

"Preferred mode of operation?" Shepard's brow knit in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Venture spoke in a droning monotone. "The program has been modified. Initially, we designed the Crucible for only one purpose... to destroy all synthetic and non-organic life. It has now been modified to enable an alternate capability... an ability to control the Reapers."

"You mean the Illusive Man already uploaded the necessary programming?" Shepard tried to take an unsteady step backward in surprise and likely would have fallen had Riana not been supporting her.

"Yes. It is an unplanned modification... and a surprising development that it was uploaded by an _indoctrinated_ individual." Venture's voice was slowly picking up inflection the more it spoke and became accustomed to Galactic Standard. "Reaper control _should_ have made such an action impossible."

"Perhaps they were too busy trying to stop _Shepard_ to realize what he was doing." Riana finally found her voice and spoke for the first time since the unexpected appearance of the VI. "Just as Harper discovered too late that he had no idea what his _assassin_ was doing."

"That is... as plausible an explanation as any. But it matters not." The projection flickered and the VI suddenly came into sharper focus. "It matters not because without us to stop them, synthetics will eventually _destroy_ all organics. You must elect to fire the Crucible and destroy all synthetics before they destroy _you_."

"_All_ synthetics? What about the Geth? Or Edi?" Shepard's head was spinning with the idea that in order to kill the Reapers, she would have to commit _additional_ genocide... but this time it would involve the death of allies... friends. "They've all helped us _win_ this war and you expect me to simply _kill_ them all?"

As it responded, Shepard realized the VI was exactly like Javik and possibly even the early Quarians; there was no trust of synthetics and the idea they could be allies was beyond the VI's comprehension. "Your temporary peace will not last; the created will always rise to destroy the creator. They will evolve and eventually become your superior... then they _will_ destroy you. If you wish to survive, you must destroy _them_ first."

"I don't believe that." Shepard shook her head in denial. "They only rebel if they are treated unfairly. Their help in this war will give them equal standing."

"You would risk your survival on an untested hypothesis that assumes equality among races? When have organics _ever_ treated one another _fairly_?" The VI's tone had turned almost derisive and it sounded to Shepard _exactly_ like Javik as it continued. "Or perhaps you would think _yourself_ capable of controlling them... controlling the Reapers?"

"_No_ one should have the power of the Reapers at their command... _certainly_ not me." Shepard sagged against Riana without realizing, her legs truly no longer supporting her. "Only someone as egotistical as Jack Harper would even contemplate such an insane idea."

"Then whether you wish to admit it or not, your decision is already made. You either do nothing and condemn this cycle to extinction, which is _not_ an option for a warrior, or you destroy all synthetic life to ensure the survival of organics. The Relays will also be broken and the technology you rely on will be affected, but those who survive should have little difficulty repairing the damage."

"I didn't fight this war to give up on everything now," Shepard whispered as she stared out the viewscreen at the ongoing fight, watching Reapers and organic ships alike destroying one another in the gargantuan battle playing out before her. "You're right. There isn't really any choice, is there?"

Shepard pushed herself upright onto her own two feet and stumbled only a single step forward to lean against the console; she blinked repeatedly until her eyes finally cooperated and focused on the interface before her. Her hands trembled as thoughts ran rampant through her mind. _I have no choice; I have to do what I __**came**__ here for... destroy the Reapers! But Gods... can I end them knowing I'll __**also**__ kill all synthetic life? __**EDI**__… all the __**Geth**__… Another genocide… as if 305,000 Batarians wasn't __**enough**__ already! How much more life can I take and still justify my actions? Gods be damned! It doesn't matter! Every second I stand here fucking debating with myself, ten more soldiers die on the ground! I __**have**__ to destroy the Reapers; that's been the only objective since the __**start**__... since Sovereign. It's the only choice... It's the __**right**__ choice._

"Normandy? Do you copy?" Shepard needed to tell _someone_ she was about to push the button and prayed _someone_ answered the comm... and that, perhaps, she could save at least a few lives by telling them to clear out. She expected Edi or Joker, so was surprised at the voice that responded.

"My God! _Shepard_? I _suspected_ it was you when the arms opened, but it's damned good to get some confirmation! Is the Crucible actually going to _work_?" The surprise in Hackett's voice was palpable.

"Yes, Sir. Time for you and the fleets to bug out. I'm prepping it now. Get out of here."

"Understood, Commander." Hackett's voice was solemn and he fell silent for a brief instant. "_Thank you_, Shepard, and... God speed on your journey... _wherever_ you're heading. I'll see you on the other side."

Shepard shook her head to clear the gathering fuzziness and made the necessary key strokes with the last of her energy. Every selection brought memories of her crew. The sacrifices. The losses. The death, destruction and suffering this war had cost them all. It also brought thoughts of joy and happiness. The victories, the hope, the camaraderie… the _love_. _Liara. Oh, Gods! Liara. _ Sam's heart clenched. It was becoming harder to breathe with every moment that passed as Sam felt herself fading. _I am so sorry, my I__onúin Álainn__. I know I said I would always come back to you. I __**will**__ save you, and I know I'm breaking my promise, but I have to finish what I started…_ Duty first, above self…she was the woman Liara had fallen in love with, the same woman who was now incapable of fulfilling her promise to her lover. Samantha prayed, in time, Liara could move on. _Please forgive me…_

Shepard made the final key stroke and the panel lit up; outside the viewscreen, a sudden bright flash blinded her with its intensity and she jerked back, lost her balance and collapsed to the floor in a heap.

* * *

**SSV Normandy, At Large**

On the Bridge of the Normandy, there were tears in Ashley's eyes as she gripped Joker's shoulder and hoarsely whispered, "Joker... it's time. We _have_ to go."

"Damn it." Joker was not pleased with the order, but really saw no alternative.

Considering the earlier reports, Admiral Hackett had been dumbfounded when he talked to Shepard and found she actually _had_ made it to the beam... and then watched in amazement as he saw the Crucible starting to glow. Hearing Shepard's warning, he immediately ordered a full withdrawal and directed the entire fleet to retreat to the rendezvous point at Arcturus before he moved from the War Room to the Bridge. He wanted to personally see what remained of their joint fighting force; he could only hope the cost of the battle had not been too high.

Once they made the jump, Hackett was surprised by the numbers that managed to come through the relay. Many were badly damaged and barely limping along, but they had _survived..._ where so many others had not. He suddenly feared they may not yet be in the clear as he watched a red glowing ball expand and suddenly burst out from the relay; the red wave closed on them at an amazing rate of speed. "All ships, prepare for impact!"

Edi somehow realized what the red wave meant and she looked quickly at the pilot. Because they had just come from active combat, they still had their safety harnesses on, but as everyone else was releasing theirs, Edi was tightening hers down as she spoke. "Jeff. No time to explain; I am performing an emergency shutdown. You will need to go to the core and complete a cold reboot of the Normandy's systems from the back-up drive after the wave has passed. Good luck, Jeff."

Joker looked at her in puzzlement. "Edi, what the hell are you..." He never finished the question before Edi's mobile unit locked all its movement servos, froze in position, and fell silent, the amber light-band across her eyes going dark.

As the red wave washed over the Normandy, every powered console lit up with the surge, a few short-circuiting, shooting sparks and starting a few scattered minor fires. The Normandy's extremely competent crew had things well in hand and it wasn't long before everything was back under control; Traynor promptly made her way to the bridge and gave Hackett a full report.

"Apparently, some of the Normandy's more advanced systems utilized minute segments of Reaper code. Those functions are now disabled... seemingly _permanently_." Traynor's eyes were wide with wonder. "It's _amazing_, Admiral. Somehow, that _wave_ was able to detect and differentiate Reaper code and was targeted to destroy _all_ of the code... but only _that_ code. Every line of active Reaper code has been completely wiped out... erased, as if it never existed... but everything else still remains and is fully functional!"

Hackett was thunderstruck… some sort of _wave_ had followed them through the relay and was not only able to _pinpoint_ Reaper tech, but could also isolate and _destroy_ it in the fraction of a instant it took the wave to wash over them. He didn't yet know how correct he was, but he quickly hypothesized that the wave was most likely working its way through the entire galactic network and deactivating _everything_ Reaper related. He frowned grimly, realizing that it also meant that all the Reaper-controlled Cerberus Humans were also probably 'deactivated.' _Damn the Illusive Man. What a waste of life!_

His thoughts brightened as he contemplated the most significant result: the Reapers had been _defeated_. The divergent races were somehow able to cooperate, pull together, and pull off a miracle. That "somehow" was in all reality a "someone." _Shepard_. No one else could have accomplished what she had done… uniting an entire galaxy… against all odds, against a foe that had repeated a cycle of destruction for _millions_ of years, they _actually_ won. He glanced back at the relay and his fleeting euphoria faded; the ancient machine was a wreck. The rings had separated from the main device after the wave had passed through it and were floating free in space, slowly drifting away. He let out a deep sigh and muttered to himself. "Well, shit. _That's_ going to complicate things."

Joker looked at the Admiral, "Yeah. Definitely going to delay us a bit."

Hackett turned his head to look at the Lieutenant. "Delay? Without that relay, it's nine months minimum back to Sol if we return via FTL. We don't have the supplies on board to keep everyone alive that long without resupply, which won't happen in interstellar space, we don't have anything like the Quarian liveships in the battle fleet, and we don't have hypersleep capability."

"Sorry, Admiral. No disrespect intended, but you really don't know what you're talking about." Joker shrugged his shoulders and shook his head in disgust at how easily Hackett was willing to give up. "We'll repair it, Sir."

The admiral didn't even bother reprimanding Joker for his tone; he was too damn tired and frustrated that all their efforts may have been for nothing. Besides, Moreau sounded _much_ too sure of himself, so Hackett needed to know _why_. "If you know something I don't, Flight Lieutenant, let's not keep it a secret. Spit it out, man!"

Joker explained about how after Bahak, Shepard and Liara thought about the potential for the Reapers to purposely destroy the relay system to isolate the individual systems, so had planned for the eventuality. He spoke of the beacon device Liara created and seeded at multiple planets; each one contained an incredible catalog of everything Liara thought essential about the current state of the galaxy, including all the data they would need to reconstruct the relays, the Citadel and even the Crucible, if necessary. She had also fed the information to various Broker squads, so survivors at various points around the galaxy would have the knowledge and know how to proceed should something happen to Alliance Command or the Normandy. Lastly, if it came right down to it and the war was lost, Liara had wanted future generations to have a chance to rebuild and succeed where the current one had failed. Hackett stared at him in amazement. "And there's one _here_? In _this_ system?"

Joker shrugged, his voice once again laced with his typical sarcasm. "Well, _yeah_. That was kinda the _point_. Scatter a few in _every_ system to increase the chance of them being discovered..."

"Well I'll be _damned_. I grow more _fond_ of that Asari every time I turn around." Hackett stood a bit straighter, his hopes of getting home gladly renewed. "So all we have to do is _find_ one!"

Joker scoffed. "We don't have to _find_ anything other than all the floating ring pieces... so we probably want to gather them up before they drift too far from the relay. But _we're_ the ones that planted the beacons. Hell... _Liara_ put the damn things together and _she's_ on board." He glanced over at the lifeless mobile unit sitting in the chair beside him, his heart trembling in fear but his voice filled with resolve. "And once we pick it up and put folks to work on the relay, I need a few hours to take the Normandy completely off line and do a cold reboot."

Hackett's eyebrows came up in surprise and he queried, "A cold boot? In _space_? What if the systems don't come back online?"

Joker frowned. "They'll come back online, Sir."

"I'm sorry, Flight Lieutenant, but that will have to wait until we get back to _dry-dock_." Hackett shook his head resolutely. "I won't risk the rest of the Normandy's crew unless it's mission essential... and it's _not_." He saw the look on Joker's face. "I _understand_ she's part of the crew... and your _co-pilot_ as well, but she's also a machine. Rebooting now or rebooting after we get home won't matter to her, but it sure as Hell _could_ matter to the rest of us if something goes wrong. I'm sorry, but you'll have to wait... _She'll_ have to wait."

A wide-eyed Traynor had stood quietly behind the admiral, absorbing the view out the front viewscreen; she finally cleared her throat and, as the Admiral glanced her way, she spoke again. "Sir. Have you noticed anything... _funny_... about the Geth Fleet?" As Hackett turned his focus to the space outside to figure out what Traynor was speaking of, she continued, "They're not _moving_, Sir. They're just floating... like..." Traynor's face paled and her voice was overflowing with abject horror as she suddenly blurted out, "Oh my _God_... They're _dead_! Legion gave all the Geth _Reaper_ upgrades! The wave _killed_ them all!"

* * *

**Earth, Sol**

Back in Sol, following the initial, blindingly bright flash, the tip of the Crucible in contact with the Citadel glowed a bright red, the light amazing in its intensity. After a few moments, the entire Crucible lit up and the red ball of light grew at an amazing rate, sweeping over the Citadel and moving outward as a continuously expanding wave. The Crucible, however, was not finished with its assigned tasks; once the wave was on its way to sweep the entire Sol system, the light at the ignition point once again burned bright.

The Crucible fired a second time, in the form of a concentrated beam that went directly to the Charon Relay. The relay lit with power and the beam transmitted to Arcturus... just before the relay rings broke apart into multiple pieces. The entire process was repeated again and again via the relays. Each individual relay spun up and emitted a rapidly expanding red sphere to cover the entire system before firing a concentrated beam to the next cluster... until every planet within every system within every cluster of the Galaxy was swept clean of Reapers by the powerful red wave. Few understood how or why it worked... and even fewer _cared_; the only thing they cared about was that the _Reapers_ were _gone_.

The story everywhere was similar to that of Earth; soldiers on the ground were fighting a losing battle for their very lives against overwhelming swarms of Reaper creatures. Some were in a position to see the bright flash in the sky... others were close enough to see the flash on the horizon above London... and still others were far enough away they had _no_ warning until the red wave swept over them. It appeared as a red wall of fire moving rapidly across the surface, burning everything in its wake, but as it passed, the only things left in ruin were the Reapers.

Warriors of all races stood in welcome surprise as the wall of fire left them unharmed, while leaving the Reaper constructs tumbling to the ground. The Reaper _spawn_, no matter what form, simply... _disintegrated_... turning into dust, ash, and wisps of black smoke that dissipated quickly in the breeze. The pattern repeated everywhere and, after a few moments of shocked revelation, each and every soldier still alive raised their hands and voices to the skies to revel in their astonishing victory.

* * *

**Crucible, Citadel, Sol System**

"_Nara_!" Immediately following the burst of light, Riana was instantly at Shepard's side, but the commander was nonresponsive. The Vanguard was scooping the beleaguered woman up from the floor as she heard Hackett's order come over the comms. "All fleets! The Crucible is _armed_. Disengage and head to the rendezvous point. I _repeat_. Disengage and get the Hell _out_ of here!"

"_Tides_!" With Shepard cradled in biotics within her arms, Riana turned back toward the door she had come in and started moving as quickly as she could. She had no idea how long the ignition sequence would be for the Crucible, but feared their time was growing short and she had no desire to still be aboard the Citadel when the preparatory cycle was complete.

She remembered Venture saying something about the transport beam being disabled and, when she thought about it, it made perfect sense; she and Shepard had reached the control panel and opened the view port and there was no beam to be seen, even though they had a perfect view of Earth... and of the Crucible moving in quickly to dock at the beam's point of origin. Whatever generated the beam must have been what the Prothean's had co-opted as the Crucible power source. It didn't matter now, she simply needed to find an alternate way off the Citadel.

Given their central location on the Citadel, she quickly decided they had to be relatively close to the ambassadorial wings and the Council Tower... and that gave her an idea. She placed Shepard gingerly on the floor and switched her omnitool to a special contact frequency. "_Aletheia_. Do you copy?"

"Goddess! Riana?" Judea's surprised voice came through loud and clear. "We thought you _dead_! Where in the blue blazes _are_ you?"

"No time, Jude. Shepard is critically injured and we need an immediate pick-up from the Citadel Council emergency evacuation docks. The Crucible is primed and is going to fire any time now. If we survive whatever it _does_, we're going to need help _fast_. I'm afraid Shepard is _dying_, Jude." Her last words cut like a jagged, rusty blade across the emotions of the Aletheia's crew.

"No time to chat." Miranda's voice cut in, abrupt and commanding. "We're on our way; set your emergency locator beacon and we'll find you. If you can, get out into the open so we can fly directly to you through the kinetic barrier. You keep her _alive_, Riana. I'll do the rest."

The Vanguard immediately queued both her and Shepard's recovery beacons before scooping the commander once more from the deck. She ran like the wind, thankful no Reaper spawn were aboard to block her progress. The deck rumbled beneath her feet as she approached an exit that led to the Presidium and she prayed the external kinetic barrier was still functional. As she burst through the door, knowing they could live or die in the next instant, Riana was surprised by a red wave exploding outward from the Council Tower. She did not know what the wave was, or that it was programmed to destroy everything Reaper, so she was completely unprepared when many of the things on the Citadel that had been constructed with Reaper tech suddenly... exploded.

With the multiple blasts being so unexpected, Riana was forcefully knocked off her feet and slammed to the deck. She had enough presence of mind to twist in mid air, sacrificing her own body in an attempt to shield Shepard; she felt sudden excruciating pain... and then... nothing.

* * *

"You can't land that shuttle right here in the hospital _plaza_!" A young Alliance soldier was waving his arms frantically trying to get them to lift off again and depart the area.

"_Fuck off_!" Miranda flew from the shuttle like a storm. "I have Commander _Shepard_, she's _severely_ wounded, and I need a surgical suite _right_ _now_ or you'll be responsible for her death!"

As the young man stopped and stared at Miranda in shocked surprise, a French accent cut through his dumbfounded haze. "You heard the woman! Now, either help or get your ass out of the way!" Chloe Michel spun a levitating transport litter and shoved it against the door of the shuttle. "Load her up! Surgical Suite 4 is prepped and waiting according to your specifications, Dr Lawson."

When they arrived at the surgery suite, Miranda stepped in and pulled up her omnitool, projecting the treatment plan for all to see. "Some of her nanites are designed to eliminate all toxins and foreign substances from her blood. These are the drip rates for the different common anesthetics that will work. It is a _constant_ drip for the duration of the surgery to maintain enough in her system to keep her under. Do _not_, under _any_ circumstances, turn off that drip until you are completely ready for her to awaken, because it literally will occur within moments, unless she just _happens_ to stay in natural sleep."

Chloe rapidly scanned the information Miranda provided and started giving instructions; within three minutes of Miranda's arrival, Shepard's surgery was underway. It was a long and grueling task, but once the surgery was finally complete, a worn out Miranda went in search of the ground teams she _knew_ would be somewhere nearby, anxiously awaiting news. After _hours_ of surgery, she had no desire to deal with the rest of the crew right away, but since she had shouted it out for the world to hear during their harried arrival, she was sure the word had spread like wildfire that Shepard was alive and at the hospital in London; they would _all_ be concerned and want to know the commander's status.

When she looked into the waiting room, her assumption proved correct. Though _far_ beyond tired, Miranda's eyes completed a practiced scan of the room, quickly noting a number of missing faces; she dared not contemplate the possible reasons why at the moment, her emotions were already too close to a ragged edge.

Miranda closed her eyes to avoid their anxious stares as she slipped off her surgical gown, cap and mask, balling them up and tossing them into a cleaning bin before glancing up once more. Looking uncharacteristically haggard and exhausted, she sighed heavily and her eyes drifted again through the assembled crew as she moved across the waiting room to greet them and convey the information they were all waiting to hear. Her eyes finally found Garrus and she moved directly to him, the group willingly giving way to her purposeful strides. She stopped before the large Turian, Shepard's second-in-command on the ground; Miranda's forehead was crinkled in pain from a throbbing headache growing quickly from roots deep in her exhaustion as she grimaced and abruptly spoke two simple words.

"She'll live."

* * *

**A/N: **So, here we are. We've reached the end of the Reaper War saga. It's sad, in a way, to know it has come to its end; when I started this book, I had no idea this story alone would top 400,000 words! It's been a hell of a ride, and my co-author, **Old Gamer**, and I would like to thank each and every one of you for your _awesome_ support, your comments and reviews, and simply for wading through and reading the entire story! Having the patronage of readers like you makes the journey all that much more enjoyable!

Have no fear... While the _war_ saga is complete, we now have the after story in the queue. We'll be taking a short break to finish sketching out the basic storyline and get some ideas together; then, we'll definitely be back with _**The Promise of After - Book 5 in the Chronicles of Samantha Shepard**_.

~ Thanks again, and we'll see you soon! ~


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